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Mentouri University, Constantine
Faculty of Letters and Languages
Department of Languages
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement of a Master
Degreein Applied Language Studies
Boardof Examiners
President: Dr. Youcef Beghoul M.C University of Constantine
Supervisor: Dr. Nacif Labed M.C University of Constantine
Presented by: Supervised by:
Miss. Sawsen Benane Dr. Nacif Labed
Mr. Zakaria Bensahih
2010 -2011
An Awareness Building about the English Idiomatic Expressions
and their Use in Writing
The Case of Master One Students of English Civilization and Literature
University of Constantine
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Dedication
I should be grateful to ALLAH the Almighty who gave me strength to accomplish this work.
To the angel who devotes her life for me, my MOM.
To all my lovely exceptional family.
To my best friend Zinou.
To Adra.
To Meryem and Amira, especially, and all my friends generally.
Thank you Allah
Zakaria
To my dear mother for her never-ending love and guidance
To my sister Abir, for being such a supportive, reliable and loving person
To Aunt Hind and Uncle Ali
To my fathers soul hoping he is proud of me. May he rest in peace
I dedicate this work
Susan
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Acknowledgement
We would like to express our profound gratitude to the great teacher
ever Dr. Nacif Labed who provided us with his support and guidelines without which we
would be lost. We would like to thank him for his positive thinking, patience and
commitment that gave us the push to accomplish our dissertation.
Our deepest thanks go to Dr. Nemouchi who was quite helpful and to all the teachers of
the department of foreign languages.
We would like also to thank Bouchrit Lamine and Sadrati Djamel
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List of Tables
Table 1: The Grammatical Structure of Idioms..................27
Table 2: The Grammatical variety Within Idioms.............31
Table 3: Students Knowledge of Idioms..............................................................39
Table 4: Degree of Idiom Comprehensibility in Isolation and in Context............40
Table 5: Understanding idioms with Equivalents in Other Languages..42
Table 6: Students Knowledge and Use of Idioms ....................................44
Table 7: Frequency and Accuracy of Students Use of Idioms in the Essays....45
Table 8 Percentage of the Students Use of Idioms in the Essays.....46
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Table of Contents
General Introduction1
Chapter One: Writing and Idioms: An Overview
Introduction.6
1. Definition of Writing............6
2. Types of Writing...7
2.1. Academic Writing.8
2.2. Creative Writing............11
2.3. The Use of Creative Language in Academic Writing...14
3. Vocabulary, Diction and Style.16
4. Figures of Speech.17
5. Definitions of Idioms...19
6. Types of Idioms...20
6.1. According to Their Meaning....20
6.2. According to their Structure.....26
7. The use of Idioms....32
Conclusion...33
Chapter Two: The Fieldwork.
Introduction.................35
1. Description of the population......................35
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2. Description of the Research tools......................37
2.1. The Pre-test.............................37
2.2. The Courses....................................38
2.3. The Post-test ..............................................38
3. Description of the Pre-test results ................40
4. Description of the Post-test results................44
5. Discussion of the Results...........................................47
Conclusion.....................49
General Conclusion and Recommendations .50
References.......52
Appendices .........56
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Abstract
The present research, which is made up of two chapters, is conducted to check then build up
Master One students awareness of idioms. It is in an attempt to draw their attention to the
importance of using figures of speech in academic written production, namely idioms. We
noticed a lack of knowledge of idioms amongst Master One students of English Civilization and
Literature in the Department of Languages, as well as, simple writings poor of images and
figures of speech in general. So, we decided to initiate an awareness building about idioms. We
focused on showing them how they can make their compositions more interesting and aesthetic
using the Idiomatic Expressions. We came up with two hypotheses; the first one is that if
students are introduced to idioms, then their ability of understanding and appropriately using
them will be higher. The second hypothesis is: the more these students use idioms in their
writing the more expressive, vivid and prestigious it gets. In order to validate such hypotheses
we designed a pre-test to check their awareness, a post-test to check the effectiveness of the two
courses given after the pre-test. These courses were to introduce the students to idioms and their
importance in writing. The results obtained showed a lack of students knowledge of idioms and a
lack of mastery. They also proved the effectiveness of our introduction of idioms and thus, our
first hypothesis was confirmed. However, the results have also shown that it was not effective
enough to make these students use idioms in their writings. We concluded saying that students
need more lectures, time and especially more practice to use idioms in writing.
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General Introduction
In the process of learning English as a foreign language, learners are supposed to go over
many aspects related to it, and which are necessary for successful communication. Once they
master the basic linguistic elements, students are supposed to go beyond that and improve their
level with more genuine, culture related items. Many of these students will notice that their
writing style, for example, is simple, their expressions are plain and clichd and their essays are
no different from any other undergraduate student. Nobody then will be interested in reading
what they write. Even the students themselves might get bored doing this inevitable task. These
students cannot stand at the level of producing ordinary essays; they should rather use better
words and expressions; something that would make their essays sound more native and also most
attractive and enjoyable.
This goal cannot be reached unless students go beyond the level of grammar and structure and
enrich their diction with more important, vivid, and aesthetic words and expressions such as
metaphors, proverbs, and idioms. That latter, will be the focus of our research study. Moreover,
this research will introduce the students to the importance of using the idiomatic expressions in
written discourse. This research is conducted on the basis that the majority of students doesnt
know idioms or find difficulties in understanding and using them in the production of essays
because of their ambiguous and unpredictable meaning. English is known to be a highly
idiomatic language and students must know that and work on using idioms whenever possible.
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Aim of the Study
By checking students knowledge of idioms and examining their errors in understanding and
using them in writing, the provided research aims at raising their awareness of the importance of
knowing and using figures of speech in general, and idioms in particular for the sake of
enlivening their writings. It aims also at enlarging students knowledge of idioms by motivating
them through light and energizing lectures to make their own researches and investigations.
Further, the dominating aim of the research is to push them to get rid of the boring and non-
attractive style and have their own outstanding and idiosyncratic style. And thus, improve their
writing skills to rise to a level prestigious enough to suit them.
Research Questions and Hypotheses
At this point, some crucial questions such as these are to be answered:
1) Why dont students of English use Idiomatic Expressions in their writings?
2) If they do, how appropriate and frequent do they use them?
3) Can an awareness building about idioms be helpful to make these students produce better
essays?
We hypothesize that: if the students are introduced to idioms, then their ability of
understanding and appropriately using idioms will be higher. And if they know idioms well
enough they will use them in their writing which makes their essays more expressive, beautiful,
entertaining and prestigious.
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Means of Research
This research studies the case of Master1 students being advanced learners of English. The
choice was based on the assumption that they have the required linguistic competence to be
introduced to such element as Idioms. We also assume that they are at a point where their pieces
of writing should be positively distinct from those of a lower grade in terms of structure and
meaning. And as English is said to be a highly idiomatic language, idioms will do the job. In our
research we will be making use of two tests. The first will function as a pre-test to check the
advanced learners knowledge about idioms, their degree of comprehensibility as well as their
frequency of using them in written production. The second will be done after two lessons
designed as an initiative to raise their awareness of idioms, their main categories, and their
cultural background. In addition, these lessons will show the importance and benefits of using
idioms in writing. The second, which is a post-test, will check the efficiency of the awareness
building. Its results will confirm or infirm our hypotheses.
Structure of the Study
The research will be divided into two main chapters: a theoretical and a practical
part. The theoretical chapter will involve a review of the literature of both writing and idioms;
Starting by definition of writing and academic versus creative writing. Then, we will mention the
use of figures of speech in writing, which functions as an introduction to idioms being the central
issue. The rest of the research will be devoted to idioms, definitions, types, cultural background
and comparisons, in addition to a large number of examples and illustrations. Chapter two
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represents the practical side of the research. It contains descriptions, analysis and discussions of
students' performance in the tests given.
