English Grammar

Proverbs | Bringing Charm in English Grammar and Language

Proverbs
Written by grammrary.com

Proverbs

Proverbs are defined as short, traditional expressions that convey a general truth, a piece of wisdom, or practical advice. They passed down through generations, and reflect the knowledge and experiences. 

Key features of proverbs include:

  • Conciseness
  • Cultural Significance
  • Metaphorical Language
  • Practical Wisdom
  • Universality
  • Oral Tradition

Examples of Proverbs:

Here are some examples of Proverbs listed below.

  • Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
  • Every cloud has a silver lining.
  • All that glitters is not gold.
  • When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
  • The early bird catches the worm.
  • Too many cooks spoil the broth.
  • Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.
  • A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
  • Actions speak louder than words.
  • Rome wasn’t built in a day.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words.
  • Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
  • Haste makes waste.
  • You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
  • Better late than never.
  • Two wrongs don’t make a right.
  • When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
  • Don’t cry over spilled milk.
  • The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
  • When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Functions of Proverbs:

How it seems? Did you realise proverbs serve various functions? What are these? Proverbs contribute in language in following ways:

  • Conveying Wisdom
  • Moral and Ethical Guidance
  • Cultural Preservation
  • Effective Communication
  • Teaching and Education
  • Reflecting Universal Truths
  • Emphasising Cultural Values
  • Rhetorical Devices
  • Encouraging Reflection
  • Expressing Emotion
  • Promoting Social Cohesion
  • Storytelling

Exploring some more examples:

Let’s continue our journey and explore more proverbs!

  • A penny for your thoughts.
  • A watched pot never boils.
  • A stitch in time saves nine.
  • Every rose has its thorn.
  • A friend in need is a friend indeed.
  • An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
  • A rolling stone gathers no moss.
  • When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
  • You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.
  • Beggars can’t be choosers.
  • You can’t judge a book by its cover.
  • Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
  • There’s no smoke without fire.
  • Actions speak louder than words.
  • If the cap fits, wear it.
  • Haste makes waste.
  • The early bird catches the worm.
  • Better late than never.
  • Every cloud has a silver lining.
  • Two heads are better than one.
  • A leopard cannot change its spots.
  • A fool and his money are soon parted.
  • Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
  • Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
  • When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
  • If the shoe fits, wear it.
  • When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
  • Every dog has its day.
  • All’s fair in love and war.
  • Don’t cry over spilled milk.
  • A watched pot never boils.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words.
  • A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
  • The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
  • Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
  • Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

Try Using following Proverbs in language:

Here are some more proverbs listed below, Try using these Proverbs in your daily conversations.

  • You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
  • Necessity is the mother of invention.
  • Too many cooks spoil the broth.
  • The grass is always greener on the other side.
  • Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
  • Better safe than sorry.
  • The early bird catches the worm.
  • A leopard cannot change its spots.
  • A rolling stone gathers no moss.
  • All roads lead to Rome.
  • Rome wasn’t built in a day.
  • The pot calling the kettle black.
  • It takes two to tango.
  • A penny for your thoughts.
  • Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.
  • Two wrongs don’t make a right.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words.
  • The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
  • A problem shared is a problem halved.
  • Beggars can’t be choosers.
  • If the cap fits, wear it.
  • Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
  • You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
  • The grass is always greener on the other side.
  • When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
  • A watched pot never boils.
  • A leopard cannot change its spots.
  • A watched pot never boils.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words.
  • Every cloud has a silver lining.
  • Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
  • A stitch in time saves nine.

Enjoying? Try a little more!

  • The more, the merrier.
  • A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
  • All that glitters is not gold.
  • A friend in need is a friend indeed.
  • Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
  • The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
  • Out of sight, out of mind.
  • The devil is in the details.
  • Better late than never.
  • The early bird catches the worm.
  • You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.
  • A fool and his money are soon parted.
  • A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
  • Don’t cry over spilled milk.
  • You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
  • Actions speak louder than words.
  • All’s fair in love and war.
  • Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
  • When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
  • A rolling stone gathers no moss.
  • When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
  • Necessity is the mother of invention.
  • The pot calling the kettle black.
  • Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
  • The early bird catches the worm.
  • Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
  • Every cloud has a silver lining.
  • A leopard cannot change its spots.
  • All roads lead to Rome.
  • It takes two to tango.
  • A penny for your thoughts.
  • The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words.
  • Two wrongs don’t make a right.
  • Better late than never.
  • You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
  • Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
  • The devil is in the details.
  • A journey of a thousand miles
Proverbs

Proverbs, Definition, Functions and Examples.

About the author

grammrary.com

The author of Grammrary.com is a Certified TEFL Trainer from Arizona State University with over 7 years of experience teaching English to students from different cultures around the world. Teaching English is both his profession and passion, and he is dedicated to helping learners improve their language skills.

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