Idioms

Here are 30 idioms related to school and education, along with examples of how to use them in conversational speech:

1. Hit the books - to study or start working on academic tasks.
   Example: "The exam is approaching; it's time to hit the books and review."

2. Acing a test - to perform exceptionally well on an examination.
   Example: "She spent hours studying and ended up acing the test."

3. Teacher's pet - a student who is favored by the teacher and receives special treatment.
   Example: "He always gets extra praise from the teacher; he's such a teacher's pet."

4. Burning the midnight oil - studying or working late into the night.
   Example: "I have a project due tomorrow, so I'll be burning the midnight oil tonight."

5. Pass with flying colors - to pass a test or examination with a high score.
   Example: "She was worried about the final but passed with flying colors."

6. Cutting class - to skip or miss a scheduled class without permission.
   Example: "He got caught cutting class and was given detention."

7. Straight A student - a student who consistently receives the highest grades in all subjects.
   Example: "She's known as a straight-A student, excelling in every subject."

8. Pencil pusher - a person who does desk or administrative work, often in a bureaucratic setting.
   Example: "He got a job as a pencil pusher in the government office."

9. Play hooky - to skip school or class without a valid reason.
   Example: "They decided to play hooky and go to the amusement park."

10. Bookworm - a person who loves to read and spends much time doing so.
    Example: "She's always been a bookworm, reading several novels a week."

11. The three R's - the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic (or "reading, writing, and arithmetic").
    Example: "Schools focus on teaching the three R's from an early age."

12. All talk and no action - to talk about doing something without actually doing it.
    Example: "He keeps promising to improve his grades, but so far, it's all talk and no action."

13. Pass the test with flying colors - to perform exceptionally well on a test or exam.
    Example: "She was worried about the final but passed the test with flying colors."

14. Learn the ropes - to learn the basics or essentials of something.
    Example: "As a new student, it took a while to learn the ropes of the school's schedule."

15. Cut to the chase - to get to the main point without wasting time on irrelevant details.
    Example: "Let's cut to the chase and discuss the main topic of the presentation."

16. Bells and whistles - additional features or decorations that are nice but not essential.
    Example: "The new computer has all the bells and whistles, but it's quite expensive."

17. School of hard knocks - the experiences and challenges of life that provide practical learning opportunities.
    Example: "He didn't attend college but learned valuable lessons in the school of hard knocks."

18. Hit the ground running - to start a new endeavor with enthusiasm and effectiveness.
    Example: "As soon as she joined the club, she hit the ground running and contributed ideas."

19. Drawing a blank - to be unable to remember or think of something.
    Example: "During the exam, I was drawing a blank on that particular question."

20. Pass the buck - to shift responsibility or blame to someone else.
    Example: "He always tries to pass the buck when something goes wrong."

21. Old school - referring to a traditional or conservative approach or style.
    Example: "He prefers using pen and paper; he's a bit old school when it comes to note-taking."

22. Back to the drawing board - to start over again because of a failed attempt.
    Example: "The first draft didn't work out, so we had to return to the drawing board."

23. Raising your hand - to indicate that you want to speak or answer a question in class.
    Example: "If you have a question, don't hesitate to raise your hand."

24. Cut and dried - something that is straightforward and settled without any ambiguity.
    Example: "The rules for the competition are cut and dried; there's no room for negotiation."

25. Extra credit - additional points or marks given for optional work beyond the regular requirements.
    Example: "I completed the optional assignment for extra credit to boost my grade."

26. Make the grade - meet the required standards or expectations, especially academically.
    Example: "She worked hard to make the grade and got accepted into her dream college."

27. Backseat driver - a person who offers unwanted or critical advice on how to do something.
    Example: "I can't stand it when he acts like a backseat driver while I'm studying."

28. Graduation day - the day when students receive their diploma or degree upon completing their studies.
    Example: "Her parents are very proud of her on graduation day."

29. Pass the final test with flying colors - to perform exceptionally well on the final examination.
    Example: "After weeks of preparation, she passed the final test with flying colors."

30. School of thought - a particular way of thinking, belief, or philosophy.
    Example: "There are different schools of thought on how to approach this problem."

Feel free to use these idioms in your conversations about school and education to add more depth and express your thoughts more creatively!