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Chapter One: Writing and Idioms: An Overview
Introduction.6
1. Definition of Writing...62. Types of Writing.7
2.1. Academic Writing8
2.1.1. Definition of Academic Writing...8
2.1.2. Principles of Academic Writing9
2.2. Creative Writing...11
2.2.1. Definition of Creative Writing..11
2.2.2. What is Needed in Creative Writing.12
2.3. The Use of Creative Language in Academic Writing..14
3. Vocabulary, Diction and Style16
4. Figures of Speech17
5. Definitions of Idioms..19
6. Types of Idioms...20
6.1. According to Their Meaning....20
6.1.1. Literal and Non Literal Idioms.20
6.1.2. Transparency in Meaning.21
6.1.2.1. Transparent ...21
6.1.2.2. Semi-transparent....21
6.1.2.3. Semi-opaque..22
6.1.2.4. Opaque..22
6.2. According to their Structure...26
6.2.1. Grammatical Structure..26
6.2.2. Fixed and Variable Idioms..27
6.2.2.1. Optional Elements....27
6.2.2.2. Variable Elements.28
6.2.2.2.1. Someone versus One.29
6.2.2.3. Movable Elements....30
6.2.2.4. Grammatical Variation.31
6.2.2.5. Other Variations Within Idioms..32
7. The use of Idioms.32
Conclusion33
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Chapter One: Writing and Idioms: An Overview
Introduction
To master a language, a foreign learner must work on the receptive skills as listening and
reading; the productive asspeaking and writing. But realizing thoughts with the production of
graphic symbols is not that random and simple task. Letters should be gathered to form words
according to conventions. Words have to be gathered to form sentences; and so sentences are
combined into paragraphs and texts, and all in all have to serve a meaning.
However, our main concern in this chapter is the relation of writing with vocabulary,
especially idioms. In other words, we want to take the initiative to raise students awareness of
the importance of using English idioms in their writings. Our main interest is so to help learners
to produce essays in which they use idioms to make their English sound native-like, artistically
and beautifully written rather than using simple and simple vocabulary that would not enliven
their writings, and thus they would not attract the readers attention. Using idioms is expected to
produce strong effects and deep impressions.
1. Definition of Writing
The act of putting a pen or any writing instrument on a flat surface like a paper is theoretically
regarded as an easy task. However, when we put this theory in practice, it's very difficult to
prove this easiness. In other words, it does not stand at the level of combining graphic symbols
and numbers together. It is much more complex. Byrne in his book Teaching Writing Skill
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defines writing as "the act of forming these symbols on a flat surface of some
kind." (Byrne, 1991, p.1). Elbow sees that "writing well is a complex, difficult, and time-
consuming process."(Elbow, 1998, p.3). Some scholars go further to refer to writing as an
election of experience, and that's exactly what Nancy Arapof (1967)has mentioned when she
claimed that writing is much more than the orthographic symbolization of speech. It is, most
importantly, a purposeful selection and organization of experience."(Nancy, p. 233).
Kane (2000) sees that apart from being a simple combination of units(words, phrases, sentence)
on a paper, writing it is rather built on two assumptions "writing is a rational activity, and that it
is a valuable activity(...)Writing is a way of growing." ( pp.3-4). According to Kane "rational
activity" refers to putting mind in practice for acquiring the techniques of writing that can be
learned by anyone. On the other hand, "valuable activity" is that writing deserves to be learned
for its benefits (business and psychology). So, written expression is the art of making words say
what one wants them to say.
2. Types of Writing
Writing is divided into many types depending on the users needs. Such types are cooperative
writing, cognitive writing, academic writing and creative writing. Among the previous kinds
academic and creative writing are the ones we are going to tackle since they are the best to serve
our purpose. In this part we will provide definitions of both types and give characteristics of each
of them. Also we will try to make a combination between the two seemingly opposites. In other
words, we show the possibility of including creative language within academic writing.
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2.1. Academic Writing
2.1.1. Definition of Academic Writing
This type of composition has been widely spread due to the fact that English is needed for
many commercial, scientific, social and academic purposes. Foreign learners are likely to use
academic writing in their assignments, because it represents the structured written form of
language. Whitaker (2009) sees that academic writing refers to any production the student is
assigned to do for his or her faculty, then it may have many names like essay, paper, research
paper, term paper, argumentative paper/essay, analysis paper/essay, informative essay, position
paper. Another perspective of the Australian School of Business (2011) suggests that academic
writing is the final fruit that evolves from the process of one's thought. (The University of New
South Wales, p. 2). The University of Michigan's English Language Institute (2011) defined
academic writing from many considerations:" Academic writing is a product of many
considerations: audience, purpose, organization, style, flow, and presentation." (The University
of Michigan Press, p.7). Bailey (2003) refers to that type of writing by saying that Academic
Writing is designed for anybody who is studying (or planning to study) at English-medium
colleges and universities and has to write essays and other assignments for exams or coursework.
"(Bailey, p.vi). He also he adds that it is a flexible course that allows students to work either
with a teacher or by themselves, to practice those areas which are most important for their
studies."(Ibid).
2.1.2. Principles of Academic Writing
Academic writing represents the structured form language, and this can be seen from the
strict rules that control its usage. The University of Michigan (2011) states five major principles
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of academic writing which are: audience, purpose, organization, style, flow and presentation.
Audience, as a principle, refers to the knowledgeable instructor of the given subject. That is why
the writer has to understand the readers' assumptions and prior knowledge. Whitaker (2009) from
the University of Seattle considers also the same standard as in the case of student writer, his
audience is his fellow students so they may be attracted to his field of writing but not interested
in reading his paper. So, here comes the responsibility of the student to grab their attention by
engaging them in his ideas, with his style, logical evidences and reasons. That is also what
Thaiss (2006) has mentioned in his thesis saying that an imagined reader who is coolly rational,
reading for information, and intending to formulate a reasoned response."(p. 3).
Purpose has a strong link with the previously mentioned principle. The interconnection
between them results in two points. First, when readers have less knowledge or background
about the topic, the writer's aim is to guide them with instructions like in text books. Second,
when the audience is more knowledgeable than the writer, the purpose is that the writer should
show familiarity, expertise and intelligence. That last point is the case for student writers.
Whitaker (2009) shares the same principle but in a different way stating that "the goal of your
paper is to answer the question you posed as your topic. Your question gives you a purpose. The
most common purposes in academic writing are to persuade, analyze/synthesize, and
inform."(p.1).
Organization is the third mentioned standard by the University of Michigan as followed:"
information is presented to readers in a structured format. Even short pieces of writing have
regular, predictable patterns of organization."(p.8). In addition to that, Whitaker (2009) said that
the logical organization of every academic essay consists of introduction, body paragraphs and
conclusion.
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The fourth element is Style. Some scholars, like Laurie Rozakis (2003), define style in writing
as an author's distinctive way of writing. Style is made up of elements such as word choice,
sentence length and structure, punctuation, figures of speech, and tone. Writers might change
their style (...) to suit different audience". (p.10). All academic writers have to make sure that
their writings are composed of the appropriate formal style that fits the transmitted message for
the audience. Nevertheless, there are some exceptions for using the congruent scholarly formal
style as explained in the following excerpt:
"One difficulty in using the appropriate style is knowing what is considered academic
and what is not. Academic style is not used in all academic settings. Lectures are
generally delivered in a relatively nonacademic style. It is not uncommon to hear
lecturers use words and phrases like stuff, things, bunch, or a whole lot of, which would
not be appropriate for an academic writing task. They may also use elaborate metaphors
and other vivid expressions to enliven their speaking style."(University of Michigan. p.
10).
