Have a heart of stone

Meaning:

• If you have a heart of stone, you are cold, unfriendly and/or cruel having no sympathy for people.

Example sentence:

She was never willing to help us when we needed her. She never smiled and she was somewhat cruel to everyone around her. However, although she had a heart of stone, it wasn't her fault.


Questions for you to answer:

1. What adjectives would you ascribe to someone who has a heart of stone?
2. Could you think of an idiom with the opposite meaning? 
3. Why do you think people have a heart of stone? 

Carry the ball

Meaning:

• If you carry the ball, you take control of an activity and do what is needed to get a piece of work done. You are considered reliable enough to make sure that a job gets done.

Example sentence: 

I'm afraid Jane can't carry the ball for us. She's too reckless and disorganized. We need someone who knows how to get the job done. 

Questions for you to answer: 

1. Are you the one who always carries the ball in a team? 
2. Who carries the ball in your family?
3. Have you recently met anyone who definitely couldn't carry the ball? Why?
4. What adjectives would you ascribe to someone who always carries the ball? 

Go by the Book

Meaning:

• If you do something by the book, you do it exactly as the rules tell you.

Example sentence:

Your reputation will be discredited if you don't go by the book. If I were you, I'd follow the rules strictly.

Questions for you to answer:

1. Do you always go by the book, or do you sometimes break the rules? 
2. In which situations do you think it's necessary to go by the book? 
3. When did you last regret not going by the book? 
4. What do you think is the origin of the idiom? What 'book' does it probably refer to? 

A step in the right direction

Meaning:

• An action or move that is expected to bring good results.

Example sentence:

Now you have no doubts that hiring him was a step in the right direction, right? You see, he's already brought us some new clients.


Questions for you to answer:

1. Can you remember an action that you doubted at first but that finally turned out to be a step in the right direction?
2. What usually indicates that something might NOT be a step in the right direction?
3. What do you do when something has turned out not to be a step in the right direction?
4. How would you describe a person who always takes a step in the right direction?

There's no smoke without fire

 

Meaning:

• If unpleasant things are said about something or someone, there's probably a reason for it.

Example sentence:

He claims he didn't steal the money but the truth is that there's no smoke without fire. Plus he had already done some nasty things before.



Questions for you to answer:

1. Do you agree with the saying or do you believe in the presumption of innocence (one is considered innocent until proven guilty)?
2. Can you think of situations based on your own experience when the saying proved wrong?
3. Do you think that this particular mental pattern (thinking that there's no smoke without fire) can be destructive? If yes, how?

Knock on wood

Meaning:

• You knock (on) wood when saying something positive or affirmative about someone or something and not wanting that to change.
• You knock on wood when you wish something were true.

Example sentence:

It seems I'm finally going to pass all my exams - knock on wood.


Questions for you to answer:

1. Are you superstitious?
2. Why do you think people touch/knock on wood when they wish something were true? Why not some other kind of material, such as glass, plastic, fabric, etc.?
3. Do you sometimes knock on wood or have you ever seen anybody do so for superstitious reasons?

Leave the field clear for somebody

Meaning:

• If you leave the field clear for somebody, you stop competing with them. This, in consequence, gives them a better chance to succeed.

Example sentence:

I realized it was time to stop competing with Alice. She had always been much better than me so I decided to leave the field clear for her so that she could become the manager.


Questions for you to answer:

1. When did you last think it'd be better to leave the field clear for somebody?
2. In what situations do you think it's better to leave the field clear for somebody? When, on the other hand, is it wise not to?
3. What character features does a person have to have to be able to leave the field clear for somebody easily?
4. How would you characterize somebody who is never willing to clear the field?