Analyze IDIOMS — cultural origin, literal vs. figurative meaning, register, audience appropriateness (CCSS L.6.5.a)
Exercise Difficulty 3 ~12 min eng.g6.s.ex_16

Analyze Six Idioms

MG-13 Chart
Idiom-analysis anchor (L.6.5.a): 4-field card. FIELD 1 — IDIOM phrase ('kick the bucket'). FIELD 2 — LITERAL meaning ('t

Idiom-analysis anchor (L.6.5.a): 4-field card. FIELD 1 — IDIOM phrase ('kick the bucket'). FIELD 2 — LITERAL meaning ('to physically kick a pail'). FIELD 3 — FIGURATIVE meaning ('to die'). FIELD 4 — CULTURAL ORIGIN (debated — possibly from medieval hanging or slaughterhouse; mostly British/American English). FIELD 5 — REGISTER (informal, can be flippant). FIELD 6 — AUDIENCE APPROPRIATENESS (NOT for formal writing; consider whether the topic of death is appropriate to the audience). Worked examples for: Achilles' heel (Greek myth — vulnerability), break the ice (medieval — to start a conversation), the apple of his eye (Old English — favorite), kick the can down the road (American — postpone), spill the beans (American — reveal a secret), tower of Babel (Hebrew Bible — confused communication). Bottom rule: 'Idioms carry culture. Before using, check origin, register, and audience.' Print-ready 11x17.

Prompt

Analyze 6 idioms using MG-13 4-field anchor (literal, figurative, cultural origin, register, audience appropriateness): Achilles' heel, break the ice, kick the can down the road, Tower of Babel, the apple of his eye, spill the beans.

M-6-S-VOC-EX-16-A Interactive Physical / non-image

6-idiom analysis worksheet with 4-field columns per idiom. Reverse has etymology dictionary citation column. Print-ready 8.5x11 double-sided.

Answer criteria
type rubric
rubric
All 6 idioms × 4 fields filled = 4; 4-5 idioms × 4 fields = 3; 2-3 idioms = 2; <2 = 1
Hints
  1. Use etymonline.com for cultural origin field.
  2. Register = formal/informal/literary.
Misconceptions to watch
  • Skips cultural origin (the new G6 work).
  • Treats all idioms as informal.
Used in lessons