School is where we learn, play, and grow. It’s full of different experiences, some easy, some hard, and some just plain funny. To talk about all the things that happen at school, people often use idioms. Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say, but they help us share ideas in a more fun and creative way.
In this article, we’ll explore idioms about school. These sayings are used to talk about learning, studying, homework, and even school life in general. Let’s take a look at these idioms and see how they help us describe our school experiences more clearly.
Idioms for School
1. Hit the books
Meaning: Start studying.
Samples: I have to hit the books before my test. / She hit the books right after school.
To Put it Another Way: Start studying. / Begin doing schoolwork.
2. Learn the ropes
Meaning: Learn how to do something.
Samples: It took me a week to learn the ropes at my new school. / She’s still learning the ropes in math class.
To Put it Another Way: Figuring out how things work. / Learning the steps.
3. Pass with flying colors
Meaning: Do very well on a test or task.
Samples: He passed the spelling test with flying colors. / She passed her project with flying colors.
To Put it Another Way: Got a great score. / Did really well.
4. School of hard knocks
Meaning: Learning through difficult experiences.
Samples: He learned how to deal with bullies in the school of hard knocks. / The move taught her in the school of hard knocks.
To Put it Another Way: Learned from tough times. / Learned the hard way.
5. Bookworm
Meaning: Someone who loves reading.
Samples: She’s such a bookworm she’s always in the library. / My brother is a bookworm who reads every night.
To Put it Another Way: Loves books. / Always reading.
6. Put your thinking cap on
Meaning: Start thinking carefully.
Samples: Time to put your thinking cap on and solve this. / He put his thinking cap on for the science quiz.
To Put it Another Way: Start focusing. / Think hard.
7. Teacher’s pet
Meaning: A student who always tries to please the teacher.
Samples: He’s the teacher’s pet and always helps out. / Everyone calls her the teacher’s pet.
To Put it Another Way: Tries hard to impress the teacher. / Favorite student.
8. Brainstorm
Meaning: Share and think of many ideas.
Samples: Let’s brainstorm topics for the project. / We brainstormed together during group time.
To Put it Another Way: Think of ideas. / Share creative thoughts.
9. Copycat
Meaning: Someone who copies others.
Samples: Don’t be a copycat during the test. / She called him a copycat for using her design.
To Put it Another Way: Someone who cheats or copies. / Does the same as others.
10. Ace a test
Meaning: Get a perfect or high score.
Samples: He aced the math test. / She was proud to ace the quiz.
To Put it Another Way: Did great. / Got a top grade.
11. School’s out
Meaning: School is over for the day or the year.
Samples: School’s out for summer! / The bell rang and school’s out!
To Put it Another Way: Time to go home. / School is finished.
12. Make the grade
Meaning: Do well enough to pass.
Samples: He studied hard to make the grade. / She made the grade on her report card.
To Put it Another Way: Did well. / Met the goal.
13. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: Start over and try again.
Samples: The project failed, so it’s back to the drawing board. / Our group had to go back to the drawing board.
To Put it Another Way: Try again. / Start over.
14. Old school
Meaning: Doing things in a traditional or old-fashioned way.
Samples: He’s old school and uses a notebook. / Our teacher is kind of old school.
To Put it Another Way: Likes the old way. / Not modern.
15. Skip class
Meaning: Miss school or a lesson on purpose.
Samples: He skipped class to go to the game. / She skipped class and got in trouble.
To Put it Another Way: Didn’t go to class. / Missed school on purpose.
16. Pull an all-nighter
Meaning: Stay up all night to study or work.
Samples: I had to pull an all-nighter for my project. / She pulled an all-nighter before finals.
To Put it Another Way: Stayed up late. / Didn’t sleep to finish work.
17. Show your work
Meaning: Explain how you got the answer.
Samples: The teacher said to show your work on the math test. / Always show your work in long problems.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t just give the answer. / Prove it.
