This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Idioms – Set 7”.
1. Select a suitable idiom to replace the italicized part of the below sentence.
You always judge others by appearances and not by their behavior.
a) go by
b) go upon
c) go into
d) go down
View Answer
Explanation: Among the options ‘go by’ is the closest in meaning to judging others. Thus, the sentence can be written as ‘You always go by appearances and not by their behavior’.
2. What is the meaning of the sentence ‘In all his activities, he has an eye to the main chance’?
a) He wants to enjoy whatever he does
b) He finds corrupt ways to be successful
c) He tries to secure the top position in the field
d) His objective is to make money
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Having a single motive to make money’ is the meaning of the idiom ‘has an eye to the main chance’. Thus, the option ‘His objective is to make money’ is the correct meaning.
3. Select the idiom which means ‘recollect’.
a) call for
b) call out
c) call in
d) call up
View Answer
Explanation: From the options, the idiom ‘call up’ means ‘to recollect’. Consider this sentence ‘He was not able to call up past events as he was in an inebriated condition’.
4. Identify the meaning of the idiom ‘harp on the same string’ from the following options.
a) play a musical instrument
b) complacent behavior
c) be excited about
d) dwell tediously on the same subject
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘harp on the same subject’ means to whine continuously about a particular subject. An example for its usage will be ‘I have been hearing him harp on the same string for days’.
5. The meaning of the below idiom is ‘using a wrong method to accomplish something’.
Working against time.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Working against time’ is used to refer to doing things with utmost speed. For example, ‘He is working against time to deliver the project within the due date’.
6. Choose the idiom which is closest in meaning to the italicized part.
Search for that topic in this book.
a) look after
b) look up
c) look on
d) look into
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘look up’ has the closest meaning to search something. The sentence can be rephrased as ‘Look up for that topic in this book’.
7. The sentence ‘Paul having worked for years is now resting on his oars’ refers to which of the following meanings?
a) Paul has retired and living on his savings
b) Paul has stopped working for a period of time and is taking rest
c) Paul is dependent on his children
d) Paul was dismissed from his work for his behavior
View Answer
Explanation: The given sentence refers to the meaning that Paul has worked for many years and has now considered to take a break from his work.
8. Which of the following idioms means ‘scolded’?
a) pulled together
b) pulled through
c) pulled down
d) pulled up
View Answer
Explanation: Consider the sentence ‘The notorious student was pulled up by the Headmaster’ meaning that the student was punished by the headmaster.
9. Select the option which expresses the meaning of the idiom ‘to pocket an affront’.
a) engage in robbery
b) to befriend enemies
c) submit without showing resentment
d) to rise to a successful position
View Answer
Explanation: ‘To pocket an affront’ generally means to submit without retaliation or resentment. Consider the sentence ‘When stuck in a difficult situation, he always tries to pocket an affront’.
10. ‘Students study hard to score well in their examinations’ is the meaning of the below sentence.
Students burn the midnight oil to get good scores in their examinations.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Burn the midnight oil’ means putting in a lot of commitment and hard work. Thus, the sentence says students’ study really hard for their examinations.
11. From the options, select an idiom to replace the italicized part.
He donated his salary to the Orphanage.
a) makes for
b) makes out
c) made up
d) made over
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Made over’ can be used to refer to ‘donated’ or ‘presented’. The other options ‘makes for’ means conducive, ‘make out’ means to discover, ‘made up’ means to reconcile.
12. From the options select the meaning of the below sentence.
The ending of the previous episode has kept me on tenterhooks for the past week.
a) The previous episode was so disappointing
b) The previous episode ended in a happy note
c) The previous episode has kept the fans in a sense of suspense
d) The previous episode was the best of all time
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘on tenterhooks’ means in a state of suspense and anxiety. Thus, among the options ‘The previous episode has kept the fans in a sense of suspense’ is the required answer.
13. Find the idiom which means ‘interrupt’.
a) a far cry
b) cut him short
c) give a handle to
d) tried his hand
View Answer
Explanation: ‘While he was speaking, his teacher cut him short’, here the idiom ‘cut him short’ is used to express the fact that his speech was interrupted by his teacher.
14. Choose the correct meaning of the idiom ‘carried his point’.
a) won in a debate
b) wild with excitement
c) scolded harshly
d) treated lightly
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom ‘carried his point’ generally means to defeat everyone and prove a point in a debate. For example, ‘He always carried his point as he was an articulate speaker’.
15. Identify the idiom in the below sentence and its meaning.
You have done the handsome thing by accepting his apology and withdrawing the case filed against him.
a) the handsome thing – behaved in a generous manner
b) accepting his apology – sense of forgiving
c) the handsome thing – bribing the officers
d) the handsome thing – of a poor kind
View Answer
Explanation: The idiom in the above sentence is ‘the handsome thing’ and not ‘accepting his apology’. The meaning of that idiom is to behave in a magnanimous manner towards others.
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