Examining the perspectives and attitudes of ESL students toward idioms in second language classrooms

English is especially challenging for English second language (ESL) learners because of its significant cultural and societal implications. For example, idioms—multiworded expressions with multiple meanings—are problematic for ESL learners because of ambiguity in literal translation and reliance on the societal context. This quantitative survey-based article posits that for advanced/fluent proficient ESL learners to achieve native-like fluency, they must attain proficiency in idioms. Survey data from 85 ESL students at the Center of English Second Language (CESL) at the University of Cincinnati were collected. The survey questions ranged from idiom usage in spoken and written language. The findings suggest a proportional relationship between idiom acquisition and positive attitudes. Confidence in using idioms was a significant predictor of both outcomes. Participants show positive attitudes toward idioms, but they sometimes fail to understand contextual meaning, limiting usage. The article concludes with future pedagogical implications for teaching idioms to ESL students.