18. Out to lunch
Meaning: Not paying attention.
Samples: He was out to lunch during the lesson. / She asked a question that showed she was out to lunch.
To Put it Another Way: Not focused. / Not listening.
19. Put to the test
Meaning: Be challenged or judged.
Samples: The quiz really put my skills to the test. / Our teamwork was put to the test during the game.
To Put it Another Way: Got challenged. / Had to prove something.
20. Read between the lines
Meaning: Understand something that’s not directly said.
Samples: You have to read between the lines in that story. / She read between the lines and figured it out.
To Put it Another Way: Look deeper. / Find the hidden meaning.
21. Chalk and talk
Meaning: A teaching style where the teacher does all the talking.
Samples: Our class is all chalk and talk. / He prefers chalk and talk over group work.
To Put it Another Way: Teacher explains everything. / Not hands-on.
22. Raise your hand
Meaning: Ask or answer politely in class.
Samples: Don’t shout raise your hand. / She raised her hand to answer.
To Put it Another Way: Ask the right way. / Be polite in class.
23. Get schooled
Meaning: Get taught a lesson (sometimes in a tough way).
Samples: He got schooled in the spelling bee. / I got schooled in chess by my friend.
To Put it Another Way: Learned something the hard way. / Got beat and learned.
24. Goof off
Meaning: Not work or play around during work time.
Samples: They goofed off during group time. / Don’t goof off in class.
To Put it Another Way: Wasting time. / Not doing your job.
25. Pop quiz
Meaning: A surprise test.
Samples: We had a pop quiz in math today. / She surprised us with a pop quiz.
To Put it Another Way: Quick surprise test. / Unplanned quiz.
26. Homework is a breeze
Meaning: Homework is very easy.
Samples: This homework is a breeze. / Math was a breeze today.
To Put it Another Way: Super easy. / No problem.
27. The bell rings
Meaning: School time ends or starts.
Samples: The bell rings at 3:00. / Everyone ran out when the bell rang.
To Put it Another Way: Time to start or stop. / School starts or ends.
28. A+ effort
Meaning: Tried very hard, even if the result wasn’t perfect.
Samples: She gave an A+ effort on her art. / Even if he didn’t win, it was an A+ effort.
To Put it Another Way: Tried your best. / Worked hard.
29. Test the waters
Meaning: Try something a little before doing more.
Samples: I’ll test the waters by joining the club for one day. / She tested the waters in science by trying a new topic.
To Put it Another Way: Try it first. / See how it goes.
30. In hot water
Meaning: In trouble.
Samples: He was in hot water for forgetting his homework. / She got in hot water after goofing off.
To Put it Another Way: Got in trouble. / Did something wrong.
Find the Topics: Idioms for School
Reading Passage: “A School Day to Remember”
It was Monday morning, and Mia knew she had to hit the books there was a pop quiz in science. She gave it her best shot and hoped to pass with flying colors. Afterward, her group had to brainstorm ideas for their class project. Mia put her thinking cap on and shared some creative thoughts.
But not everyone was focused. Liam kept goofing off, and by the end of class, he was in hot water with the teacher. Meanwhile, Sarah raised her hand and explained everything so well that someone whispered, “She’s such a teacher’s pet.”
Later, they had to test the waters by trying a mini version of their project. It was fun, but Mia could tell it was back to the drawing board for her group they had more work to do.
Your Task:
Can you underline or list all 8 idioms for school used in the story?
Answer Key
- Hit the books
- Pop quiz
- Pass with flying colors
- Brainstorm
- Put your thinking cap on
- Goofing off
- In hot water
- Raise your hand
Conclusion
School is full of challenges and victories, and idioms help us describe those moments in fun ways. Whether you’re hitting the books or acing a test, these phrases help show what school life feels like.
By learning these idioms, you can talk about school in a more creative and clear way. Next time you’re in class, working hard, or even goofing off, try using one of these expressions to make your story more interesting.
