Idioms: quantity

This ESL lesson introduces students to idioms and expressions related to quantities, helping them describe amounts in a more natural and engaging way. Through dialogues, vocabulary exercises, and speaking activities, students will learn how to use 13 expressions in real-life conversations. It can be used both with Business and General English learners.

The lesson begins with short dialogues, where students encounter idioms such as a drop in the bucket, the lion’s share, a dime a dozen, in spades, next to nothing, and few and far between. They match these expressions to their meanings and discuss their use in context. Students match sentences containing idioms to the most suitable response, reinforcing their understanding of context and meaning.

Students complete sentences using the correct idioms for quantities to ensure proper usage.
They also rephrase sentences using the target expressions, building their ability to substitute common phrases with idiomatic alternatives.

Students participate in situational discussions, applying the idioms in problem-solving tasks, such as:

• How to find friends in a crowded place (a sea of people).
• Strategies for managing limited resources (in scant supply).
• What to do when you receive an unfair share of work (the lion’s share).

They also answer personalized discussion questions, using idioms to describe past experiences and opinions.

This worksheet provides a mix of comprehension, practice, and discussion activities to ensure students not only understand these idioms related to quantities but also use them confidently in conversation.
For additional fluency practice, printable conversation cards are available.