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100 Essential English Idioms for Korean College Entrance Exams
Idioms are the key to English reading comprehension on the Suneung. When you know each word but can't grasp the overall meaning, it's usually because you don't know the idiomatic expression. Master these 100 and watch your reading speed transform.
Idioms should be understood in context, not just memorized. Group similar expressions together and see how they're used in actual sentences.
Idiom Learning Tips
- Group expressions with similar meanings together.
- Always learn with example sentences.
- Check how they're used in actual past exam questions.
- Understand English definitions before Korean translations.
Change and State
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bring about | ~을 야기하다, 초래하다 | Technology has brought about significant changes. |
| come into being | 생겨나다, 존재하게 되다 | New industries came into being. |
| give rise to | ~을 야기하다 | Pollution gives rise to health problems. |
| turn out (to be) | ~로 판명되다 | The experiment turned out to be successful. |
| end up ~ing | 결국 ~하게 되다 | We ended up staying longer. |
| account for | ~을 설명하다, 차지하다 | This accounts for 30% of the total. |
| make up | 구성하다, 차지하다 | Women make up half of the workforce. |
| consist of | ~로 구성되다 | The team consists of five members. |
Cause and Effect
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| result in | ~을 초래하다 | The decision resulted in major changes. |
| result from | ~에서 기인하다 | Success results from hard work. |
| lead to | ~로 이어지다 | Poor diet leads to health issues. |
| stem from | ~에서 비롯되다 | The problem stems from miscommunication. |
| attribute A to B | A를 B의 탓으로 돌리다 | She attributed her success to hard work. |
| owe A to B | A는 B 덕분이다 | I owe my career to my mentor. |
| thanks to | ~ 덕분에 | Thanks to technology, we can work remotely. |
| due to | ~ 때문에 | The event was canceled due to rain. |
Compare and Contrast
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| as opposed to | ~와 대조적으로 | I prefer tea as opposed to coffee. |
| in contrast to | ~와 대조적으로 | In contrast to popular belief, the study shows... |
| compared to/with | ~와 비교하여 | Compared to last year, sales increased. |
| unlike | ~와 달리 | Unlike his brother, he is quiet. |
| likewise | 마찬가지로 | She smiled, and he did likewise. |
| similarly | 비슷하게 | Similarly, the other group showed improvement. |
| by the same token | 같은 이유로 | By the same token, we should consider... |
| in the same vein | 같은 맥락에서 | In the same vein, researchers found... |
Time and Sequence
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in the meantime | 그 동안에 | In the meantime, let's prepare. |
| in the long run | 결국, 장기적으로 | It will pay off in the long run. |
| sooner or later | 조만간 | Sooner or later, you'll understand. |
| for the time being | 당분간 | For the time being, we'll wait. |
| prior to | ~에 앞서 | Prior to the meeting, please review this. |
| subsequent to | ~후에 | Subsequent to the announcement, stocks rose. |
| in the wake of | ~의 결과로, ~에 뒤이어 | In the wake of the crisis, new policies emerged. |
| at the outset | 처음에 | At the outset, the project seemed simple. |
Emphasis and Addition
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| above all | 무엇보다도 | Above all, safety is our priority. |
| in particular | 특히 | In particular, this method is effective. |
| what is more | 게다가 | What is more, it's affordable. |
| in addition to | ~에 더하여 | In addition to experience, skills matter. |
| not to mention | ~은 말할 것도 없이 | He speaks French, not to mention English. |
| let alone | ~은커녕 | He can't walk, let alone run. |
| needless to say | 말할 필요도 없이 | Needless to say, practice is essential. |
| to say nothing of | ~은 말할 것도 없고 | The cost, to say nothing of the time... |
Concession and Contrast
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| nevertheless | 그럼에도 불구하고 | It was risky; nevertheless, we proceeded. |
| nonetheless | 그럼에도 불구하고 | The task was hard; nonetheless, she succeeded. |
| even so | 그렇다 하더라도 | It's expensive; even so, it's worth it. |
| all the same | 그래도, 역시 | Thanks all the same for your help. |
| for all | ~에도 불구하고 | For all his wealth, he's unhappy. |
| in spite of | ~에도 불구하고 | In spite of the rain, we went out. |
| regardless of | ~에 상관없이 | Regardless of age, everyone can learn. |
| notwithstanding | ~에도 불구하고 | Notwithstanding the difficulties, we continued. |
Meet Exam Expressions in Pop Songs
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