(A bird in the hand is worth...)
Some Well-known English Proverbs
(Answers to the exercise)

    1.  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

    2.  Birds of a feather flock together.                             

    3.  Too many cooks spoil the broth.                                 

    4.  A stitch in time saves nine.

    5.  All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.       

    6.  When in Rome do as the Romans do.                   

    Now, stop for a moment. Do you know the meanings of all these proverbs? Think about the meanings for a moment and then check the next section.

The meaning of the proverbs
    A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH:
    This means that it is better to keep the things you already have, and not to risk losing them by trying to get something else. (e.g. if you are offered a good job, it's best to take it. If you wait for a better job to come up, you may lose it).

    BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER:
    This means that people of the same sort will often make friends with each other (e.g. badly behaved children like to make friends with other badly behaved children).

    TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH:
    Broth is a thick soup. The proverb means that if too many people try to do the same job at the same time, it will be ruined.

    A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE:
    This means that when there is a problem, you should deal with it immediately. If you wait, the problem could get bigger.

    ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY:
    This means that it is not a good thing to spend all your time working and studying. You should also leave some time for leisure and play. Otherwise you will become a very boring person.

    WHEN IN ROME DO AS THE ROMANS DO:
    This means that if you travel to another country or find yourself in a new environment, you should do what the local people do.

    Using proverbs in conversation

    One of the most interesting points about using proverbs in conversation, is that people often only say the first half of the proverb and leave it unfinished. This is because most native speakers will easily recognize the proverb and know the ending. When people say the first half of the proverb, they usually say with a rising intonation to show that it isn't complete. Here are some examples:

    1. I've been offered a job at a computer company. It's quite a good job, but I don't know whether to accept it or wait for something better to come up.
    2. Well, you know what they say, a bird in the hand...

    1. I know that Japanese people usually slurp (make a sucking noise) when they eat noodles, but I can't do that.
    2. Yes, but when in Rome...

    1. No, sorry, I can't go out to this weekend, I have to finish my reports.
    2. Oh, come on. All work and no play...
      3.

    If you want to know more about English proverbs, here are some good sites:
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    © Robert E. Jones, 2005