Moreover, academic writing avoids using the first person and more often uses the third
person "he, she, or it", because the focus is on the action not on the doer. It is advised to write in
full forms and avoid constructions, for example instead of using he's use he is or instead of
writing doesn't write does not. Colloquial vocabulary such as "a lot of or stuff" is avoided.
Also, phrasal verbs like look into are avoided; instead, it is preferred to use polysyllabic verbs
like investigate.
2.2. Creative Writing
2.2.1. Definition of Creative Writing
Many of us often feel the inner power that they want to own something new and extremely
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different, change their lives to get rid of the routine, or even use self experience to create
something out of the restricting rules to be extraordinary, imaginative and aesthetic. That inner
power is creativity. In the world of writing, there exists a type called creative writing. So, what
does this term refer to? According to Ramet (2007), Chambers Dictionary sees creative as
Having the power to create, that creates, showing, pertaining to, imagination, originality ,and
writing refers to The act of one who writes, that which is written, literary production or
composition.(p. xi). So, Ramet sees that the term creative writing may be defined as having
the power to create an imaginative, original literary production or composition."(Ibid). Creative
writing has been also defined as "a journey of self-discovery and self-discovery promotes
effective learning." (Gaffield-Vile, 1998, p.31). For that, creative writing has a strong link with
the fact of being proud after finishing writing, because it involves cognitive skills and feelings.
(Nemouchi, 2008, p34). This kind of writing includes many sub-types under its category as it is
explained in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2011):"Creative writing is considered to be any
writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional,
journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature the bounds of normal professional,
journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category
include novels, epics, short stories, and poems. Writing for the screen and stage, screenwriting
and playwriting respectively, typically has their own programs of study, but fit under the creative
writing category as well."
2.2.2. What is Needed in Creative Writing
Taking into consideration that there are no rules to govern creative writing, any writer should
feel free whenever his pen gets in touch with the surface on which he writes. He should imagine
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the paper, in front of him, as an open space that has no dimension (Morley, 2007, p.1); he writes
all expressions he wants. No matter how he writes them since" in the writing game we are all
beginners."(Ibid, p.90). No matter when he starts or finishes writing since he creates that open
space so that he is the governor of his world in which there are no rules, except those you set for
yourself, and they will be many and complex."(Ibid, p.91).
It is important to note that together with the inner power in creative writing, there exists also
enthusiasm. In fact, enthusiasm that students feel comes as "they are writing a simple poem
about someone they care about; or while they construct a narrative or tell a story of their
childhood, they are investigating in their own experience in their own
experience." (Nemouchi, 2008, p.35). As a result, this can bring motivation to the student writer
who will always search for the right words to describe his idea, feeling, and experience and so on
in the right manner. But sometimes he feels frustrated, especially a foreign language learner
when he does not find the exact word while he writes about hard describing imaginative settings.
In other words, creative writing depends on but the power of words, and to Beetlestone (1998) it
is of the student to start writing short productions rather than long ones, and it also important to
construct creative writing gradually by smaller structured phrases and sentences after that
shifting to longer ones.
In order to avoid such situations, a creative student writer has many tools available to him for
better composition as Morley (2007) suggests: "clarity is hard-won, and of first importance.
Economy is all. Style, above all else, is your aim, and it should show no sign of effort. Energy, in
language, is eternal delight." (p.90). Similarly, to Markel (2007) the writer has not to worry
about being objective, because creative writing is subjective since it depends on emotions,
opinions, and self experience. Students can also enliven their language by the application of
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vivid vocabulary like adjectives and adverbs. Moreover, the writing language should be
sharpened by the use of metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole, similes, and idioms (the latter being
our concern in this research). In other words, they represent the figurative language that brings
images, sense-impression, and pictures to the mind of the reader. Teresa Hackett (2005) provides
two examples described in two different ways just to explain this notion. The first excerpt is:
'Toby was lost. He must have wandered off from his family during their morning hike because
around noon he realized that he was all alone in the middle of the woods. He wasnt frightened
exactly, but he was definitely anxious to find his family before evening. The thought of spending
a night in the woods alone was a scary one. Heaving a sigh, Toby walked on. (p.13)
The second is 'Toby was totally lost. He must have wandered off from his family during their
morning hike because around noon he realized that he was alone in the middle of the wide
whispering woods.Thonk! Thunk! His feet went on the soft pine needles that covered the ground
like a soft brown blanket. Birds twittered and tweeted from the sky-scraping branches of trees,
but there was no sound of his family. He wasnt frightened exactly, but he was as anxious as a
fish out of water to find his family before evening. The thought of spending a night in the woods
alone was one that made his heart dance a fearful frenzied jig in his chest. Heaving a sigh, Toby
tiredly trudged on.' (Hacket, 2005, p.13)
She explains that both the passages consist of the same events and character but described in
two different ways. Story one tells the adventure of Toby in an easily understandable language
that contains few details and does not describe the feelings of Toby when he was lost. However,
story two is more entertaining when it makes the reader involved in Toby's experience by the use
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of figures of speech. They help showing the whole picture to the audience rather than telling
them. (Ibid)
2.3. The Use of Creative Language in Academic Writing
As it was mentioned, academic writing is the kind of writing that is governed by certain rules
need not be deviated. Creative writing, on the other hand, is not governed by any rules. It is the
type of writing where a writer has a total freedom to express himself in any way he likes using
whatever expressions and words. All that matters is what he wants to say. But what if there is a
chance of selling the cow and getting the milk at the same time? What if there is a possibility of
writing academically and creatively. So as that title shows, and based on what many scholars
have suggested, you can make academic writing more vivid by the use of creative language, and
especially by including figurative language. It is unarguable that university students are supposed
to write different forms (essays, reports, and dissertations, etc) in a congruent manner; yet, White
and Arndt (1991) point out that, For many students writing is a chore to be got through for a
grade, and to many others, not only is it a chore, but a boring one at that.(p. 11). The fact of
getting bored happens because academic writing is bounded by strictness of formulating the
thesis statement, topic sentence, supporting details and final comments. And as students are
absolutely required to write in a clear, abstract, plain and scholarly formal language, this means
for many those two aspects will be missed. The notions of creativity and style are the two aspects
that Carter (1997) and Carter and McCarthy (1995) suggested to be of equal importance for the
most formal essay as is traditional, formal, transactional, and objective language. Candlin and
Hyland (1999) believe that academic writers and students writing academic assignments must
not throw their creativity away. Hence, for the reason of attracting the reader's attention a writer
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should open the door to creativity and aesthetic style. The audience (fellow students) may be
interested in the topic of a student writer but not so eager to read his essay if any or both of these
aspects are absent. In other words, it is the creativity and the writing style that contribute in
inviting the audience even in the most formal essays.
Whitaker supports this idea by saying:" As students in the field, they are interested in your
topic, but perhaps not so interested in reading a paper. So you will have to engage them with
your ideas and catch their interest with your writing style." (2010, p.3).
Tarnopolsky (2006) shares the same idea about the strictness of academic writing pointing that:
"Writing business letters or CVs (practical writing), students cannot learn to write (or
think) creatively because they have to write strictly following the existing standards andsamples of similar documents that were used in teaching in order to demonstrate those
standards. But when writing an essay in English, learners are supposed to express their
own original ideas and find the most suitable language means for achieving this goal. It
does not only develop the skill of productive writing but also the general creative
communicative abilities...And since writing is the most conscious and deliberate of allcommunication skills, academic writing becomes a unique means for learners
consciously mastering the creative, productive, and expressive approach towards
communicative performance... "(p.1, 2)
According to him creative writing serves to enhance writing abilities, and even more
importantly, ameliorates student's fluency and sophistication. (ibid). He also believes that
creativity in academic writing is such an emulation or imitation among learners. And again,
Wyrick (2002) provides learners with a technical way to improve and enliven their writing,
which is figurative language. She argues that:"figurative language not only can help you to
present your ideas in clear, concrete, economical ways but also can make your prose more
memorable" (p.167). According to the oxford essential guide to writing, effective figures depend
on total diction. It is all about your words. (1988, p.294). Thus, and again, academic writing
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should be equipped with tools like creative and figurative language to accelerate the
development of the student's writing abilities or skills.We have been mentioning the figures of speech or figurative language, vocabulary, diction
and style very often throughout the research and it is high time we gave them their share of
explanation.
