what is the meaning of the idiom do your homework

30 Idioms for Homework

Idioms, in particular, add color and flair to our conversations. In the realm of homework, where words often reign supreme, understanding idioms can be the key to unlocking a deeper level of communication.

Let’s embark on a delightful exploration of idioms for homework – expressions that not only enhance your language skills but also make you a master of casual conversation.

Idioms for Homework

1. hit the hay.

Meaning: To go to bed or fall asleep.

In a Sentence: After a long night of studying, Sarah decided it was time to hit the hay.

Exploring idioms is like hitting the hay – it may seem mundane at first, but the rewards are truly refreshing.

2. Kick the Bucket

Meaning: To die or pass away.

In a Sentence: Sadly, my goldfish kicked the bucket after years of cheerful swimming.

Homework can sometimes feel overwhelming, but no need for it to kick the bucket – we’ll tackle it together!

3. Bite the Bullet

Meaning: To endure a painful experience or face a difficult situation.

In a Sentence: Instead of procrastinating, Amy decided to bite the bullet and finish her science project ahead of time.

Facing challenging assignments head-on is like biting the bullet – it might be tough, but the relief afterward is worth it.

4. Break the Ice

Meaning: To initiate conversation in a social setting, often to relieve tension.

In a Sentence: To ease the tension before the group project, Sam tried to break the ice with a funny joke.

Homework groups are more effective when everyone helps break the ice – it’s the first step towards collaboration.

5. Burn the Midnight Oil

Meaning: To work late into the night, usually on a project or task.

In a Sentence: Knowing the deadline was approaching, Mark had to burn the midnight oil to complete his essay.

Homework often requires burning the midnight oil, but the sense of accomplishment is worth the sacrifice.

6. Cost an Arm and a Leg

Meaning: To be very expensive or costly.

In a Sentence: Getting a new laptop for college can sometimes cost an arm and a leg.

Textbooks might cost an arm and a leg, but the knowledge gained is priceless – a fair trade in the end.

7. Cry over Spilled Milk

Meaning: To lament or worry about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.

In a Sentence: Instead of crying over spilled milk, Jake decided to focus on finding a solution to the problem.

In the world of homework, it’s essential not to cry over spilled milk – mistakes happen, and learning from them is the key.

8. Cut to the Chase

Meaning: To get to the main point without unnecessary details.

In a Sentence: When giving instructions, the teacher preferred to cut to the chase to save time.

Homework discussions are more efficient when we cut to the chase – clarity is the secret ingredient.

9. Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk

Meaning: Reiterating the importance of not worrying about past mistakes or misfortunes.

In a Sentence: “Don’t cry over spilled milk,” Mrs. Johnson reminded her students after the math test.

Homework challenges may arise, but always remember: don’t cry over spilled milk – focus on improvement.

10. Drive Someone up the Wall

Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone greatly.

In a Sentence: Sam’s constant tapping during the exam drove his classmates up the wall.

Group projects can be challenging, but constant communication helps avoid driving each other up the wall.

11. Jump on the Bandwagon

Meaning: To adopt a popular trend or activity.

In a Sentence: After witnessing the success of the study group, more students decided to jump on the bandwagon.

Homework strategies evolve – it’s okay to jump on the bandwagon of effective study methods.

12. Kick the Bucket (Again?)

Meaning: To die or pass away (Yes, we’ve got a repeat!)

In a Sentence: The old car finally kicked the bucket after years of faithful service.

Repeating the importance of not letting homework stress kick the bucket – perseverance is the key.

13. Let the Cat out of the Bag

Meaning: To reveal a secret or disclose information.

In a Sentence: Mary accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.

Homework collaborations thrive on trust – always ensure not to let the cat out of the bag inadvertently.

14. Piece of Cake

Meaning: Something very easy to do.

In a Sentence: Solving the first few math problems was a piece of cake for Alex.

Approaching homework step by step makes it feel like a piece of cake – small victories lead to big accomplishments.

15. Raining Cats and Dogs

Meaning: Raining heavily.

In a Sentence: We canceled our outdoor study session because it started raining cats and dogs.

Sometimes, adapting to unexpected challenges in homework is like dealing with a sudden downpour of cats and dogs.

16. Spill the Beans

Meaning: To disclose a secret or reveal information.

In a Sentence: Tom couldn’t resist the excitement and decided to spill the beans about the surprise quiz.

Homework collaborations rely on trust – resist the temptation to spill the beans before the right moment.

17. The Ball Is in Your Court

Meaning: It’s your responsibility to make a decision or take action.

In a Sentence: Now that you have all the information, the ball is in your court regarding the group project.

Homework assignments often end with the ball in your court – decisive actions lead to successful outcomes.

18. The Whole Nine Yards

Meaning: The entirety or completeness of something.

In a Sentence: Sarah went above and beyond, providing the whole nine yards of information for her presentation.

Strive for the whole nine yards in homework – thoroughness and attention to detail always pay off.

19. Through Thick and Thin

Meaning: Supporting someone in good times and bad.

In a Sentence: True friends stick with you through thick and thin, just like reliable study partners.

Homework journeys are smoother when you have companions who stay with you through thick and thin.

20. Throw in the Towel

Meaning: To give up or surrender.

In a Sentence: Despite the challenges, she refused to throw in the towel and kept pushing through the assignment.

Homework may be tough, but throwing in the towel is never the solution – perseverance brings success.

21. Under the Weather

Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick.

In a Sentence: James couldn’t attend the study group because he was under the weather.

Taking breaks when feeling under the weather is crucial – a rested mind tackles homework more effectively.

22. A Dime a Dozen

Meaning: Something common and easy to find.

In a Sentence: Online resources for research are a dime a dozen, but quality matters.

Homework help is abundant, but choosing the right sources is essential – quality over quantity.

23. All Ears

Meaning: Listening attentively or eagerly.

In a Sentence: When the teacher started discussing the upcoming project, the students were all ears.

Active listening is a valuable skill in homework discussions – be all ears for useful insights.

24. Burn Bridges

Meaning: To damage relationships or cut ties.

In a Sentence: Avoiding conflicts in group projects is essential to not burn bridges with your peers.

In the world of homework, collaboration is key – never burn bridges, always build connections.

25. Catch Someone’s Eye

Meaning: Attracting someone’s attention or being noticed.

In a Sentence: Her unique presentation style managed to catch the professor’s eye.

In the realm of homework, standout work is bound to catch someone’s eye – excellence is hard to ignore.

26. Hit the Nail on the Head

Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.

