Idiomatic Expressions — English Bac Sciences Humaines

Dans le programme du Bac Sciences Humaines

English carries a coefficient of 3 in the Bac Sciences Humaines stream — level with Arabic Language, just behind History-Geography, Philosophy and French (coefficient 4). It is a genuine average-mover, and the humanities focus of the stream makes its themes on society, citizenship, culture and development especially familiar territory.

À l'épreuve

Three parts: Reading Comprehension, Language, and Writing (a guided text of about 180 words, longer at the top of the mark range). Sciences Humaines candidates, used to handling ideas and social questions, can bring real substance to essay prompts on culture, citizenship and development — the discipline needed is to keep the writing in clear, accurate English.

Objectifs d'apprentissage

Reuse this vocabulary field in the Bac Sciences Humaines Reading answers and in the argumentative essay (coefficient 3)
Understand that an idiom's meaning is figurative and not deducible from its words
Recognise frequent programme idioms: once in a blue moon, break the ice, a piece of cake, under the weather, cost an arm and a leg
Paraphrase an idiom in plain English when its meaning is not certain
Avoid translating an idiom word for word from Arabic or French

Notions clés

What is an idiom?

A fixed group of words whose overall meaning is figurative and different from the literal sense of its parts. E.g. “to break the ice” = to ease the tension at the start of a conversation, nothing to do with real ice.

Frequent programme idioms

once in a blue moon (very rarely), break the ice (ease initial tension), a piece of cake (very easy), under the weather (slightly unwell), cost an arm and a leg (be very expensive), let the cat out of the bag (reveal a secret).

Paraphrasing an idiom

If you are unsure of an idiom in an exam, replace it with a plain paraphrase: “extremely expensive” for cost an arm and a leg, “very easy” for a piece of cake. A correct paraphrase scores; a wrong literal translation does not.

Erreurs fréquentes

Translating an idiom word for word: “il pleut des cordes” → “it's raining ropes” is meaningless in English; the equivalent idiom is “it's raining cats and dogs”.

Taking an idiom literally in a reading text: “he was over the moon” means he was delighted, not that he was in space.

Overusing idioms in a formal essay: one or two well-placed idioms add colour, but a formal argument is not built on them.

Exemple corrigé

Énoncé

Explain the meaning of the idiom in this sentence and rewrite it in plain English: “The new laptop cost me an arm and a leg.”

Correction

Identify the idiom. “cost an arm and a leg” is a fixed idiom, not a literal statement.

Give the figurative meaning. It means “to be very expensive”.

Rewrite in plain English. “The new laptop was extremely expensive.”

Le cours, puis l'entraînement.

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3 exercices pour t'entraîner

Exercice 1

Easy

What does “a piece of cake” mean? (a dessert / something very easy / a small portion)

Voir la correction

something very easy — “The test was a piece of cake” = the test was very easy.

Exercice 2

Medium

Replace the idiom with a plain paraphrase: “I only see my cousins once in a blue moon.”

Voir la correction

“I only see my cousins very rarely.” — once in a blue moon means very rarely.

Exercice 3

Hard

A student writes “I feel under the weather today, so I will not go to space.” Explain the mistake and correct the sentence.

Voir la correction

The student has taken “under the weather” literally. It is an idiom meaning “slightly unwell”. Corrected: “I feel under the weather today, so I will stay at home.”

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Questions fréquentes

How many idioms do I need for the Bac?

A working set of ten to fifteen frequent ones is enough. Knowing their meaning matters more for reading; in writing, one or two well-chosen idioms are plenty.

Can I use a French or Arabic idiom translated into English?

No — idioms rarely translate. Either use the established English equivalent or drop the idiom and state the meaning plainly.

How do I handle an unknown idiom in a reading text?

Use the surrounding context: the sentence and paragraph usually make the figurative meaning clear enough to answer the question, even without knowing the idiom.

How much English revision does a coefficient-3 subject deserve in my stream?

A regular slot, not an afterthought. Fix each chapter's rule or vocabulary with two examples, write a short essay every week, and use the society themes — where your stream gives you ideas — as your strongest material. Keep a reusable introduction and conclusion, and check accuracy as you go.

How do I use this theme in the Bac Sciences Humaines essay without sounding generic?

Anchor each key term in one concrete, personal example — a place, a person, a situation you know. A specific illustration in accurate English scores better than a long list of terms with no support, on any of the society prompts in the programme.