The early bird catches the worm: Daily Vocabulary

(TESOL Worksheets--Daily Vocabulary)

Youtube Video--Google: docs, pub Slideshow (slides, pub)
(This is re-purposed from my lesson on proverbs).



Today's vocabulary is a proverb. A proverb is a wise saying which gives you advice about how to live your life. Today's proverb is: The early bird catches the worm. So, the image is the bird catches the worm from the ground. Imagine this is the ground, the worm lives under the ground and, as birds do, it flies down, finds the worm, pulls it up, and eats it. Now, in this proverb, we have to imagine that there's only one worm. So the bird that wakes up early, the early bird, will catch the worm and eat it, and the other birds will be hungry. The lesson from the proverb is, of course, if you get up early you will be more successful in life, and if you sleep late, you won't be successful. It's often used in a shortened form, for example, “Ah, I see, you're an early bird,” or “Aha! The early bird!”
Also it can be used in this situation: “I got up early, exercised, cleaned the house, and now I'm getting all my work done before noon. You know what they say: The early bird catches the worm.”
Now some people agree with this proverb, and some people don't. Some people think you can sleep late, and it's no problem.  You can just get things done later. So, let me know if you agree or disagree with this proverb, and let me know if you have any similar proverbs in your own language.