In a Sentence: Sarah hit the nail on the head when she pointed out the flaw in the experimental design.

Critical thinking in homework often involves hitting the nail on the head – identifying the root cause is crucial.

27. Jump on the Bandwagon (Again?)

Meaning: Adopting a popular trend or activity (Yes, another repeat!)

In a Sentence: As the semester progressed, more students decided to jump on the bandwagon of using productivity apps.

Repeating the idea that adapting to new homework strategies is like jumping on the bandwagon – staying current is key.

28. Kick the Bucket (Once More)

Meaning: To die or pass away (Another repeat, but with a twist!)

In a Sentence: The outdated study methods had to kick the bucket for the students to embrace more effective techniques.

Repeating the importance of letting old habits kick the bucket – sometimes, change is the key to success.

29. Throw in the Towel (Again?)

Meaning: To give up or surrender (One more repeat!)

In a Sentence: Despite the challenging exam, she refused to throw in the towel and sought additional help.

Repeating the idea that throwing in the towel is never the answer in homework – persistence leads to progress.

Embark on a literary journey to describe the academic task of homework using imaginative metaphors, and discover creative comparisons through similes for homework. To explore more, check out Metaphors for Homework and Similes for Homework .

In the lively world of idioms, our exploration of expressions for homework has been nothing short of enlightening. Just like the diverse idioms that color our language, approaching homework with creativity and adaptability enhances the learning experience.

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110 Interesting Idiom Examples Everyone Should Know

Time flies when you’re having fun!

Idioms are expressions that have a meaning that isn’t immediately obvious from the words themselves. Every language has them, and fluent speakers use them casually without even thinking about them. But for young students or those learning English as a second language, these phrases can be really confusing. Share these idiom examples with your students to deepen their understanding and use of American English idioms in no time flat!

We’ve put together a list of some of the most common English idioms, complete with meanings and examples. Try using them for Idiom of the Day lessons, posting them around the classroom, or creating an idiom examples bulletin board.

Get a free Google Slides deck of all 110 idioms to use with your students by filling out the form on this page.

Common Idioms for Kids and ESL Students

A fish out of water.

Meaning: Someone in an uncomfortable position or situation

Example: It was Allison’s first day at her new school, and she felt like a fish out of water.

Add fuel to the fire

Meaning: To make things worse

Example: Celia added fuel to the fire by accusing the opposing team of cheating.

Add insult to injury

Meaning: Do something to make a bad situation worse

Example: Learning she failed her science test on the same day her best friend moved away added insult to injury.

All bark and no bite

Meaning: Full of big talk but not willing to take meaningful action

Example: Don’t be afraid of him when he gets mad. He’s all bark and no bite.

Meaning: Eager to listen to what someone has to say

Example: The class was all ears when Ms. Ali mentioned a way to earn extra credit on the test.

Ants in your pants

Meaning: Can’t sit still

Example: “Stop wriggling while I’m braiding your hair!” Kehlani’s mom said. “You have ants in your pants this morning.”

Anything but

Meaning: Not at all

Example: When they heard about the pop quiz, the students were anything but excited.

Meaning: A person who causes trouble or is dishonest

Example: Most of the group were kind and honest, but a few bad eggs caused trouble for the rest.

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: To be looking for answers in the wrong place

Example: James thought Christopher was the one who broke the vase, but he was barking up the wrong tree.

Be a fly on the wall

Meaning: To watch something happen without anyone knowing you’re there

Example: Nico wished he could be a fly on the wall when his sister discovered the toad he’d left in her shoe!

Beat around the bush

Meaning: To avoid saying what you mean, often because it would be difficult or uncomfortable

Example: Don’t beat around the bush. Just tell me why you can’t come to my birthday party on Friday.

Meaning: To make something stronger

Example: My teacher recommended I beef up my essay with stronger examples to support my main point.

Bend over backward

Meaning: To try very hard to do something, even if it causes you problems

Example: I’ve been bending over backward to plan this party at the last minute.

Bigger fish to fry

Meaning: More important things to do

Example: Don’t waste my time with silly little things today. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.

Bite the bullet

Meaning: To do something that’s uncomfortable or not fun and get it over with

Example: After putting it off for several days, Alex decided to bite the bullet and start work on the history project.

Blessing in disguise

Meaning: An apparently bad thing that turns out to be good in some way

Example: Dashaun was disappointed he couldn’t go to the party, but after everyone who attended got food poisoning, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Bone to pick

Meaning: To be angry at someone about something and want to talk about it

Example: I’ve got a bone to pick with you! You need to stop leaving your junk all over my desk.

Bread and butter

Meaning: A person’s main source of income

Example: Khalil loves playing with his band on the weekends, but giving guitar and piano lessons is his bread and butter.

Break a leg

Meaning: Good luck! Often used in the theater before a play or performance.

Example: Is your piano recital tonight? Well, break a leg!

Break the ice

Meaning: To do or say something that will make people feel more comfortable

Example: OK, since none of us have met before, let’s introduce ourselves and break the ice by sharing our favorite ice cream flavor.

Burn your bridges

Meaning: To do something that makes it impossible to return to the way things were before

Example: If you insult your boss when you resign, you’ll burn your bridges with that company.

Meaning: To flatter or praise someone to get their help or support

Example: Malik is being really nice to me all of a sudden. I think he’s trying to butter me up and get me to vote for him for class president.

Call it a day

Meaning: To stop working on something and plan to pick it up again later

Example: After working for three hours on her science fair project, Sofia decided to call it a day.

Change of heart

Meaning: To change your opinion about something

Example: Ms. Ramirez used to be opposed to allowing dogs at school, but she’s had a change of heart.

Cherry on top

Meaning: To make something that is already good even better

Example: We won free tickets to the concert, but the cherry on top was learning we’d also won backstage passes!

Chicken out

Meaning: To be too afraid to do something

Example: She stood on the high diving board for almost 10 minutes, but in the end Dionne chickened out and came back down the ladder instead of jumping.

Chip off the old block

Meaning: A person who is similar to a parent in some way

Example: Kayden loves to play chess as much as his dad does. He’s a real chip off the old block.

Cool as a cucumber

Meaning: Calm and serene, often in a difficult situation

Example: While everyone else panicked about the pop quiz, Inez was cool as a cucumber.

Costs an arm and a leg

Meaning: To describe something that is very expensive

Example: A new PlayStation costs an arm and a leg, so you’d better start saving now if you want to buy one.

Crack a window

Meaning: Open a window slightly

Example: It’s so stuffy in here. Can someone please crack a window for some fresh air?

