English Vocabulary: Idioms, Synonyms, Antonyms, One-Word Substitutes and Common Errors

• A piece of cake – very easy
• Once in a blue moon – very rarely
• Break the ice – start a conversation in an awkward situation
• Burn the midnight oil – work or study late at night
• Beat about the bush – avoid the main point
• Hit the nail on the head – say exactly the right thing
• Let the cat out of the bag / spill the beans – reveal a secret
• At the eleventh hour – at the last moment
• A blessing in disguise – something that seems bad but turns out good
• Cry over spilt milk – regret what cannot be changed
• A white elephant – a costly possession that is of little use
• Apple of one's eye – a person who is loved very much
• A red-letter day – a very important or happy day
• Turn a deaf ear – refuse to listen
• Bury the hatchet – make peace
• Under the weather – slightly ill
• Call it a day – stop working

Word – synonym – antonym:

• Abundant – plentiful – scarce
• Benevolent – kind – malevolent
• Candid – frank – evasive
• Diligent – hardworking – lazy
• Frugal – thrifty – extravagant
• Obsolete – outdated – modern
• Prudent – wise, careful – reckless
• Transparent – clear – opaque
• Humble – modest – arrogant
• Lucid – clear – obscure
• Affluent – wealthy – poor
• Ephemeral – short-lived – permanent
• Augment – increase – diminish
• Meticulous – very careful – careless
• Hostile – unfriendly – friendly

• Life story written by oneself – autobiography; by someone else – biography
• One who cannot read or write – illiterate
• Agreed by all – unanimous
• One who speaks two languages – bilingual; many languages – polyglot
• One who loves mankind – philanthropist; who hates mankind – misanthrope
• One who always looks at the bright side – optimist; the dark side – pessimist
• Disease spread over a whole country or the world – epidemic / pandemic
• That cannot be read – illegible; heard – inaudible; defeated – invincible
• Written by an unknown author – anonymous
• Born after the father's death / published after the author's death – posthumous
• Able to use both hands equally – ambidextrous
• Fit to be eaten – edible
• All-powerful – omnipotent; all-knowing – omniscient; present everywhere – omnipresent
• A beginner – novice; an experienced person – veteran
• Copying another's writing as one's own – plagiarism
• One who loves books – bibliophile

Phobia = abnormal fear. Mania = abnormal craze or obsession.

• Hydrophobia – water; Acrophobia – heights; Claustrophobia – closed spaces
• Agoraphobia – open or crowded public places; Nyctophobia – darkness
• Arachnophobia – spiders; Cynophobia – dogs; Ophidiophobia – snakes
• Glossophobia – public speaking; Aerophobia – flying; Xenophobia – foreigners
• Kleptomania – urge to steal; Pyromania – urge to set fires
• Megalomania – obsession with power or self-importance; Bibliomania – collecting books

• ✗ We discussed about the plan → ✓ We discussed the plan.
• ✗ One of my friend → ✓ One of my friends.
• ✗ Each of the students have → ✓ Each of the students has.
• ✗ The news are good → ✓ The news is good.
• ✗ He did not came → ✓ He did not come.
• ✗ He is senior than me → ✓ senior to me (also junior to, superior to, prefer A to B).
• ✗ I am living here since two years → ✓ I have been living here for two years.
• ✗ Despite of the rain → ✓ Despite the rain / In spite of the rain.
• ✗ Please return back the book → ✓ Please return the book.
• ✗ This is more better → ✓ This is better.
• ✗ The house comprises of five rooms → ✓ The house comprises five rooms.