3. Vocabulary, diction and style
Since we are dealing with creativity, a master element to be mentioned here is vocabulary.
Creativity can be best presented if the vocabulary is well mastered and manipulated. Barrass
says: "Without words we cannot think; and we are limited in our ability to think by the number
of words at our command. As we enlarge our vocabulary, and learn to construct effective
sentences and paragraphs, we improve our ability to think and to express our thoughts and
feelings." (2005, p. 51). A student writer should, by all means, enrich his vocabulary through
frequent reading. Any book, article or even a dictionary may prove handy for this matter. And
thus, the student will have more choices to express himself when writing. The vocabulary chosen
then is called diction. According to Cody diction is:derived from the Latin word dictio, which
refers to the choice of words. (2006, p. 75). Rozakis defines diction saying:"The words you
select as you write and speak make up your diction. There are words, and then there are words.
The word you want in a specific instance depends on context: your audience, purpose, and
tone." (2003, p. 300). She believes that: "Successful writers adapt their language to the audience
and circumstances because they know which words are appropriate in a specific
situation." (ibid, p. 299). Thus, the fact that the student writer has his own diction, chooses a
word over another or even a phrase or an expression and uses them the way he wants; makes his
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pieces of writing or essays different from anybody else`s. He has his own style. According to
Cody style is: the choice and arrangement of words in sentences and of sentences in paragraphs
as that arrangement is effective in expressing our meaning and convincing our readers or hearers.
Agood style is one that is effective, and a bad style is one which fails of doing what the writer
wishes to do.(2006, p.295).
All in all, rich vocabulary helps making one`s diction that leads to having ones own
idiosyncratic style. But now, how can one make his writings most interesting and informative,
and at the same time his style most enjoyable and appealing? The newest article published on
line by the NCSSM Writing Program (2011), sums up and lists the criteria of successful writing
that help improve one`s style in the following: Varied, precise, and appropriate diction;
meaningful and highly effective sentence variety, tone appropriate for purpose and audience of
essay, verbal adventurousness and self-confidence that includes: Stylistic elegance; innovative
and energetic presentation and skillful use of figurative language, humor, anecdotes and
rhetorical questions.
4. Figures of speech
Whenever language is simple, plain, direct, whenever it employs words in their conventional
meaning, we say that it is literal. Literalcomes from the Latin litera, "letter"; what is literal is
according to the letter. On the other hand, Figurative means that a word has been stretched to
accommodate a larger or even very different sense from that which it usually
conveys. (1988, p.296). Consider, for example, this statement: "A writer's style should be
purposive, not merely decorative." It is to be read literally: the words mean nothing more and
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nothing less, than what they say. In figurative language the same idea has been expressed like
this: "Style is the feather in the arrow, not the feather in the cap."
Figurative language or figures of speech are devices that enliven language. They include:
proverbs, metaphors, similes, idioms, etc. our main concern in this research is idiomatic
expressions. But to avoid any confusion between the different kinds, here are some definitions:
Similes are figures of speech in which a thing is described by being likened to something
usually like or as.
Eg: He smells like a dead horse in August.
Metaphors are expressions in which the persons, actions or things referred to, are described
as if they really were what they merely resemble.
Eg: Zakovic is my sunshine.
Proverbs are well-known neatly-expressed sayings that give advice or express supposed
truths.Proverbs contain everyday experiences and common observations in succinct and
formulaic language, making them easy to remember and ready to be used
Eg:Behind the Cloud the Sun Is Shining: Abraham Lincoln
Idioms: "idioms are the grease that makes the language flowthe sheer number of idioms
and their high frequency in discourse, make them an important aspect of vocabulary
acquisition and language learning in general.(Fernando. 1996). Cooper adds saying: since
idioms are so frequently encountered in both spoken and written discourse, they require
special attention in language programs and should not be relegated to a position of
secondary importance in the curriculum. (1998). Thus, we have decided to devote the rest
of our research to Idioms. And here is an overview.
Eg: I wonder when you are going to stop having a finger in every pie. You are such a pain in
the neck!
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. Definitions of Idioms
English as any other language has phrases that cannot be understood literally. Even if you
know the meanings of all the words in such a phrase and you understand the grammar
completely, the total meaning of the phrase may still be confusing. These expressions are called
idioms or idiomatic expressions.
The older meaning of an idiom was: a form of speech peculiar to a nation or to a limited
area. (Oxford Dictionary of Grammar, 1994) This is no longer correct since more and more
people from all over the world are learning English. And after going through several books,
articles and dictionaries; here are some definitions:
Websters New World College Dictionary (fourth edition, 1999:708) outlines five senses of
the term. The third sense is "a phrase, construction, or expression that is recognized as a unit in
syntactic patterns or has a meaning that differs from the literal meaning of its parts taken
together". The example that follows is: she heard it straight from the horses mouth.
In a much simpler way, Oxford Dictionary Of English Grammar defines idioms as a group
of more or less fixed words having a meaning that is not deducible from those the individual
words (1994). And according to the Penguin dictionary of English idioms, an idiom
is "a combination of words with a special meaning that cannot be inferred from its separate
parts." (2001). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language identifies an idiom by two
features. First, the meaning of the idiomatic expression cannot be deduced by examining the
meanings of the constituent lexemes. Second, the expression is fixed, both grammatically and
lexically. Thus, the idiom: put a sock in it!" means `stop talking`, and it is not possible replace
any of the lexemes and retrain the idiomatic expression. So expressions like `put a stocking in it`
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or `put a sock on it`, must be interpreted literally or not at all. Idioms are figures of speech. And
they differ from other figures, such as similes, metaphors and proverbs in that they have a
conventionalized meaning. That is, they are recognized by the native speakers. (Injo, 1986).
6. Types of Idioms
6.1. According to Their Meaning
6.1.1. Literal and Non Literal Idioms
We recognize two types of idioms of this kind:
The first type is an idiom which has both a literal meaning and a figurative meaning. And of
course it is the figurative or metaphorical sense that is considered as an idiom. (Gulland, 02). Let
us take this example from the penguin dictionary of idioms: John cannot say boo to a goose. You
might think at the beginning that this is a strange thing to say. Of course it is quite possible for
someone to say boo to a goose, but who would want to do such a thing? However, its idiomatic
meaning is simply that John is very timid that he would not dare to make the mildest protest, no
matter how bad he was treated.
The second type as in the case of the following example, taken from the same source, the
idiom can only have a figurative meaning. That is, no literal interpretation can be made: shall
we go Dutch? This means that everyone should pay for his own meal or entertainment or has to
share the expenses. Again, it is impossible to infer the meaning of the idiom from its separate
words in question.
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Before moving forth with this, here is a clarification of what a figurative meaning is.
According to Ponterotto: Figurative language is a language which does not mean what it
says.(1994, p.2). For example if you say that a person has burnt his boats; it is just an image that
refers the inability of going back home (retreat is impossible). Idioms often originate from
metaphors in which figurative meaning is embedded. And it is really hard then to draw a
dividing line between them. The figurativeness of an idiom is actually a characteristic that helps
in the identification of idioms in general along with other characteristics such as being a lexical
item having a certain peculiar collocation.