Cream of the crop

Meaning: The very best of a group

Example: Everyone knows that Harvard and Yale only accept the cream of the crop.

Cross your fingers

Meaning: To wish someone luck or hope for something to happen

Example: Headed to your audition? I’ll cross my fingers that you get the part you want!

Cry over spilled milk

Meaning: To feel sorry over something that has already happened, even though it’s not helpful

Example: It’s too bad you broke your phone, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk.

Meaning: To lie about something to get attention or help

Example: If you keep crying wolf, no one will believe you when you’re really hurt.

Cut somebody some slack

Meaning: To ease up on someone, to allow them some leeway or another chance

Example: Even though Jake was late with his English essay, Ms. Davis decided to cut him some slack since she knew he’d had the stomach flu.

Cutting corners

Meaning: To do something quickly and badly in order to save time or money

Example: Liza cut corners on her math homework so she could watch TV and ended up getting most of the answers wrong.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning: Don’t depend on something before it happens

Example: I know you’re sure you’re going to get the lead in the spring play, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Drag your feet

Meaning: To be reluctant to do something

Example: Rohan knew he needed to start his research paper, but he just kept dragging his feet.

Draw a blank

Meaning: To fail to remember something

Example: Keiko studied hard for the test, but when it came time to answer the question, she drew a blank.

Drop the ball

Meaning: To make a mistake

Example: Aisha said she’d make the poster for our project, but she forgot. She really dropped the ball on this one.

Meaning: Close or careful watch on something

Example: Ever since I broke a glass, my parents keep an eagle eye on me when I’m washing dishes.

Ear to the ground

Meaning: To be well informed or try to learn more about events

Example: Keep your ear to the ground and see if you can learn more about their plan.

Every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning: No matter how bad something seems, there’s usually a good side to it as well

Example: Jamal was disappointed that his soccer game was canceled, but it gave him time to go to the movies with his friends, and his mom pointed out that every cloud has a silver lining.

For the birds

Meaning: Worthless or no good

Example: Those cheap pens are for the birds; they barely work at all.

Get off my back

Meaning: Used to ask someone to stop bugging you about something

Example: I told you I’d mow the lawn this weekend—now get off my back!

Get out of hand

Meaning: To become difficult to control

Example: Ms. Rodriguez told her students they could chat while they worked, as long as the noise level didn’t get out of hand.

Get something out of your system

Meaning: Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on

Example: Mr. Patel knew his students were eager to try out the new playground equipment, so he told them to go ahead and get it out of their system before they started class.

Get your act together

Meaning: Behave properly, or organize your thoughts so you can do something successfully

Example: After the third time he was late to class, Connor’s teacher told him he needed to get his act together and start showing up on time.

Get your ducks in a row

Meaning: To get things organized or make plans

Example: I have so many things to get done today! I need to get my ducks in a row before I get started.

Get your feet wet

Meaning: To take a small step in an effort to learn or do something new

Example: Before joining the cross-country team, Melanie got her feet wet by running a few local 5K races.

Give it a whirl

Meaning: To try something

Example: I’ve never made a cake from scratch, but I’m willing to give it a whirl.

Give someone the benefit of the doubt

Meaning: To trust what someone says, even if you’re not entirely sure what they’re saying is true

Example: Charlotte wasn’t sure Amelia was really late because she missed the bus, but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Give someone the cold shoulder

Meaning: To ignore someone, usually because you’re upset or angry with them

Example: Will and Jessica were mad at Emma, so they decided to give her the cold shoulder until she apologized.

Go back to the drawing board

Meaning: To start something over again with a completely new idea

Example: When her science experiment failed completely, Hailey knew it was time to go back to the drawing board.

Go the extra mile

Meaning: To do more than you’re required to do

Example: Minh went the extra mile and really impressed the selection committee.

Gut feeling

Meaning: A reaction based on an emotional response instead of reason

Example: I want this project to work out, but I’ve got a gut feeling we’re doing things the wrong way.

Hang in there

Meaning: Don’t give up, keep on trying

Example: “I’m sorry you’re having a rough day,” Lucas told Olivia. “Hang in there. I’m sure things will be better tomorrow.”

Happy as a clam

Meaning: Very content with a situation

Example: Give her a book, some hot chocolate, and a warm blanket, and she’s happy as a clam.

Hit-or-miss

Meaning: Something that might be good sometimes and bad other times

Example: Anna was a bit hit-or-miss when it came to remembering to take out the trash on Thursdays.

Hit the sack/hit the hay

Meaning: To go to bed

Example: “Nine o’clock!” said Mia’s dad. “It’s time to turn off the TV and hit the sack.”

Hold your horses

Meaning: Slow down, stop and think about what you’re doing

Example: “Hold your horses!” their dad said. “You can’t go swimming until you put on sunscreen.”

Hook, line, and sinker

Meaning: Completely tricked or deceived

Example: I told my teacher the dog ate my homework, and she fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

In the same boat

Meaning: To be in the same bad situation as other people

Example: We’re all in the same boat here; let’s help each other out and fix the problem.

It’s not rocket science

Meaning: Used to describe something that isn’t complicated or difficult

Example: All you have to do is put the books back on the right shelf. It’s not rocket science!

It’s raining cats and dogs

Meaning: To rain very hard

Example: I hope you brought your umbrella. It’s raining cats and dogs out there!

Let someone off the hook

Meaning: To not hold someone responsible for something

Example: Logan was caught running in the hallway, but Ms. Walker let him off the hook because she knew he was late for the bus.

Miss the boat

Meaning: To be too late for something that’s already started or is over

Example: Sarah wanted to join the lacrosse team, but she was too late to sign up and missed the boat.

On cloud nine

Meaning: Extremely happy about something

Example: When Wyatt learned he’d gotten a perfect score on both his math and science tests, he was on cloud nine for the rest of the day.

On the ball

Meaning: To be quick and alert, dealing with things right away

Example: Alice got all her homework done and practiced her clarinet before dinner. She’s really on the ball today!

On the same page

Meaning: To agree with someone

Example: I think you and I are on the same page; we both agree that recycling is important.

On thin ice

Meaning: In a risky situation or position

Example: When Mrs. Chen had to ask Ava and Noah to stop talking for the fourth time that day, she warned them both that they were on thin ice.

Out of the blue

Meaning: Suddenly and without warning

Example: Everything was going fine when out of the blue, Joey said they were really mad about something.

Out on a limb

Meaning: To take a risk for someone or something

Example: I’m going to go out on a limb and give them the extra funding they’re asking for.

