Extras 6. English proverbs Flashcards
A stitch in time saves nine
If you sort out a problem immediately it may save extra work later.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
You feel more affection for people when you have been away from them
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
Children are similar to their parents
Actions speak louder than words
What people do shows their true feelings, rather than what they might say
Slow and steady wins the race
If you work slowly but consistently, you will do better than if you try to work quickly and rush something
A watched pot never boils
Time goes slowly if you are just waiting for something to happen.
Beggars can’t be choosers
When you ask for help, you should be happy with any help that you get, even if it isn’t exactly what you wanted
Better late than never
It is better to do something late than never do it
Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves
If you’re careful to save small amounts of money, you’ll soon have a large amount of it
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Different people have different opinions on whether something is good or not
You can’t have your cake and eat it
You can’t have all the good things in a situation where having one good thing means you can’t have the other.
For example, Brian wants to go to football training. But training is at the weekends, and he doesn’t want to do anything at the weekend.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Don’t rely on something that hasn’t already happened.
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Don’t decide if something or someone is good or not from how it looks
Many hands make light work
A task is finished quicker if lots of people help out.
Necessity is the mother of invention
When you really need something to happen, you are forced to find a way to make it happen
Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket
Don’t only try really hard, or focus, on one thing, because if it doesn’t work out then you’ll be left with nothing
If you play with fire, you’ll get burned
If you get involved with something dangerous, you may hurt yourself or get in trouble
Don’t cry over spilt milk
Don’t waste time worrying about things that have happened in the past and can’t be changed
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones
Don’t criticise other people about faults/problems that you also have.
Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise
Getting enough sleep will help you be successful in life.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
If you don’t take time for a break, it will make you bored and boring
The early bird catches the worm
If you try and do something as early as possible, you will have an advantage over others
Look before you leap
Don’t do things without considering the consequences
A friend in need is a friend indeed
A person who helps you at a difficult time is a person you can really rely on
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
It can be hard to get people to try a new way of doing things, especially if they have done it a certain way for a long time
Too many cooks spoil the broth
If too many people are involved in an activity, it will not be done well
Jack of all trades, master of none
Describes someone who tries to do too many things and never becomes good at any of them
The grass is always greener on the other side
Other people’s lives or situations always seem better than your own
Every cloud has a silver lining
No matter how bad a situation may seem, there is always something good that can come out of it
More haste, less speed
You’ll make better progress with a task if you don’t try to do it too quickly
Never look a gift horse in the mouth
If someone gives you a present, don’t think about how much it costs
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
A group or team is only as good as its weakest member
There’s no such thing as a free lunch
You can never get something for nothing
Two heads are better than one
It can be helpful to get advice or an opinion from another person
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink
You can give someone an opportunity, but you can’t force them to take it
When in Rome, do as the Romans
When you are visiting another place, you should follow their rules
When the going gets tough, the tough get going
When things become difficult, the strong people will manage to get through it
No man is an island
No one can do everything on their own - everyone relies on other people to help them
Birds of a feather flock together
People who are similar, or who have similar interests, are more likely to become friends
Rome wasn’t built in a day
If you want to achieve something big, you need to realise it will take a long time