.1.2. Transparency in meaning
According to Lewis The figurative meaning of an idiom is the criterion by which different
kinds of idioms are said to range from easily interpretable to totally opaque. (1993. p.98). He
adds saying that there is a continuum from transparent to opaque along which idioms are
categorized. And he calls it: 'spectrum of idiomaticity'. Thus, idiom comprehensibility is related
to its degree of transparency. Fernando sees that this spectrum can be divided into a four-point
scale. (1996. p. 204), i.e. four degrees that are as follows.
6.1.2.1. Transparent
In this type of idioms, the idiomatic meaning is pretty close to the literal one that some
scholars, namely Fernando, consider them non-idiomatic to a certain extent, as in:
- Think nothing of it = do not worry about it.
- To be a piece of cake = very easy.
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.1.2.2. Semi-transparent
This kind of idioms is usually a metaphor, such as:
- To eat like a horse = in large quantities
- As two peas in a pod = alike.
- To fish for complements = want to be praised.
6.1.2.3. Semi-opaque
Here the figurative meaning becomes more detached from the meaning of the constituent
elements of the idiom:
- To be all thumbs = clumsy.
- To sit on the fence = to be neutral.
- To be thin skinned = over sensitive.
6.1.2.4. Opaque
The meaning of the idiom is completely different of that of the individual elements. It is
impossible therefore to work it out. I.e. either you know it or you simply do not, as in:
- To spill the beans = reveal a secret.
- Till the cows come home = for a long time or forever.
- To catch somebody off guard = unprepared.
The question to be asked now is how can one understand the meaning of an idiom especially
if it is an opaque one? The best way to learn an idiom is either to see it in context or/and to check
its origins and how it came into use. After putting the previous idioms in context notice how
clearer they get:
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.1.2.4.4.1. Transparent:
Eg01: - sorry, I couldnt pick up the phone. I had a meeting.
-Oh! Think nothing of it. It was not important. (Do not worry about it)
Eg02: -So, how was the game? Did you win?
-Sure we did. It was a piece of cake. (Very easy)
6.1.2.4.4.2. Semi-transparent:
Eg01: No wonder he has a stomachache. He eats like a horse. (In large quantity)
Eg02: Is this your sister? You are as two peas in a pod. (Alike)
Eg03: -I am not nearly as pretty as Isabel.
-what are you saying! You are a hundred times prettier! You really are fishing for
complements! (Wants to be praised)
6.1.2.4.4.3.Semi-opaque:
Eg01: Do not ask Marry to help you with the cooking. She is all thumbs. (Not skillful and
clumsy)
Eg02: Listen mike, either you support me or you dont. You cant just sit on the fence all
your life. (Avoid deciding between two sides of an argument)
Eg03: I did not mean him to take my remarks so personally. He is so thin-skinned!
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.1.2.4.4.4.Opaque:
Eg01: she has spilt the beans about your engagement. It will be all over the town by now.
Eg02: you can argue about that till the cows come home. You will never agree. (Forever)
Eg03: The question caught him off his guard, so he could not answer. (Was unprepared)
(Our examples)
Many idioms have stories behind their use. They are usually related to the social and cultural
environment in which they appeared. They are sometimes related to old stories, legends and
myths. Knowing the origin of an idiom can surely help understanding it no matter how opaque it
is. Examples of such idioms are:
Achilles` heel
This expression was named after the old Greek hero Achilles. When he was a child, his
mother dipped him into the River Styx which made him invincible. She held him by the heel,
which therefore was not touched by the water. And thus it was the only vulnerable pats of his
body Achilles died after being wounded by an arrow in the heel. (Oxford Idioms Dictionary.
2006. P: 2). so, now people use this expression to refer to a hidden weakness or fault in
somebody that can be used against them.
Eg01: Her stubbornness proved to be her Achilles heel.
Eg02: He was such a successful man. What a sticky end! Being a ladies man was really his
Achilles heel. I feel sorry for him.
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A ball and chain
In the past, prisoners had to wear a heavy metal ball on a chain around one leg so that they
could not escape. (ibid. P: 16). Now the expression is used as an idiom to mean: a problem that
prevents you from doing what you would like to do.
Eg: English was as a ball and chain when I finally decided to study architecture abroad.
It can also humorously mean: someone`s husband or wife as in:
- I must get home to the ball and chain. She would be waiting by now.
Cry wolf
Its a folk story of the shepherd boy who shouted wolf! just to frighten people, so that when
a wolf did come, nobody went to help him. And thus the expression crying wolf refers to a
false alarm against danger.
Eg: Is the economic future really so bad? Or are the economists just crying wolf?
Sometimes, an especially for foreign students of English having similar idioms in one`s own
language and culture is helpful and makes the English one easier to understand an more
memorable. And they are more like old sayings:
- Appearance can be deceptive.
- As cunning as a fox.- A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Which have similar expression, in terms of function, in Arabic:
- Almadhahir khadda3a.
- Makiron katha3lab.
- Assadik wktaddik.
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In such sentences, even if a student does not understand every single constituent word; but the
general idea gets across; however, it does not always work.
.2. According to their structure
6.2.1. Grammatical structure
This table shows the different categories of idioms according to their syntactic structure.
Every idiom we encounter must fall within one of the following forms:
Form Example Meaning
Verb+ object+ complement Kill two birds with one stone To produce two useful things by
just doing one action.
Prepositional phrase In a blink of an eye In an extremely short time
Simile As dry as a bone Very dry indeed
Compound A bone of contention Something which people argue
about or disagree over
Binominal Rough and ready Crude and lacking
sophistication.
Trinomial Cool, calm and collected Relaxed, in control not nervous.
Whole clause or sentence To cut a long story short To tell the main points but not
all the fine details.
Table 01:The Grammatical Structure of Idioms
6.2.2. Fixed and variable idioms
It was mentioned in the different definitions that idioms are more or less fixed expressions or
phrases. So most idioms are fixed in their form, and cannot be changed or varied. Sometimes,
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however, the grammar and vocabulary can slightly be varied. According to the American Idioms
Dictionary, the majority of the idioms allow four kinds of variation which are: optional items,
variable elements, movable elements and grammatical variation.
.2.2.1. Optional elements
They are words, phrases or variable elements that may or may not be present in an idiom. In
some idioms adding or omitting certain words does not change its meaning at all. The optional
item is usually put between parentheses in most dictionaries.
Eg: Alike as (two) peas in a pod.
The idiom here is actually two variants:
- Alike as peas in a pod
- Alike as two peas in a pod.
But this does not really matter since the metaphor gets across. And it is still the same idiom.
6.2.2.2. Variable elements
A variable element in an idiom is a word that can stand for a whole list or class of words or
phrases. The most common ones are: someone, somebody, something, someone or something,
one (The same person as the agent of the sentence), someplace (for locations). And other more
specific items like: an amount of money, doing something, some time (Spears, 08)
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- To put pressure on somebody to do something.
Eg: The director is putting pressure on the workers to finish their reports on time.
The underlined elements can vary within the same class: somebody can be workers, children,
her husbandand so can the other elements.
- To be a prey to something.
Eg: He was often a prey to doubt and despair.
Something here can also be replaced by a large number of possible words: poverty, sadness,
wolves (metaphorical)
Someone versus one
In the process of learning idioms, a student may get confused. How can `one` be different
from `someone` in an idiom? So `one` simply refers to the same human being that is named as
the agent or subject of the sentence in which the variable element `one` is found. The variable
element `oneself` works the same way.
Eg01: To be able to do somethingstanding on one`s head.
Some possible variants here are:
- He is able to bake cookies standing on his head.
- She is able to drive this car standing on herhead.
- Iam able to finish this report standing on my head.