Piece of cake

Meaning: Extremely easy

Example: Putting the new desk together was a piece of cake.

Meaning: To eat a whole lot all at once

Example: Come over for dinner and we’ll pig out on pizza and ice cream.

Play it by ear

Meaning: To figure things out as you go

Example: We didn’t get a schedule in advance, so we’ll just have to play it by ear as the day goes along.

Pleased as punch

Example: Tia is pleased as punch about going to Hawaii for spring break.

Pull someone’s leg

Meaning: To tease someone or try to fool them

Example: No, the cafeteria isn’t really giving away free ice cream. I was just pulling your leg!

Pull yourself together

Meaning: To calm yourself down when you’re very upset

Example: I know you’re upset that your team lost the game, but you need to pull yourself together and go congratulate the winners.

Run in circles

Meaning: To try very hard but have little or no success

Example: We’re just running in circles here; we need a plan before we do any more work.

Second wind

Meaning: A fresh burst of energy

Example: Quinn thought she was too tired to go to the party after playing soccer all afternoon, but then she got a second wind.

See eye to eye

Meaning: Agree with someone about something

Example: No matter how long they argued, they couldn’t seem to see eye to eye about painting the room orange.

Sell like hotcakes

Meaning: To sell quickly and in large amounts

Example: The latest iPhone model is selling like hotcakes!

Sleep like a log

Meaning: Sleep very soundly without waking

Example: After a long day at the beach, Jayma slept like a log that night.

Slip your mind

Meaning: To forget something

Example: I meant to do the laundry, but it totally slipped my mind.

Spill the beans

Meaning: To give away a secret

Example: Isabella’s surprise party was ruined when Sarah spilled the beans a few days before.

Start off on the wrong foot

Meaning: To start a relationship or activity badly

Example: After starting off on the wrong foot, Robin and Hayden finally figured out how to work together.

Take a rain check

Meaning: To postpone a plan until another time

Example: I’d love to play basketball after school, but I’ve got to go home to mow the lawn. Can I take a rain check?

The ball is in your court

Meaning: The decision or next step is up to you

Example: Nick’s mom told him he could either join the basketball team or sign up for karate class, so he had to choose one. “The ball is in your court,” she said.

The early bird gets the worm

Meaning: Those who arrive first have the best chance for success or receive the best things

Example: Grayson and Jayden showed up to find the best seats in the room already taken. “The early bird gets the worm!” said Maya with a grin.

The elephant in the room

Meaning: A large, obvious issue or problem that people are avoiding mentioning or dealing with

Example: After waiting for Joseph to explain his bright-green hair all through dinner, his mom finally decided it was time to address the elephant in the room.

The icing on the cake

Meaning: Something that makes a good situation even better

Example: The band was excited to learn they’d earned a place in the regional competition. Finding out it would take place at Disney World was the icing on the cake.

The last straw

Meaning: The last in a series of events that causes someone to run out of patience

Example: “That’s the last straw!” said Elena after her little brother’s ball landed in her cereal bowl. “Go play outside!”

The whole nine yards

Meaning: Everything, all the way

Example: Grace and Nora went the whole nine yards to make sure Hannah’s birthday party was really special.

Think on your feet

Meaning: To react quickly in a tricky or fast-moving situation

Example: Dani excels at basketball because she’s so good at thinking on her feet.

Through thick and thin

Meaning: When things are good and also when they’re bad

Example: Sophie and Chloe had been best friends since first grade, sticking together through thick and thin.

Time flies when you’re having fun

Meaning: When you’re having a good time, you don’t notice how quickly the time is passing

Example: “Recess is over already?” said Ben. “I guess time flies when you’re having fun!”

To get bent out of shape

Meaning: To get upset about something

Example: I didn’t mean to step on your foot—there’s no need to get bent out of shape about it.

To make a long story short

Meaning: To give the basic facts about something instead of a long explanation

Example: To make a long story short, Liam tripped over his shoelace and that’s how he broke his wrist.

Under the table

Meaning: To do something secretly, often used to refer to working for pay unofficially (and illegally)

Example: Gabi knew she shouldn’t, but she took a job working under the table so she didn’t have to worry about paying taxes.

Under the weather

Meaning: To be sick

Example: Miguel won’t be at the Scout meeting today because he’s feeling a little under the weather.

Meaning: Very angry about something

Example: When they heard the plans to cut down the old oak tree, the townspeople were up in arms.

Up in the air

Meaning: Uncertain or unsettled

Example: Until we know if it’s going to rain or not, our weekend plans are up in the air.

We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning: If that problem comes up, we’ll deal with it then, not right now

Example: We might have a snow day on Monday, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

When pigs fly

Meaning: Something that will probably never happen

Example: Would I ever go sky-diving? When pigs fly!

Wild goose chase

Meaning: A senseless or hopeless attempt to do something

Example: They looked all over for a copy of the new video game, but in the end it turned out to be a wild goose chase.

Wrap your head around something

Meaning: To understand something complicated or surprising

Example: It’s hard to wrap your head around just how big the universe is.

You can say that again

Meaning: I completely agree with what you just said

Example: “This pizza is the best food I ever ate!” exclaimed Mateo. “You can say that again!” Dylan agreed.

Your guess is as good as mine

Meaning: When you have no idea what the answer is to a question or problem

Example: “Do you know how to solve number four in our math homework?” Maria asked. “Your guess is as good as mine,” David replied, shrugging his shoulders.

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Plus, puns and jokes only a true grammar nerd will get .

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Phrases or idioms which mean "I did not do my homework" [closed]

İs there any idom or phrase to say you did not prepare your homework?

For example, my teacher gives me homework. Let's assume that I did not do my homework, what should I say?

• 2 You should say the truth. It's much better than an idiom expressing a falsehood. :) –  user405662 Nov 28, 2021 at 13:25
• Are you thinking of an idiom in your native language? If you give that, it might help see what you're really asking. –  Mitch Nov 28, 2021 at 13:30
• If you are Down Under: "My dingo ate my homework." –  DjinTonic Nov 28, 2021 at 13:34
• 2 Yeah, "My dog ate my homework" is common in the US. –  Hot Licks Nov 28, 2021 at 13:53
• Say, "Sorry, I didn't do my homework." –  Lawrence Nov 28, 2021 at 14:37

The dog ate my homework is probably the idiomatic expression more commonly associated with an excuse for not doing your homework:

“ The dog ate my homework ” is used as a stock example of the kind of silly excuses schoolchildren give for why their work isn’t finished. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first example of the dog ate my homework excuse in print can be found in a speech given by retiring headmaster James Bewsher in 1929 and published in the Manchester Guardian: “It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework.” The way this comment is phrased suggests that the whole dog ate my homework story had been around for some time before it was put in print.

