This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Idioms – Set 5”.
1. The meaning of the below idiom is ‘spread rapidly’.
Spread like wildfire.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Spread like wildfire’ is used to refer to news which spreads in a rapid manner. For example, ‘The news of the Minister’s hospitalization spread like wildfire’.
2. Select the idiom which means ‘no longer in force’.
a) a dead letter
b) to crow over
c) in the cotton line
d) in a state of nature
View Answer
Explanation: From the options, the idiom ‘a dead letter’ means something that is no longer in force. Consider this sentence ‘The bill that was passed yesterday has become a dead letter’.
3. What is the meaning of the sentence ‘Alphonse was as good as his word’?
a) Alphonse was a charming person
b) Alphonse kept his promise
c) Alphonse looks like the way he speaks
d) Alphonse never does anything to harm others
View Answer
Explanation: ‘To keep a promise’ is the meaning of the idiom ‘as good as his word’. Thus, the option ‘Alphonse kept his promise’ is the correct answer.
4. Select a suitable idiom to replace the italicized part of the below sentence.
The case is postponed till next hearing.
a) held out
b) held over
c) held up
d) holds out
View Answer
Explanation: Among the options ‘held over’ is the closest in meaning to ‘postponed’ or ‘deferred’. Thus, the sentence can be written as ‘The case is held over till next hearing’.
5. Identify the meaning of the idiom ‘too many irons in the fire’ from the following options.
a) lacking experience
b) state of extreme danger
c) be enraged
d) being engaged in many enterprises at the same time
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘too many irons in the fire’ is used to refer to someone who is engaged in too many enterprises at the same time. An example for its usage will be ‘Mr. Sharma has too many irons in the fire’.
6. When the teacher arrived, the notorious student showed a clean pair of heels.
‘The student acted innocent when the teacher arrived’ is the meaning of the above sentence.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Showed a clean pair of heels’ means to run away. Thus, the sentence states that the student ran away when he saw the teacher.
7. Which of the following idioms means ‘refuse to do anything more of it’?
a) got the better of it
b) wash my hand of
c) the gift of the gab
d) by long odds
View Answer
Explanation: Consider the sentence ‘The FBI agent decide to wash his hands of the whole case’ meaning he refuses to continue with the case further.
8. The sentence ‘His findings were beside the mark’ refers to which of the following meanings?
a) His findings were irrelevant
b) His findings were extraordinary
c) His findings were plagiarized
d) His findings were too good to be rejected
View Answer
Explanation: The given sentence refers to the meaning that his findings were not to the point or irrelevant.
9. Choose the idiom which is closest in meaning to the italicized part.
Don’t conceal your inner feelings.
a) keep back
b) keep in
c) keep up
d) kept on
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘keep back’ has the closest meaning to conceal something. The sentence can be rephrased as ‘Don’t keep back your inner feelings’.
10. Select the option which expresses the meaning of the idiom ‘into hot water’.
a) living in a humid area
b) into trouble
c) overcoming the odds
d) finding a niche
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Into hot water’ generally means doing things that will ultimately lead to trouble. Consider the sentence ‘Rohit ran into hot water after criticizing the management’.
11. Identify the idiom in the below sentence and its meaning.
It was Rahul who first introduced the breakthrough idea of exhaust emission control, and shortly afterwards other researchers took a leaf out of it.
a) breakthrough idea – novelty
b) shortly afterwards – in quick succession
c) took a leaf out of it – imitate it
d) took a leaf out of it – introduced something better than it
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom in the above sentence is ‘took a leaf out of it’ which means to adopt or imitate the same method introduced by someone else.
12. Find the idiom which means ‘surrendered’.
a) laid down
b) laid out
c) laid up
d) lay by
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence ‘The protesting officers laid down their weapons’ uses the idiom ‘laid down’ which means to surrender or give up.
13. From the options select the meaning of the below sentence.
Having trapped in a cave, the kids found some difficulty in keeping the wolf from the door.
a) The kids were not able to keep off the wolf
b) The kids were not able to keep a secret to themselves
c) The kids found it difficult to keep off starvation
d) The kids found it difficult to escape the cave
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘keeping the wolf from the door’ means keeping off starvation. Thus, among the options ‘The kids found it difficult to keep off starvation’ is the required answer.
14. From the options, select an idiom to replace the italicized part.
We can never say what will happen in the next episode.
a) turn out
b) turn off
c) turn against
d) turn up
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Turn up’ can be used to refer to things that will happen in the near future. The other options ‘turn out’ means produce, ‘turn off’ means to dismiss, ‘turn against’ means to become hostile.
15. Choose the correct meaning of the idiom ‘by fits and starts’.
a) acting with pride
b) impractical things
c) doing things irregularly
d) performing with enthusiasm
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘by fits and starts’ generally means doing things in an irregular or a capricious manner. For example, ‘An ideal performer works diligently, not by fits and starts’.
To practice all topics of English Grammar, here is complete set of 5000+ Questions and Answers.
If you find a mistake in question / option / answer, kindly take a screenshot and email to [email protected]
