Today we will review three new idioms. Bite off more than you can chew, Barking up the wrong tree, and Beat around the bush. Review the definitions below and then look at the 3 example sentences for each idiom. After reviewing the information, try to make your own examples for each idiom.
| IDIOM | MEANING |
|---|---|
| Bite off more than you can chew | "To take on more than you can handle" |
| Barking up the wrong tree | "To blame the wrong person for something or making wrong conclusions" |
| Beat around the bush | "Not being straight forward about something, not saying it directly" |
BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
| # | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| 1 | Michael took too much food at the all-you-can-eat-buffet, and now his stomach hurts. Michael always bites off more than he can chew. |
| 2 | I'm studying engineering, but I feel like I'm biting off more than I can chew. I don't think I'm smart enough to be an engineer. |
| 3 | Her boss bit off more than she could chew when she promised to give everyone a bonus this year. |
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE
| # | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| 1 | My mother barked up the wrong tree when she accused me of taking the money from her wallet. It actually was my younger brother. |
| 2 | If you think that I ate your food, you are barking up the wrong tree. |
| 3 | Michael told me that he loves law. So, I think he is barking up the tree by studying medicine. |
BEAT AROUND THE BUSH
| # | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stop beating around the bush and answer the question. |
| 2 | Hey, let's stop beating around the bush and say how we really feel. |
| 3 | He kept beating around the bush because he did not want to address the issue. |
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