(Dictionary.com)

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged meaning or ask your own question .

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• Italian-English

It pays to do your homework

• Thread starter Schrodinger's_Cat
• Start date Nov 4, 2012

Schrodinger's_Cat

Senior member.

• Nov 4, 2012

The phrase/idiom " do your homework" refers to making careful preparations so that you know all you need to know about something and are able to deal with it successfully The phrase can be applied in various situations. E.g. A salesman, in order to be successful, before he goes out to sell a product, he needs to do his homework. How would you translate into Italian, "It pays to do your homework" ?  

Paulfromitaly

How would you translate it?  

Sarebbe vantaggioso di prepararsi in anticipo ...?  

Ciap SC Io direi: "È utile/conviene fare delle ricerche/documentarsi".  

Is homework as in school (compiti) inappropriate here? I'm sure I've made some errors here but what about "It pays to do your homework" as " Ti paga a fare i tuoi compiti ."  

Hi Phil I'm afraid your attempt doesn't work. "Compiti" as in school doesn't fit in this context, plus the verb "pagare" is not what I would use. Perhaps "ripagare" is a little bit better.  

Ciao max Quindi nel caso specifico diresti che un venditore/rappresentante di commercio, prima di vendere un prodotto, deve fare i compiti???  

Matrap said: Ciao max Quindi nel caso specifico diresti che un venditore/rappresentante di commercio, prima di vendere un prodotto, deve fare i compiti??? Click to expand...

WordsWordWords

Matrap said: Hi Phil I'm afraid your attempt doesn't work. "Compiti" as in school doesn't fit in this context, plus the verb "pagare" is not what I would use . Perhaps "ripagare" is a little bit better. Click to expand...

WordsWordWords said: Hi everyone, NB I wrote this in 2 ways because there's the literal sense that you would say to a student or, in the second example, advising someone to be ready beforehand -- and I think this is the meaning in the OP. Yes? Click to expand...

26 Types of Punctuation Marks & Typographical Symbols

• What Is Punctuation?
• What Is A Typographical Symbol?
• Punctuation Vs. Typographical Symbols
• Types Of Punctuation And Symbols
• Try Grammar Coach

We use words in writing. Shocking, I know! Do you know what else we use in writing? Here is a hint: they have already appeared in this paragraph. In addition to words, we use many different symbols and characters to organize our thoughts and make text easier to read. All of these symbols come in two major categories: punctuation marks and typographical symbols . These symbols have many different uses and include everything from the humble period ( . ) to the rarely used caret symbol ( ^ ). There may even be a few symbols out there that you’ve never even heard of before that leave you scratching your head when you see them on your keyboard!

What is punctuation ?

Punctuation is the act or system of using specific marks or symbols in writing to separate different elements from each other or to make writing more clear. Punctuation is used in English and the other languages that use the Latin alphabet. Many other writing systems also use punctuation, too. Thanks to punctuation, we don’t have to suffer through a block of text that looks like this:

• My favorite color is red do you like red red is great my sister likes green she always says green is the color of champions regardless of which color is better we both agree that no one likes salmon which is a fish and not a color seriously

Punctuation examples

The following sentences give examples of the many different punctuation marks that we use:

• My dog , Bark Scruffalo , was featured in a superhero movie . 
• If there ’ s something strange in your neighborhood , who are you going to call ?
• A wise man once said , “ Within the body of every person lies a skeleton .”
• Hooray ! I found everything on the map : the lake , the mountain , and the forest . 
• I told Ashley ( if that was her real name ) that I needed the copy lickety-split .

What is a typographical symbol ?

The term typographical symbol , or any other number of phrases, refers to a character or symbol that isn’t considered to be a punctuation mark but may still be used in writing for various purposes. Typographical symbols are generally avoided in formal writing under most circumstances. However, you may see typographic symbols used quite a bit in informal writing.

Typographical symbol examples

The following examples show some ways that a writer might use typographical symbols. Keep in mind that some of these sentences may not be considered appropriate in formal writing.

• The frustrated actor said she was tired of her co-star’s “annoying bull **** .”
• For questions, email us at anascabana @ bananacabanas.fake!
• The band had five # 1 singles on the American music charts during the 1990s.
• My internet provider is AT & T.

⚡️ Punctuation vs. typographical symbols

Punctuation marks are considered part of grammar and often have well-established rules for how to use them properly. For example, the rules of proper grammar state that a letter after a period should be capitalized and that a comma must be used before a coordinating conjunction.

Typographical symbols, on the other hand, may not have widely accepted rules for how, or even when, they should be used. Generally speaking, most grammar resources will only allow the use of typographical symbols under very specific circumstances and will otherwise advise a writer to avoid using them.

Types of punctuation and symbols

There are many different types of punctuation marks and typographical symbols. We’ll briefly touch on them now, but you can learn more about these characters by checking out the links in this list and also each section below:

• Question mark
• Exclamation point
• Parentheses
• Square brackets
• Curly brackets
• Angle brackets
• Quotation marks
• Bullet point
• Pound symbol
• Caret symbol
• Pipe symbol

Period, question mark, and exclamation point

These three commonly used punctuation marks are used for the same reason: to end an independent thought.

A period is used to end a declarative sentence . A period indicates that a sentence is finished.

• Today is Friday .

Unique to them, periods are also often used in abbreviations.

• Prof . Dumbledore once again awarded a ludicrous amount of points to Gryffindor.

Question mark (?)

The question mark is used to end a question, also known as an interrogative sentence .

• Do you feel lucky ?

Exclamation point (!)

The exclamation point is used at the end of exclamations and interjections .

• Our house is haunted ! 

Comma, colon, and semicolon

Commas, colons, and semicolons can all be used to connect sentences together.

The comma is often the punctuation mark that gives writers the most problems. It has many different uses and often requires good knowledge of grammar to avoid making mistakes when using it. Some common uses of the comma include:

• Joining clauses: Mario loves Peach , and she loves him . 
• Nonrestrictive elements: My favorite team , the Fighting Mongooses , won the championship this year.
• Lists: The flag was red , white , and blue.
• Coordinate adjectives: The cute , happy puppy licked my hand.

Try out this quiz on the Oxford comma!

The colon is typically used to introduce additional information.

