Cambridge English - Idioms

To be/feel on top of the world 1 Show your students a short clip of each of these three songs and ask them What do these three songs have in common? Dean Martin – I’m sitting on top of the world https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ3yuKY9pBc The Carpenters – I’m on the top of the world https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDPMmaHWj1I Imagine Dragons – On the top of the world https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tWYmIOWGk Answer: They all have ‘on top of the world’ in their titles! Ask: Are they happy or sad songs? (happy) If you’re on top of the world, do you feel good or bad? (good) Do you feel great, wonderful? (yes!) 2 Show your students this short video from Cambridge TV and ask them: Why is the man ‘on top of the world’? Cambridge TV: on top of the world https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3jZtTtrRNU Answer: His girlfriend agrees to marry him – she says ‘yes’! 3 Tell students about things that have made or make you feel on top of the world: For example, I was on top of the world after I got my first teaching job. When my students do all their homework and speak in English all the time in class, I feel on top of the world! 4 Students copy and complete these sentences: I was on top of the world after …… I feel on top of the world when … ……………………… would make me feel on top of the world.

To be/feel under the weather 1 Freeze the video below on 0’23 – the picture of the man in bed with the thermometer in his mouth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-B4-ZIRVMg Ask: What’s the matter with this man? Why is he in bed? (He feels ill. He’s got a temperature/cold/flu.) What’s he doing to try and get better? (He’s taking medicine. He’s got a hot water bottle. He’s staying in bed.) 2 Play the video from this scene till the end. Ask: What’s another way of saying you feel ill? (I feel under the weather.) 3 Say: This man feels under the weather because he has a temperature and a cold. Why does he have a cold now? Students suggest reasons. Say: Let’s find out why this man has a cold. Play the video from the start. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-B4-ZIRVMg Answer: He took his dog out for a walk in the rain and he got wet. You could then look at some other expressions containing weather words. Here is a link to a list of weather-related idioms (because of the words they contain) http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/weather/weather1-blue-rain.html