To get out of hand

Idiom: "to get out of hand”

Example #1:

Jim: Did you see what happened at Kim’s party last night?

Steve: No, I had to work, so I couldn’t go.  

Jim: Well, people just kept on drinking and drinking beer. Then there was a fight and things really got out of hand.

Steve: What happened then?

Jim: Then the police came, broke up the party, and everyone went home.

Steve: Sounds exciting!

Example #2:

Selena: I am so tired!!! I had to substitute teach a 5^th grade class today.

Jackie: Oh, no! That must have been difficult.

Selena: Yes, it was. And every time I turned my back to write on the board, the kids would start playing and talking. After a while, things really got out of hand.

Jackie: What did you do?

Selena: Well, I sent about five kids to the principal’s office. I’m never teaching that class again!

Meaning: "To get out of hand" is a very commonly used idiom in American English. It is used to describe a situation that cannot be controlled. In the first example, the party goers are drinking and fighting, so things got out of control. In the second example, the 5^th graders are out of control and not listening to the substitute teacher. This idiom can be found in the 2nd edition of Reading Horizons. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 6 Reading/Vocabulary classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com.