• The detective had three suspects : the salesman, the gardener, and the lawyer.

Like commas, colons can also connect clauses together.

• We forgot to ask the most important question : who was buying lunch?

Colons have a few other uses, too.

• The meeting starts at 8:15 p.m.
• The priest started reading from Mark 3:6 .

Semicolon (;)

Like the comma and the colon, the semicolon is used to connect sentences together. The semicolon typically indicates that the second sentence is closely related to the one before it.

• I can’t eat peanuts ; I am highly allergic to them.
• Lucy loves to eat all kinds of sweets ; lollipops are her favorite.

Hyphen and dashes (en dash and em dash)

All three of these punctuation marks are often referred to as “dashes.” However, they are all used for entirely different reasons.

The hyphen is used to form compound words.

• I went to lunch with my father-in-law .
• She was playing with a jack-in-the-box .
• He was accused of having pro-British sympathies.

En dash (–)

The en dash is used to express ranges or is sometimes used in more complex compound words.

• The homework exercises are on pages 20–27 .
• The songwriter had worked on many Tony Award–winning productions.

Em dash (—)

The em dash is used to indicate a pause or interrupted speech.

• The thief was someone nobody expected —me !
• “Those kids will— ” was all he managed to say before he was hit by a water balloon.

Test your knowledge on the different dashes here.

Parentheses, brackets, and braces

These pairs of punctuation marks look similar, but they all have different uses. In general, the parentheses are much more commonly used than the others.

Parentheses ()

Typically, parentheses are used to add additional information.

• I thought (for a very long time) if I should actually give an honest answer.
• Tomorrow is Christmas (my favorite holiday) !

Parentheses have a variety of other uses, too.

• Pollution increased significantly. (See Chart 14B)
• He was at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.
• Richard I of England (1157–1199) had the heart of a lion.

Square brackets []

Typically, square brackets  are used to clarify or add information to quotations.

• According to an eyewitness, the chimpanzees “climbed on the roof and juggled [bananas] .”
• The judge said that “the defense attorney [Mr. Wright] had made it clear that the case was far from closed.”

Curly brackets {}

Curly brackets , also known as braces , are rarely used punctuation marks that are used to group a set.

• I was impressed by the many different colors {red, green, yellow, blue, purple, black, white} they selected for the flag’s design.

Angle brackets <>

Angle brackets have no usage in formal writing and are rarely ever used even in informal writing. These characters have more uses in other fields, such as math or computing.

Quotation marks and apostrophe

You’ll find these punctuation marks hanging out at the top of a line of text.

Quotation marks (“”)

The most common use of quotation marks is to contain quotations.

• She said, “ Don’t let the dog out of the house. ”
• Bob Ross liked to put “ happy little trees ” in many of his paintings.

Apostrophe (‘)

The apostrophe is most often used to form possessives and contractions.

• The house ’ s back door is open.
• My cousin ’ s birthday is next week.
• It isn ’ t ready yet.
• We should ’ ve stayed outside.

Slash and ellipses

These are two punctuation marks you may not see too often, but they are still useful.

The slash has several different uses. Here are some examples:

• Relationships: The existence of boxer briefs somehow hasn’t ended the boxers/briefs debate.
• Alternatives: They accept cash and/or credit.
• Fractions: After an hour, 2/3 of the audience had already left.

Ellipses (…)

In formal writing, ellipses are used to indicate that words were removed from a quote.

• The mayor said, “The damages will be … paid for by the city … as soon as possible.”

In informal writing, ellipses are often used to indicate pauses or speech that trails off.

• He nervously stammered and said, “Look, I … You see … I wasn’t … Forget it, okay.”

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Typographical symbols

Typographical symbols rarely appear in formal writing. You are much more likely to see them used for a variety of reasons in informal writing.

Asterisk (*)

In formal writing, especially academic and scientific writing, the asterisk is used to indicate a footnote.

• Chocolate is the preferred flavor of ice cream.* * According to survey data from the Ice Cream Data Center.

The asterisk may also be used to direct a reader toward a clarification or may be used to censor inappropriate words or phrases.

Ampersand (&)

The ampersand substitutes for the word and . Besides its use in the official names of things, the ampersand is typically avoided in formal writing.

•  The band gave a speech at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame .

Bullet Point (•)

Bullet points are used to create lists. For example,

For this recipe you will need:

• baking powder

Pound symbol (#)

Informally, the pound symbol is typically used to mean number or is used in social media hashtags.

• The catchy pop song reached #1 on the charts.
• Ready 4 Halloween 2morrow!!! #spooky #TrickorTreat

Besides being used as an accent mark in Spanish and Portuguese words, the tilde is rarely used. Informally, a person may use it to mean “about” or “approximately.”

• We visited São Paulo during our vacation.
• I think my dog weighs ~20 pounds.

Backslash (\)

The backslash is primarily used in computer programming and coding. It might be used online and in texting to draw emoticons , but it has no other common uses in writing. Be careful not to mix it up with the similar forward slash (/), which is a punctuation mark.

At symbol (@)

The at symbol substitutes for the word at in informal writing. In formal writing, it is used when writing email addresses.

• His email address is [email protected] .

Caret symbol (^)

The caret symbol is used in proofreading, but may be used to indicate an exponent if a writer is unable to use superscript .

• Do you know what 3 ^ 4 (3 to the power of 4) is equal to?

Pipe symbol (|)

The pipe symbol is not used in writing. Instead, it has a variety of functions in the fields of math, physics, or computing.

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Follow our news, recent searches, commentary: more parents say their child is ‘dysregulated’. what does that mean, advertisement.

Parents should reframe their thinking so they see their child as having a problem, not being the problem, say these Bond University professors.

Cher McGillivray

Shawna mastro campbell.

GOLD COAST: Welcome aboard the roller coaster of parenthood, where emotions run wild, tantrums reign supreme and love flows deep.

As children reach toddlerhood and beyond, parents adapt to manage their child’s big emotions and meltdowns. Parenting terminology has adapted too, with more parents describing their child as “dysregulated”.

But what does this actually mean?

MORE THAN AN EMOTION

Emotional dysregulation  refers to challenges a child faces in recognising and expressing emotions, and managing emotional reactions in social settings.

This may involve either suppressing emotions or displaying exaggerated and intense emotional responses that get in the way of the child doing what they want or need to do.

“ Dysregulation ” is more than just feeling an emotion. An emotion is a signal, or cue, that can give us important insights to ourselves and our preferences, desires and goals.

