Idioms and Phrases Worksheet

Vocabulary lesson 22: Idioms and phrases · Set 210 · 40 questions

Word tip (Not what the words say): Do not picture the words literally. Think of the situation where people use the idiom: “The test was a piece of cake” = it was very easy. Idioms are fixed — learn them whole, word for word.

1. 1.Complete the idiom: After the argument, Zoya gave her brother the cold ___. (a) shoulder (b) hand (c) water (d) foot
2. 2.What does the idiom “a red-letter day” mean? (a) a special, happy day (b) a postal holiday (c) a sad day (d) a day of danger
3. 3.What does the idiom “in the same boat” mean? (a) in the same trouble (b) very rich (c) on a holiday (d) in a ship
4. 4.What does the idiom “get cold feet” mean? (a) walk on ice (b) need new socks (c) get nervous and back out (d) feel very cold
5. 5.What does the idiom “butterflies in the stomach” mean? (a) a stomach ache (b) a hungry feeling (c) a nervous feeling (d) a happy dance
6. 6.What does the idiom “by hook or by crook” mean? (a) very slowly (b) with help (c) by any means (d) by fishing
7. 7.What does the idiom “add fuel to the fire” mean? (a) put out a fire (b) fill a car (c) make things worse (d) cook food
8. 8.What does the idiom “raining cats and dogs” mean? (a) a light shower (b) raining very heavily (c) pets are fighting (d) animals are falling
9. 9.What does the idiom “give the cold shoulder” mean? (a) hug someone (b) feel very cold (c) hurt a shoulder (d) ignore someone
10. 10.Complete the idiom: Aditya felt like a fish out of ___ at the new school. (a) milk (b) air (c) sand (d) water
11. 11.Complete the idiom: Breaking the vase was the last ___; Mum was really upset. (a) stone (b) cup (c) straw (d) stick
12. 12.What does the idiom “a fish out of water” mean? (a) a hungry cat (b) uncomfortable in a place (c) a dying fish (d) a good swimmer
13. 13.Complete the idiom: I had butterflies in my ___ before the race. (a) hands (b) shoes (c) head (d) stomach
14. 14.What does the idiom “hold your horses” mean? (a) ride a horse (b) wait, be patient (c) feed the horses (d) hurry up
15. 15.What does the idiom “at the eleventh hour” mean? (a) at the last moment (b) very early (c) at 11 o'clock (d) every hour
16. 16.What does the idiom “bury the hatchet” mean? (a) hide a weapon (b) dig a hole (c) make peace (d) start a fight
17. 17.What does the idiom “hit the books” mean? (a) throw books (b) study hard (c) tear books (d) buy books
18. 18.What does the idiom “lend a hand” mean? (a) give a hand away (b) shake hands (c) help someone (d) borrow money
19. 19.Complete the idiom: Rohan was over the ___ when he won the prize. (a) sun (b) moon (c) hill (d) stars
20. 20.Complete the idiom: The two friends decided to bury the ___. (a) bone (b) box (c) hatchet (d) treasure
21. 21.What does the idiom “in hot water” mean? (a) very busy (b) in trouble (c) taking a bath (d) feeling warm
22. 22.Complete the idiom: The test was hard, but I had to bite the ___ and finish it. (a) biscuit (b) pencil (c) bullet (d) apple
23. 23.Complete the idiom: Kavya is the apple of her grandfather’s ___. (a) hand (b) eye (c) heart (d) tree
24. 24.What does the idiom “sit on the fence” mean? (a) rest outside (b) not take a side (c) fall down (d) fix a fence
25. 25.Complete the idiom: Ishaan let the cat out of the ___. (a) bag (b) room (c) house (d) box
26. 26.What does the idiom “hit the sack” mean? (a) pack a bag (b) go to bed (c) punch a bag (d) go shopping
27. 27.Complete the idiom: It is raining ___ and dogs outside. (a) cats (b) rats (c) mice (d) cows
28. 28.What does the idiom “throw in the towel” mean? (a) win easily (b) clean up (c) give up (d) dry your hands
29. 29.Complete the idiom: Our plan failed, so we were back to square ___. (a) two (b) ten (c) one (d) zero
30. 30.Complete the idiom: Their fight over a pencil was just a storm in a ___. (a) bucket (b) glass (c) teacup (d) bottle
31. 31.Complete the idiom: The maths test was a piece of ___. (a) bread (b) paper (c) cake (d) chalk
32. 32.Complete the idiom: Can you keep an ___ on my bag for a minute? (a) hand (b) arm (c) ear (d) eye
33. 33.What does the idiom “a white elephant” mean? (a) a big white toy (b) a lucky charm (c) a rare animal (d) costly but useless thing
34. 34.What does the idiom “kill two birds with one stone” mean? (a) hunt birds (b) do two jobs at once (c) be very cruel (d) throw stones
35. 35.What does the idiom “break the ice” mean? (a) get very angry (b) start a friendly talk (c) break something cold (d) feel very cold
36. 36.What does the idiom “feel blue” mean? (a) feel sad (b) feel cold (c) turn blue (d) feel lucky
37. 37.What does the idiom “cost an arm and a leg” mean? (a) hurt badly (b) need a doctor (c) be very expensive (d) be cheap
38. 38.What does the idiom “bite the bullet” mean? (a) break a tooth (b) eat something hard (c) bravely do a hard thing (d) get angry
39. 39.What does the idiom “zip your lips” mean? (a) close a bag (b) keep quiet (c) smile widely (d) eat quickly
40. 40.Complete the idiom: Yash burnt the midnight ___ before his exam. (a) paper (b) lamp (c) oil (d) candle

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