The personal pronoun must be linked to the possessive one. So sentences like the following
ones are incorrect or inappropriate
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- He is able to bake cookies standing on her head.
- She is able to drive this car standing on his head.
- Iam able to finish this report standing on yourhead
Because the idiom will be like: to be able to something standing onsomebody`s head, that
is someone else`s head, and this is not it. A native English speaker would instinctively know the
latter sentence is wrong, but language learners might find it a little hard to tell the difference
between one and someone. So, extra practice is required at this point.
.2.2.3. Movable elements
They are usually adverbs or other particles that can either follow or precede a direct object.
This mainly concerns phrasal verbs and it refers to the possibility of moving the verb`s particle
before the object. (Some phrasal verbs are considered as idiom. They are the ones with a
figurative meaning such as: to look aftersomebody, which means to take care of him/her).
Examples:
- keep something quiet. Or keep quietabout something.
- Verb+ Object+ particle. Or verb+ particle+ Object.
Put+ your hat+ on. Or Put+ on+ your hat.
Take+ the trash+ out. Or Take+ out+ the trash.
We should also mention that not all phrasal verb particles are movable. For instance, it is
impossible to say: I will lookhim after. It is rather: I will look after him.
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.2.2.4. Grammatical variation
A good knowledge of the Basic English grammar enables the learner to reduce the plural
nouns to singular, verbs to their infinitive forms and passive voice to active. And then the idiom
will be easy and ready to be used.
Variation Example
Occasionally, an idiom in the active voice can
be used in the passive.
01. Government ministers always pass the
buck if they are challenged about poverty.(blame someone else or refuse to accept
responsibility) > 02. The buck has been
passed from minister to minister. No one
seems prepared to accept the responsibility.
Some verb-based idioms also have non-
compound forms.
There is too much buck passing in the
government these days.
One or more words can be varied in the idiom Stop acting the fool/goat. (stop acting
stupidly)
Table02. Grammatical Variety within Idioms
According to Ball, the idiomatic expression does not conform to ordinary grammatical usage.
You may use verb in the past or present tense to refer to a future event.
Eg01: It is time we wenthome. (Past for future meaning)
Eg02: When you come tomorrow, I will pay you back. (Present for future meaning)
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Also, the idiomatic expression is not strictly grammatical, but is well established within the
native speakers. (They are mostly spoken)
Eg01: It is ages since we met. (Singular with plural noun)
Eg02: He is a friend ofmine. (Possessive instead of personal pronoun)
Some others show unusual structures. Such as: come to think of it. (1988, p. 204)
.2.2.5. Other variations within idioms
The last point mentioned in table two needs more details. Sometimes a word in an idiom can
be replaced with another. Whether one word is more used or is most recognized as an idiom; or
are equally used. And the idiom, then, is defined at the first word that is fixed.
Eg: A bag/a box of tricks: A set of methods or equipments that somebody can use.
- The hotel managers are using a whole new bag/box of tricks to attract their guests.
Some idioms have variants which belong to a particular variety of English such as American
English
Eg: `Eat humble pie` is a British idiom which has an American variant: Eat a crow. And they
both mean: say and show that you are sorry for a mistake that you made.
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. The use of idioms
As we have mentioned earlier in this research, figures of speech, such as idioms, play an
important role in enlivening one`s essay. However, a student writer must bear in mind that the
way of using and choosing them is what matters the most. Figures of speech which, according to
Baratta (2004), belong to the hardly described word style cannot be viewed as right or wrong.
Yet, the best side from which we should consider them is appropriateness. Moreover, it is the
context that determines a figure of speech to be appropriate or inappropriate. As a result, he
suggests contextual awareness to determine how much figures of speech and other literary
devices are needed for an academic essay. Consequently, the excess of using figures of speech in
one's academic essay will make it less formal and even not academic. Thus, a student writer
should be very selective and moderate while writing. In fact, most idioms are considered
informal, especially American. But most dictionaries mention whether the idiom is formal,
informal or even slang.
Eg01: To go ape: (to be very angry) is considered as very informal or slang.
Eg02: A man of straw: (a weak or cowardly person) is a formal expression. And so on
So, whenever a student learns a new idiom, he ought to check it out in a dictionary for better
and appropriate use.
Conclusion
If you are sick of your simple and plain English, and you really want to write vivid and
outstanding essays, idioms will do the trick. Not only they clarify ideas and concepts, they
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entertain your readers so that they take pleasure in reading the witty succinctness in which your
complicated ideas are made clearer and enriched by images. So explore this aspect of language
and you will be surprised by what you can learn. And remember, they say: an image is worth a
thousand words
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Chapter Two: The Fieldwork.
Outline:
Introduction...36
1. Description of the population.....................36
2. Description of the Research tools.......37
2.1. The Pre-test..............................37
2.2. The Courses.....................................37
2.3. The Post-test ...............................................38
3. Description of the Pre-test results ..................40
4. Description of the Post-test results.................44
4.1. Part One...................................43
4.2. Part Two..................................43
5. Discussion of the Results...........................................47
Conclusion.......57
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Chapter Two: The Fieldwork.
Introduction
Chapter two represents the practical part of the research. It focuses on raising students`
awareness about idioms and the importance of using them in their writing. The tools presented in
this part are used for the requirements of the research. We designed a pre-test to check the
student's knowledge about idioms. After that, we gave the students two courses as an initiative to
build up their awareness about idioms and their usefulness in academic writing, giving as much
information as was possible.
Finally, we provided them with a post test to see whether they have taken advantage of the
lessons given to them, and if they, eventually, would use idioms in writing. We have taken into
consideration all the circumstances that surrounded the study. Both of the pre-test and the post
test were handed to twenty of Master One students, who study English Civilization and
Literature in the Department of Languages, University of Constantine. It is to be mentioned also,
the interference some unwanted variables that could not, in any way, be ruled out.
1. Description of the Population
Our research population is one group of 35 Master One students of English Civilization and
Literature, from the Department of Languages, University of Constantine, from which we
randomly chose 20. We have purposefully selected this population on the basis that after four
years of study, they have good language mastery. They are also more exposed and interested in
the English culture and its different aspect, which makes understanding idioms easier.
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2. Description of the Research Tools
The tools used in this research are a set of a pre-test, two courses, and a post test.
2.1. The pre-test (See appendix 1)
It was designed to evaluate the students' knowledge about the idiomatic expressions. It is also
an indirect introduction to the concept of idiom. We wanted the pre-test to be as inviting as
possible to motivate students.
It is divided into four units, every unit serves a purpose. Unit 1 starts from question 1 to
question 4. It is a kind of warm up to the rest of the questions. It checks whether or not the
students know idioms. Unit 2 includes questions 5 and 6. In this unit we provided four idioms:
- Think nothing of it.
- Air one's views.
- Fog the mirror.
- Kick the bucket.
These idioms represent the four degrees of idiom transparency. They were given to check the
degree of comprehensibility of idioms in isolation in question five, and then in context in
question six. Unit 3 consists of question 7. It was given to present the idea of the similarity of
certain idiomatic expressions between English and Arabic, and to see if this similarity will help
understanding idioms. Students were to give the equivalents of the idioms provided in their
mother tongue. The idioms are:
1- Once bitten twice shy.
2-All that glitters is not gold.
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3-Honesty is the best policy.
The fourth unit includes question 8, in which we asked students to write paragraphs about a
funny story or a terrible day they had. We wanted the topics to be light, motivating and suitable
for imagination. We asked them to be creative so that they will be free to use figures of speech,
precisely idioms. We hid the purpose of the pre-test in order not to influence the students'
performance in any ways and get their real level and style. With the agreement of the teacher of
the written production skill, the students were given half an hour of time to answer the questions.