An emotionally dysregulated brain is overwhelmed and overloaded (often, with distressing emotions like frustration, disappointment and fear) and is ready to fight, flight or freeze.

DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL REGULATION

Emotion regulation is a skill that develops across childhood and is influenced by factors such as the child’s  temperament  and the emotional environment in which they are raised.

In the  stage of emotional development  where emotion regulation is a primary goal (around 3 to 5 years old), children begin exploring their surroundings and asserting their desires more actively.

It’s typical for them to experience emotional dysregulation when their initiatives are thwarted or criticised, leading to occasional tantrums or outbursts.

A typically developing child will see these types of outbursts reduce as their cognitive abilities become more sophisticated, usually around the age they start school.

Commentary: Should holiday homework be banned?

Commentary: Parents, getting your preschoolers to cram for P1 can backfire

Express, don’t suppress.

Expressing emotions in childhood is crucial for social and emotional development. It involves the ability to convey feelings verbally and through facial expressions and body language.

When children struggle with emotional expression, it can manifest in various ways, such as difficulty in being understood, flat facial expressions even in emotionally charged situations, challenges in forming close relationships, and indecisiveness.

Several factors, including anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, giftedness, rigidity and both mild and significant  trauma experiences , can contribute to these issues.

Common mistakes parents can make is dismissing emotions, or distracting children away from how they feel.

These strategies don’t work and increase feelings of overwhelm. In the long term, they fail to equip children with the skills to identify, express and communicate their emotions, making them vulnerable to future emotional difficulties.

We need to help children move compassionately towards their difficulties, rather than away from them. Parents need to do this for themselves too.

Commentary: Why I choose not to be a ‘helicopter’ parent

Commentary: Is it wrong to have children in the age of climate change?

Caregiving and skill modelling.

Parents are responsible for creating an  emotional climate  that facilitates the development of emotion regulation skills.

Parents’ own modelling of emotion regulation when they feel distressed. The way they respond to the expression of emotions in their children, contributes to how children understand and regulate their own emotions.

Children are hardwired to be attuned to their caregivers’ emotions, moods, and coping as this is integral to their survival. In fact, their biggest threat to a child is their caregiver not being okay.

Unsafe, unpredictable, or chaotic home environments rarely give children exposure to healthy emotion expression and regulation. Children who go through  maltreatment  have a harder time controlling their emotions, needing more brainpower for tasks that involve managing feelings. This struggle could lead to more problems with emotions later on, like feeling anxious and  hypervigilant to potential threats .

Recognising and addressing these challenges early on is essential for supporting children’s emotional wellbeing and development.

A DYSREGULATED BRAIN AND BODY

When kids enter “fight or flight” mode, they often struggle to cope or listen to reason. When children experience acute stress, they may respond instinctively without pausing to consider strategies or logic.

If your child is in fight mode, you might observe behaviours such as crying, clenching fists or jaw, kicking, punching, biting, swearing, spitting or screaming.

In flight mode, they may appear restless, have darting eyes, exhibit excessive fidgeting, breathe rapidly, or try to run away.

A shut-down response may look like fainting or a panic attack.

When a child feels threatened, their brain’s frontal lobe, responsible for rational thinking and problem-solving, essentially goes offline.

This happens when the amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, sends out a false alarm, triggering the survival instinct.

In this state, a child may not be able to access higher functions like reasoning or decision-making.

While our instinct might be to immediately fix the problem, staying present with our child during these moments is more effective. It’s about providing support and understanding until they feel safe enough to engage their higher brain functions again.

Reframe your thinking so you see your child as having a problem – not being the problem.

Commentary: Parking mum guilt at the door

Commentary: Parents, are your kids active or just overscheduled?

Tips for parents.

Take turns discussing the highs and lows of the day at  meal times . This is a chance for you to be curious, acknowledge and label feelings, and model that you, too, experience a range of emotions that require you to put into practice skills to cope and has shown evidence in numerous physical, social-emotional, academic and behavioural benefits.

Spending even small amounts (five minutes a day) of quality one-on-one time with your child is an investment in your child’s emotional wellbeing. Let them pick the activity, do your best to follow their lead, and try to notice and comment on the things they do well, like creative ideas, persevering when things are difficult, and being gentle or kind.

Take a tip from parents of children with neurodiversity: Learn about your unique child. Approaching your child’s emotions, temperament, and behaviours with curiosity can help you to help them develop emotion regulation skills.

WHEN TO GET HELP

If  emotion dysregulation  is a persistent issue that is getting in the way of your child feeling happy, calm, or confident – or interfering with learning or important relationships with family members or peers – talk to their general practitioner about engaging with a mental health professional.

Many families have found  parenting programmes  helpful in creating a climate where emotions can be safely expressed and shared.

Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup.  Parenting  requires you to be your best self and  tend to your needs first  to see your child flourish.

Cher McGillivray and Shawna Mastro Campbell are Assistant Professors of Psychology at Bond University. This commentary first appeared on The Conversation.

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Do You Know What These Gen Z Slang Terms Mean—And Where They Really Come From?

• Gen Z Slang
• Take The Quiz

Language is constantly evolving, but there’s one type of language that so often changes even faster than the rest: slang. Every generation has its own unique slang words, and these terms seem to spring up faster than many people can keep up with. The popularity of TikTok and other social media trends has only made it easier for new slang to take hold, and if you aren’t keeping up with the latest trends, you might be left scratching your head.

These terms may be new to you, but it’s essential to remember that so many of the slang terms that seem suddenly brand new in the dominant, mainstream culture actually have origins and long histories of use in Black culture, the LGBTQ+ community, the drag community, and other marginalized groups and subcultures. From there, the creativity, appeal and just plain usefulness of these terms frequently leads to them being adopted by youth culture at large (including by white people and those who are not part of the communities where the terms originated), from where they may spread into the general population. This adoption, in many cases, involves appropriation that ignores, obscures, or erases the terms’ origins and originators.

If you need to brush up on the latest “cool” words so you don’t seem so cheugy , here are the meanings and likely origins of 16 essential Gen Z slang words to know—at least for the moment.

You’ve likely seen cap and no cap used on social media, but these terms actually pre-date social media and Gen Z by several decades. In Black slang, to cap about something means “to brag, exaggerate, or lie” about it. This meaning dates all the way back to at least the early 1900s. No cap , then, has evolved as another way of saying “no lie” or “for real.” Though it’s currently popular with Gen Z, no cap was mostly influenced by hip-hop culture.

