English Idioms Challenge - Week 1 | Tutor Miss Ren.'s Column

Hey all! Starting a weekly English learning challenge: to try & use this idiom in your next lesson, study session, or in a natural conversation!

Why is this important?

Often, native English speakers use idioms without thinking. It's an integral part of our language usage. However, since the meaning is often roundabout, obscure, or confusing, second- or foreign-language students don't learn many (if at all). Additionally, we still need to conjugate the idiom in the correct way, which is already a tricky subject for English learners.

So, I'm throwing down the gauntlet!! (An idiom in & of itself!) I'll share a weekly idiomatic phrase and you use it in your language learning.

This one's pretty fun & helpful for anyone who's started their 2026 with a big goal:

(to) bite off more than (one) can chew

meaning: to take on more than one can handle, to give yourself more than you can manage

usage: whenever you've got too much to do at work, when someone's scheduled themselves too thoroughly, when someone's struggling to finish all of their homework / classwork, etc.

image: do you remember when you were a kid, and you'd try and shove food into your mouth in one bite? Or if you're around kids, they often don't have a good idea of how much they can fit in their mouth. Imagine your work, schedule, or load of projects lined up, and you're taking a REALLY big bite of it.

Examples:

I saw my brother's calendar. He's bitten off more than he can chew.
I think I've bitten of more than I can chew 'cause I feel like I don't have time to breathe.
You're taking on another project? You're not biting off more than you can chew?
Oh, I'll help you with that. That way, you don't have to bite off more than you can chew.

So folks, don't bite off more than you can chew & try to take into account your schedule before committing to something! After all, many hands make light work... ;)