27. Get Something Off Your Chest – Learn English Idioms with Videos

It’s common to make mistakes. But some people try to hide their mistakes from others, and this can cause them to feel guilty and anxious. If you’re feeling bad about a mistake you’ve made, it may be better to talk to someone about it, like a friend or a counselor. This person can help you to figure out the best way to apologize or to make amends for your action. When you need to get something off your chest, who do you turn to?

Watch Dara’s latest video for more on this commonly used idiom.

Transcript

Now, if something’s on your chest, it’s probably pretty uncomfortable, right? And you’ll want to get it off your chest. Similarly, we use the phrase to get something off your chest when we mean to confess or to say something that you have wanted to say for a long time, and to feel better for finally saying it.

Let’s look at a few examples of how we can use this naturally:

• I need to get something off my chest, Mum. I stole €5 from your purse last week. I’m so sorry.
• I need to get this off my chest. Mum, Dad, I’ve wanted to tell you both this for a long time. I quit college three months ago.
• Although it was difficult to tell her the truth, I’m glad I got it off my chest. The stress had been killing me.
• A: Paul, are you sure you wrote this? Or do you have something you need to get off your chest?
• B: You’re right, teacher. I stole it off the internet. I’m so sorry.

So, there we have it. Why not try using this idiom in sentences of your own in our comments section below? We look forward to hearing from you.

Practice

Let’s practice using today’s expression. The prompts below might help to get you started.

• Did you ever get the sense that a friend was feeling guilty about something? What did you suggest they do?
• If you made a mistake that you felt bad about, would you apologize? Do you think an apology can make a person feel better? Why or why not?
• Do you know anyone who cheated on a school exam or homework assignment, and felt guilty afterward? What advice did you give them?

How can you put this phrase into practice? Share your example sentences with us on the Free Spirit English page on Facebook.