Communication Idioms — Idioms
Talking, listening, rumors, and secrets — how news travels in English. · 10 idioms · Level B1
speak your mind
Meaning: to say honestly what you think
neutral meetings, friendships
Example: In this team, please speak your mind — no bad ideas.
A Can I speak my mind?
B Always. That's why you're here.
⚠️ Common mistake: Speak YOUR mind (possessive follows the speaker): speak my mind, speak her mind.
talk in circles
Meaning: to talk a lot without reaching a point or decision
informal meetings, arguments
Example: The meeting talked in circles for two hours.
A We keep talking in circles.
B Let's list the options and vote.
⚠️ Common mistake: Talk in circles — the talk RETURNS to the start. Plural circles, always.
word of mouth
Meaning: information spread by people talking to each other
neutral business, recommendations
Example: The bakery grew by word of mouth alone.
A How do clients find you?
B Purely by word of mouth.
⚠️ Common mistake: BY word of mouth — the channel is people speaking. No article: not 'a word of mouth'.
through the grapevine
Meaning: through rumors and informal talk
informal office rumors, gossip
Example: I heard through the grapevine that the office is moving.
A I heard it through the grapevine…
B Then it's a rumor until confirmed.
⚠️ Common mistake: HEAR through the grapevine — news travels on vines, person to person, unofficially.
on the tip of your tongue
Meaning: almost remembered but not quite — a word you nearly can say
neutral forgetting names and words
Example: Her name is on the tip of my tongue.
A His name is on the tip of my tongue.
B The actor from the airport movie? — Yes!
⚠️ Common mistake: Possessive changes: on the tip of MY tongue when it's your memory failing.
mum's the word
Meaning: keep it secret; don't say anything
informal secrets, surprises
Example: The party is a surprise — mum's the word.
A Mum's the word about the gift.
B My lips are sealed.
⚠️ Common mistake: Mum here means SILENT (old word), not mother! Mum's the word = silence is the rule.
talk your ear off
Meaning: to talk too much to someone
informal chatty people, jokes
Example: The taxi driver talked my ear off for the whole ride.
A Grandpa will talk your ear off about fishing.
B Warned — I'll bring coffee and patience.
⚠️ Common mistake: The ear belongs to the LISTENER: he talked MY ear off, she talked HIS ear off.
get wind of
Meaning: to hear about something secret or planned
neutral news, secrets, plans
Example: The press got wind of the merger early.
A Management got wind of the plan.
B Then we present it properly on Friday.
⚠️ Common mistake: Get wind OF something — like an animal smelling news on the wind.
in other words
Meaning: to restate something more simply or clearly
neutral explaining, writing, teaching
Example: He's a perfectionist — in other words, nothing is ever finished.
A In other words, we agree?
B In other words — yes, completely.
⚠️ Common mistake: In other words introduces YOUR OWN clearer version. A top academic-writing phrase too.
actions speak louder than words
Meaning: what people do matters more than what they say
neutral advice, judging character
Example: He promises help but never comes — actions speak louder than words.
A He apologized ten times.
B Actions speak louder than words. Watch what he does.
⚠️ Common mistake: A proverb — use it as a complete judgment, often about promises versus behavior.
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