Grammar Quiz 34 — English Idioms: 15 Common Expression Questions
Test your understanding of English idioms with this focused quiz on common expressions and their meanings.
About This Idioms Quiz
Welcome to Grammar Quiz 34, a specialized assessment featuring 15 carefully crafted questions designed to test your understanding of English idioms - colorful expressions that don't mean exactly what the words say but have established figurative meanings.
Whether you're preparing for language exams, refining your conversational English, or improving your comprehension of native speakers, this quiz will help you master common idiomatic expressions used in everyday communication.
After completing the quiz, you'll receive instant scoring along with detailed explanations for each question. These explanations not only identify the correct answers but also clarify the meaning and usage of each idiom in context.
QUIZ FEATURES
- 15 idiom questions
- Instant scoring system
- Detailed explanations
- Various idiom types
Pay close attention to the context and figurative meanings as you work through these idiom challenges.
Explanations
Q1. Don't judge a book by its cover means you shouldn't ____.
Correct answer: judge something by its appearance
read books with ugly covers - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
buy expensive books - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom's meaning
trust book reviews - incorrect; this is not what the idiom means
judge something by its appearance - correct: this idiom means you shouldn't form an opinion based solely on outward appearances
Q2. When someone says "break a leg," they mean ____.
Correct answer: good luck
you might get injured - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
be careful - incorrect; this is not the meaning of the expression
watch your step - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
good luck - correct: "break a leg" is a theatrical expression meaning good luck, especially before a performance
Q3. If you're feeling under the weather, you're ____.
Correct answer: feeling ill
depressed - incorrect; while illness might cause low mood, this isn't the primary meaning
angry - incorrect; this emotion is unrelated to the idiom
confused - incorrect; this is not what the expression means
feeling ill - correct: "under the weather" means feeling ill or unwell
Q4. When you hit the nail on the head, you ____.
Correct answer: were exactly right
got hurt - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
completed a task quickly - incorrect; while related, this is not the precise meaning
made a mistake - incorrect; this is the opposite of the idiom's meaning
were exactly right - correct: this idiom means you described something accurately or identified the exact issue
Q5. If you let the cat out of the bag, you ____.
Correct answer: revealed a secret
lost your pet - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
were careless - incorrect; while revealing a secret might be careless, this isn't the direct meaning
got distracted - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
revealed a secret - correct: this idiom means you accidentally disclosed information that was supposed to be kept secret
Q6. When something costs an arm and a leg, it's ____.
Correct answer: very expensive
painful - incorrect; while expensive things might be painful to pay for, this isn't the direct meaning
difficult to find - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
not worth it - incorrect; expensive things might not be worth it, but this isn't what the idiom means
very expensive - correct: this idiom means something is extremely costly
Q7. If you're burning the midnight oil, you're ____.
Correct answer: working late
angry - incorrect; this emotion is unrelated to the idiom
wasting time - incorrect; this is the opposite of what the idiom suggests
making a fire - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
working late - correct: this idiom means you're working late into the night
Q8. When you give someone the cold shoulder, you're ____.
Correct answer: ignoring them
complimenting them - incorrect; this is the opposite of the idiom's meaning
offering them food - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
giving them advice - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
ignoring them - correct: this idiom means you're deliberately ignoring someone or being unfriendly toward them
Q9. If you're on the ball, you're ____.
Correct answer: alert and competent
attending a sports event - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
in a difficult situation - incorrect; this is the opposite of what the idiom suggests
taking a break - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
alert and competent - correct: this idiom means you're paying attention and performing well
Q10. When you say "it's raining cats and dogs," it means ____.
Correct answer: it's raining heavily
animals are falling from the sky - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
something strange is happening - incorrect; while heavy rain might be strange, this isn't the precise meaning
the weather is unpredictable - incorrect; this is too vague for the idiom
it's raining heavily - correct: this idiom means it's raining very hard
Q11. If you spill the beans, you ____.
Correct answer: reveal a secret
make a mess - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
tell a lie - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
forget something - incorrect; this is not what the expression means
reveal a secret - correct: this idiom means you disclose information that was supposed to be kept secret
Q12. When someone says "the ball is in your court," it means ____.
Correct answer: you have to make the next decision
you should play tennis - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
you lost the opportunity - incorrect; this is the opposite of what the idiom suggests
someone else is responsible - incorrect; this is the opposite of the idiom's meaning
you have to make the next decision - correct: this idiom means it's your responsibility to take the next action or make a decision
Q13. If something happens once in a blue moon, it happens ____.
Correct answer: rarely
often - incorrect; this is the opposite of the idiom's meaning
unexpectedly - incorrect; while rare things might be unexpected, this isn't the precise meaning
every month - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation based on "moon"
rarely - correct: this idiom means something happens very infrequently
Q14. If you add fuel to the fire, you ____.
Correct answer: make a situation worse
solve a problem - incorrect; this is the opposite of the idiom's meaning
start over - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
calm things down - incorrect; this is the opposite of what the expression means
make a situation worse - correct: this idiom means you make a bad situation even worse
Q15. To bite off more than you can chew means to ____.
Correct answer: take on more work than you can handle
eat too fast - incorrect; this is a literal interpretation
make a big mistake - incorrect; while taking on too much might be a mistake, this isn't the precise meaning
talk with your mouth full - incorrect; this is unrelated to the idiom
take on more work than you can handle - correct: this idiom means you've accepted more responsibility than you can manage
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