Idiom of the Week: “Let the cat out of the bag”

by Laurie Laurendeau on May 16, 2012

IDIOM: “Let the cat out of the bag”

DEFINITION:  To tell someone something that was supposed to be kept secret

EXAMPLES:  1. He let the cat out of the bag when he accidentally told his sister about the surprise party.

2. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag, but I think Rachel is getting married!

ACTIVITY:  Draw a picture of a cat with its head sticking out of a bag, with a speech bubble coming out of its mouth, telling a secret.

Idioms are short phrases or expressions that we use in the English language to express a thought in a more interesting manner.  Examples of idioms might include “in a pickle”, or “it’s raining cats and dogs”.  Children who struggle with reading comprehension often read quite literally what is on the page, and then the true meaning of the sentence can be lost.  Teaching your child a new idiom each week will help improve his/her ability to “read between the lines” in both oral speech and in written texts.  Have fun trying to use the idiom each week in everyday life!

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