This limitation of time was done on purpose to check out the existing knowledge of students and
their performance in such situation.
2.2. The courses
The results of the pre-test were as we anticipated. They showed a lack of knowledge of
idioms. After getting back the students' answers of the pre-test, we devoted two courses in two
different sessions for the awareness building. In the first session we started with a general
feedback of the pre-test, which helped introducing the theme of our research. The second session
aimed at refreshing students' knowledge about the writing skill and its two types (academic and
creative writing). In addition to that, we have introduced them to the importance of using
creative and figurative language in academic writing. In the end, we shed light on the idiomatic
expressions as an instance of the figurative language. It was an overview that included
definitions, types and classifications. In addition to some useful tips to learn, understand,
memorize and appropriately use these idioms.
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2.3. The post-test
To check the effectiveness of our lectures, we designed a post-test. We were interested in
knowing to things: first, whether the students knowledge about idioms has improved. Second, if
so, are they going to use idioms in their writing, in the sense that they realize now their
importance? Thus, the post-test was divided into two parts; in the first part we asked the students
to come up with their own definitions of idioms, and then provide us with examples of idioms in
isolation and in context. The examples should prove their ability of using idioms appropriately.
In the second part students were asked to write an assay about one topic out of three. The three
topics were:
1-Why did you choose to study English and why civilization and literature?
2-How can idioms improve your pieces of writing? Give Examples.
3-If you want to write about a topic of your choice be our guest.
The reason of which topic 1 is chosen is that it is a topic anyone can write about passionately.
So there is a chance of creativity that leads to the use of idioms. By writing about topic 2
students will hit the core of our research idioms, because they should be able, by now, to tell
the difference between a plain simple text and an idiomatic one. Topic 3 gave them a chance to
express themselves without ties and, hence, to be creative.
In the post-test, however, we did not limit students by the time as in the pre-test but it rather
took one day. Again, we wanted them to be comfortable for better results. Also, doing it at home
gives them a chance to do more research about idioms and thus our purpose would be fulfilled.
3. Description of the Pre-test Results
The pre-test papers have been gathered from the sample students. Then the answers were
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carefully examined and analyzed.
nit One: Includes the questions from1 to 4
We wanted to know whether or not students can recognize the idiom in the joke, and if they
know the term itself. Giving examples would be a prove.
Students who: Number Rate
Understood and explained
the joke
12/20 60%
Knew the term idiom 6/20 30%
provided correct examples 5/20 25%
Table03: Students Knowledge of Idioms
As Table03 shows, 12 out of 20 students understood the joke that included the idiom` pay
attention. So, the warm up was 60% successful. The other 40% students were not able to explain
the punch line. As for their knowledge of the term idiom, only 6 students could recognize the
nature of the expression. This means, only 30%of them know about idioms. The students who
could provide correct examples, though, were only 5 that is 25%. We noticed also that some
students understood the joke and provided examples, but just could not give the term idiom. So
they know the concept, yet not the terminology.
Unit Tow: includes questions 5 and 6
We aimed at knowing students degree of idiom comprehension in isolation and in context to
show context effectiveness.
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Student
Right guess of idioms in
Isolation Context
Number/4 Rate Number Rate1 1 25% 4 100%
2 1 25% 1 25%
3 1 25% 1 25%
4 0 0% 4 100%
5 1 25% 3 75%
6 0 0% 0 0%
7 0 0% 3 75%
8 1 25% 0 0%
9 1 25% 1 25%
10 0 0% 3 75%
11 0 0% 0 0%
12 1 25% 1 25%
13 1 25% 4 100%
14 1 25% 1 25%
15 2 50% 3 75%
16 1 25% 1 25%
17 0 0% 1 25%
18 3 75% 3 75%
19 2 50% 3 75%
20 0 0% 1 25%
Total 17 21.25% 38/80 47.5%Table4: Degree of Idiom Comprehensibility in Isolation and in Context
We can see that none of the students could know all the four idioms provided when they were
put in isolation. Only one student out of 20 could recognize 3 idioms. That is 5% of students
understood 75% of the provided idioms. Two students, who represent 10%, understood 2 idioms
out of 4, that is 50% of the idioms. On the other hand, 10 students, that is half of the students,
knew no more than 1 idiom, which represents a percentage of 25%. The rest of students that are
7 (35%) did not know any idiom at all. Their degree or rate of understanding those idioms is 0%.
So, students degree of idiom comprehensibility in isolation is 21.25%.
As for idioms in context, 3 students understood all the four idioms provided in context. This
means that 15% of students were a 100% successful in understanding idioms in context. Then, 6
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students, which represent 30% of them, figured out the meaning of 3 idioms. it is a total
understanding of 75%. Forty percent of students (8) had the rate of 25% when they knew only 1
idiom in context. The remaining 3 students had the percentage of 0% as they did not recognize
any of the idioms. Hence, this results show a total understanding of idioms in context of.5%.
Unit Three: question 7
We wanted to see if students will give idiom equivalents in Arabic or French to show that the
similarity of these expression help understanding idioms.
student
Right equivalent of idioms
in another language
Number/3 Rate
1 2 66.66%
2 1 33.33%
3 1 33.33%
4 2 66.66%
5 2 66.66%
6 2 66.66%
7 0 0%
8 0 0%
9 2 66.66%
10 2 66.66%
11 1 33.33%
12 2 66.66%
13 0 0%
14 0 0%
15 1 33.33%
16 2 66.66%
17 1 33.33%18 2 66.66%
19 2 66.66%
20 3 100%
Total 28 46.66%
Table5: Understanding idioms with Equivalents in Other Languages
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Table 5 displays that only one student out of 20, which represents 5%, could write the right
equivalents of all the three idioms in other languages. 10 students gave the appropriate
equivalent of 2 idioms out of 3, which is a percentage of 66.66%. The Table also shows that
only5 students were able to find an equivalent of 1 idiom, which is a percentage of 33.33%. Four
students, however, did not give any equivalent. Consequently the average of understanding
idioms which are similar to others in other languages is 46.66%.
nit Four:
The paragraph was aimed to see if students will use any form of figures of speech,
particularly, idioms. Out of 20 students, 06 did not even write the paragraph, which represents
30%. And only 02 of the other 14 used idioms in their paragraph, which is a percentage of
14.28%. They did not use any form of figurative language. They only used one idiom taken from
the examples we gave them, which is to pay attention.
4. Description of the Post-test Results
4.1. Part One
This part of the test was designed to see if the awareness building about idioms was
successful. In question one, 14 students out of the 16 who gave back their post-test papers,
provided a good definition of idioms. That is a percentage of 87.5%. If we consider the 4 missing
papers as unsuccessful definitions, then the total rate will be 70%.
The answers of questions two and three are to show if these students know idioms well
enough to provide accurate examples in an appropriate context. The results are tabulated as
follows:
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Students Examples of Idioms
In isolation In context
Number/4 Rate Accuracy/4 Rate
1 4 100% 4 100%
2 4 100% 4 100%
3 4 100% 3 75%
4 4 100% 4 100%
5 4 100% 4 100%
6 4 100% 4 100%
7 4 100% 3 75%
8 3 75% 3 75%
9 4 100% 4 100%
10 4 100% 3 75%
11 4 100% 3 75%
12 4 100% 3 75%13 4 100% 4 100%
14 4 100% 4 100%
15 4 100% 4 100%
16 4 100% 3 75%
17 0 0% 0 0%
18 0 0% 0 0%
19 0 0% 0 0%
20 0 0% 0 0%
Total 63 78.75% 57 71.25%
Table6: Students Knowledge and Use of Idioms
It is noticeable from the table above that in 15 students wrote down 4 correct idioms in
isolation and gave their adequate explanations. This means that 75% of students gave a 100%
good examples. Just 1 student gave 3 out of 4 good examples with their explanations; this
represents 75% of idioms. The 4 missing papers were considered as null. Those 20% of students,
thus, gave neither examples of idioms in isolation nor their explanation; they, therefore, have a
rate of 0%. Hence, totally we have 63 correct idioms in isolation with their right meaning, which
is a percentage of 78.75% of the students' knowledge and use of idioms.