Are you cool or are you cheugy ? This word, used to describe “uncool” things that are either out of style or trying too hard to be in style, is believed to have been coined in 2013. According to New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz, Californian Gaby Rasson started using cheugy  then to describe people who unsuccessfully try to be trendy. The term got a great deal of exposure in a viral TikTok video in 2021. By May 2021, the hashtag #cheugy had over 10 million views on TikTok. Cheugyness or cheuginess are noun variations of the word, and a person who is cheugy is sometimes referred to as a cheug . Beware: Slang changes fast, and some may consider cheugy itself to be cheugy already.

During previous generations, drip was slang for “an unattractive, boring, or colorless person.” Now, if someone mentions your drip , it’s actually a good thing. Drip refers to your look or style, particularly when it’s considered extremely fashionable or sexy (kind of like a newer version of swag ). The origins of this usage are the subject of some debate. Many credit the early 2000s hip-hop scene in Atlanta, while others think drip may have evolved from slang used on the teen comedy Zoey 101 . Either way, if someone mentions your drip , now you know that you can take it as a compliment.

4. hits different

Sometimes something is so awesome that it impacts you or inspires you on a whole new level. The proper Gen Z term for this is hits different . In this sense, hit means “to have a marked effect or influence on; affect severely.” For example: That new Adele album just hits different.

This usage is believed to have originated in the LGBTQ+ community. Many people may have first encountered the term being used by popular YouTubers such as Daniel Howell and Phil Lester. In 2019, it further gained popularity thanks to social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Now, hits different has achieved widespread usage in a variety of situations.

5. main character

Do you ever wish you could be the main character in your favorite movie? Main character , for Gen Z, originated from a TikTok trend in which people post either a montage of their life featuring themselves as the main character or they reenact popular scenes from favorite movies and TV shows. Main character can also refer to someone who is the subject of viral outrage on social media. For example: I checked Twitter to see who the main character is today.

6. snatched

RuPaul’s Drag Race may well have been the vehicle that brought this slang term to the mainstream. For Gen Z, snatched means “fierce” or “ on point ,” particularly when it comes to someone’s hair, makeup, and physical appearance. Historically, snatched is slang from the Black drag community, in which performers often wear artificial hair called weaves. In the drag community, snatched is slang for saying something is so amazing it snatched your weave off.

Check out which slang is already falling out of style.

Are you ready to learn the next slang word? Bet ! As you may have guessed from the previous sentence, bet is a term of affirmation, agreement, or approval along the lines of “Cool!” or “I’m down!” It can also be used to express doubt or disbelief. This usage likely originated in Black slang. It’s also even more proof that Gen Z appears to love recycling trends from the ’90s, since bet can be traced back to that decade.

Does slang become less cool if we tell you it’s also an onomatopoeia ? Skrrt is supposed to mimic the sound of screeching tires, and it’s used as an interjection. For example, if someone is sharing some juicy gossip, their friend might respond with a skrrt to get them to stop and repeat something exciting they just said. The term has been in use since at least 2015, and it’s closely linked to the rising popularity of trap music .

9. understood the assignment

If you spend time on Twitter, you’ve probably seen tweets about actors who understood the assignment , or were perfectly suited for the role they were playing. This slang phrase is used to mean that someone was successful at or totally nailed something they needed to do. This isn’t limited to famous people. Someone who’s well-dressed or has the exact right comeback may also have understood the assignment . Saying this about someone is like giving them a gold star.

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10. OK boomer

Gen Z and Millennials are two distinct groups, but they found something to agree on with the term OK boomer . Both generations helped popularize the phrase starting in 2019, and it’s still going strong today. OK boomer is used as a clapback when people from older generations post condescending or out-of-touch things about younger generations online. It’s also used in a humorous or ironic way to dismiss out-of-touch commentary from people of any age group.

11. say less

Say less may come off as rude to some because it’s essentially a request to stop talking. It’s an abrupt, often funny way of saying “I understand” or “I’ve got the point.” Say less is the title of a 2019 song by R&B artist Ashanti. It’s also the name of a 2017 album by Canadian musician Roy Woods. It appeared online as early as 2011, but it may have reached its current level of popularity thanks to a 2021 Saturday Night Live skit.

This next word really slaps . It essentially means “to be excellent or amazing.” You’ve most likely heard slap in reference to music, as in “This song really slaps.” This slang word is also a total blast from the past. It was an adjective for “first-rate” in the mid-1800s and an adverb, meaning “excellently,” even earlier, in the mid-1700s. By at least the early 2000s, slaps was being used to celebrate everything from great music to good food. The musical slap is often credited to Bay Area hip-hop slang. There are many other slang terms that draw on force and motion to characterize great music, including bops , whips , and smacks . A track that slaps can be called a banger .

13. low-key/high-key

Low-key generally means “quiet,” “restrained,” “moderate,” or “easygoing.” In the slang sense, it’s more about a subtle feeling or something you want to keep on the downlow, such as low-key being excited about a cheesy new movie coming out or having a low-key crush on a celebrity. Alternatively, high-key is used to express open excitement about something, like being high-key invested in the ongoing drama between Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal. Fun fact: while low-key originates as an adjective, it is also widely used as an adverb, as our examples show above.

Were you low-key fixated on the slang term Karen ? Read more about it here.

14. bussin’

If something is really, really good, you might describe it as bussin’ . This term originates in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), likely based on various senses of bust meaning “to explode, do well, enjoy.” Many say it’s been appropriated by Gen Z in a way that changes the original meaning. While younger generations use the term for everything from a great outfit to good music, in AAVE, bussin’ typically refers to delicious food.

Gen Z didn’t invent simp , but they’ve found a way to make it their own. Simp is used—often, it’s important to note, in sexist ways—as an insult for men who are seen as being too submissive to women, especially under the guise of trying to win sexual attention from them. It’s controversial, though, as many say the term is degrading to women and a way of bullying men. Though the term found viral fame among TikTok influencers in 2019 and early 2020, rappers like Ice-T and DJ Evil E were using the term as far back as 1987.

Back in the day, kids used to chill out . Now, you might find them vibing instead. Vibing means relaxing, tapping into good feelings, and just generally enjoying the atmosphere. It’s closely related to vibe , which is an older slang term—from the late 1960s—that means “a feeling or flavor of the kind specified.” Vibing is used in many situations, but especially when someone is losing themselves in great music or conversation.

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Did this list hit different for you? Then it’s time to head to our quick slang quiz and prove how much you understood the assignment.

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Meaning of homework in English

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• I got A minus for my English homework.
• For homework I want you to write a paper on an endangered species .
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