However, in context we can see that 9 out of 20 students succeeded in putting their four own
idioms in context, that equals 45%. We noticed also that 7 students could put 3 idioms in their
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right context. That is 35% of students were 75% successful. The four remaining students did not
succeed in doing this task. That represents 0%. All in all, the rate of accurately putting idioms in
context is 1.25%.
4.2. Part two
Students in question 8 were asked to write an essay to see if they, after the awareness
building, will use idioms frequently and accurately. As we examined the students essays, we
noticed that none of them used any form of figures of speech other than idioms. Some did not
include any figures of speech at all. The use of idioms was as the following table demonstrates.
Students Idioms
Frequency Accuracy
1 0 0
2 0 0
3 0 0
4 5 5
5 1 1
6 0 0
7 1 1
8 0 0
9 0 0
10 1 1
11 2 2
12 0 0
13 0 0
14 0 0
15 1 1
16 2 217 0 0
18 0 0
19 0 0
20 0 0
Total 13 13
Table7: Frequency and Accuracy of Students Use of Idioms in the Essays
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We can see from Table 7 that only 1 student out of 20 accurately used 5 idioms in his essay.
Then, 4 students accurately used 2 idioms. Two students made use of only 1 idiom in their
productions. However, 13 students, including those who did not give back their papers, did not
provide idioms at all in their compositions. As a result, only 13 idioms were used in 20 students
essays. These results are represented in percentage in Table 8.
Number of
idioms
Number of
students
Rate
0 13 65%
1 2 10%
2 4 20%
5 1 5%
Total/13 Total/20 Total/ 100%
Table8: Percentage of the Students Use of Idioms in the Essays
This table shows that 65% of the students did not include a single idiom in their essays. And a
total of 35% of them used idiom as follows: 5% used 5 idioms, 10% used 1 idiom and 20% used
2 idioms in their essays.
5. Discussion of the Results
The results of the pre-test analysis show that students knowledge about idioms is low and
limited. The fact that the percentage of students who actually knew the term idioms is 30% and
that of those who gave examples is25% as table 3 shows, proves that there is a lack of awareness
and knowledge of idioms amongst these students. As for unit 2, which was represented in
Table4, it shows that the percentage of students understanding of idioms in context (47.5%) is
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higher than that of idioms in isolation (21.25%). This is an evidence of the usefulness of context
in understanding idioms. The rate is not very high itself, so depending on context alone is not
enough. Table 5, on the other hand, shows a similar percentage of understanding idioms in
comparison to other languages which is 46.66%. Here, many students were able to identify the
equivalent idiom in Arabic and in French which helped them understand the English idiom. So,
comparing idioms might be another method to understand idioms if context does not help. As for
the paragraphs, the very low rate of using idioms which is 14.28% and the fact that none of them
used any form of figurative language other than idioms, is again a sign of students lack of
awareness of idioms and the importance of using them for better writing. That is why their
paragraphs were really plain and simple. The other 30% of the students, though, did not write a
single word because of the lack of time. All in all, these students were in need of an awareness
building about idioms and writing. Then next step was an attempt to raise their awareness via
courses. Our lectures were only a small introduction that resulted in the following.
The pos-test results show that 70% of the students were successful in writing their own
definitions of idioms. Also, 80% were able to give good examples of idioms in isolation with
their meanings, a percentage of78.75%. Most of those idioms were put in an appropriate context
(71.25%); Even though we considered the score of those who did not return the test papers as
null. These results are considerably high and show a great improvement in students knowledge
and mastery of idioms. This means that the idioms awareness building was, though short,
effective and fruitful. On the other hand, they essay results were unexpected. After having given
the students enough time (a whole day) to write; only 35%of them used idioms in their writing
ranging from 1 to 5 idioms only. The other 65% of them have not used a single idiom or any
figurative language of any kind. And their style was neither academic nor creative, not even a
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combination of both as we wanted an expected. In our assumption, this is either because the idea
of using idioms is still new to them, or the concept is too vague so they need more time and
practice; or the awareness building was not deep enough to make them use idioms. The first
assumption is more probable because the results of the first part of the pre-test prove that these
students have acquired a great deal of knowledge in the courses and they successfully understood
what idioms were about. Also, we think after going over their written productions that their level
of English is not is it is supposed to be and they need to work on their grammar and diction
weaknesses. Furthermore, the awareness building was only an introduction to idioms and their
role in enlivening essays. And the purpose was to motivate them and push them to investigate
more if they wanted to enhance their writing abilities. Our goal was reached since the first part
was successfully done.
In a nutshell, our first hypothesis is confirmed. That is if the students are introduced to
idioms, then their ability of understanding and appropriately using idioms will be higher. This
has been proved. Yet, the second hypothesis which is: if they know idioms well enough they will
use them in their writing which will make their essays more expressive, beautiful, entertaining
and prestigious, was disconfirmed. So maybe they just did not know them well enough. Also
knowing idioms does not necessarily mean that a student will use them.
Conclusion
To conclude, students knowledge of idioms could be improved through light, energetic and
motivating lectures. Yet students should make their own effort and investigate more. But if they
really want to enhance their writing abilities they must work on their weaknesses, apply what
they learn, and practice writing whenever possible.
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General Conclusion and Recommendations
Our study is devoted to check and improve students awareness of idioms and their
importance in enlivening their essays. As an attempt to motivate them to make their own
researches about the issue being a very vague, yet an interesting one. The main questions we
were to answer are whether Master One students of English Civilization and Literature know
idioms and if they do know them, why dont they use them in writings. This is what led us to
question whether an awareness building will make them use idioms to write better essays. Thus,
we came up with two related hypotheses that are: if Master students of English are to idioms,
then their ability of understanding and appropriately using idioms will be higher. And if they
know idioms well enough they will use them in their writing which makes their essays more
expressive, beautiful, entertaining and prestigious.
Before getting into practice, we have presented an overview of writing and idioms
represented by Chapter One. The aim behind this theoretical part is to shed lights on the nature of
writing, its two types academic and creative writing, in addition to the nature of idioms, their
types, and then the use of creative language in academic writing by the inclusion of idioms.
Chapter Two, our fieldwork, included a thorough description or the research tools that were a
pre-test and a post-test. It also described an important step in the research which is the two
awareness building courses given to students. The results were analyzed and helped us determine
the efficiency of our work.
At first, the majority of students lacked knowledge of idioms as a term and concepts. Their
essays were simple and did not include any kind of figurative language. Yet, after the courses,
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their knowledge and mastery of idioms has improved a great deal, which confirmed our first
hypothesis. Their essays on the other hand did not witness the same rate of improvement. Their
style was still the same and the idioms were almost absent. These results have disconfirmed our
second hypothesis.
We finally concluded by justifying these results by the lack of time which was a major
limitation of our study. Also, improving one essay does not happen overnight. Students are
recommended to practice writing more and investigate more to get their essays to the level that
suits them as Master students
In the light of our findings, we recommend the following:
For better results in the future, the awareness building should be deeper and should
include numerous sessions of guided practice. This is as far as Master students are
concerned.
For even better results, the awareness building should start from students first year so
that by the time they graduate, both their spoken and written productions will be better.
We hope that our work was a good eye-opener and that it has helped to have insight into the
use of idioms in writing. We also hope that it will help learners as well as teachers reconsider
their stand vis-a-vis creative writing and idioms.
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