English Idioms Test 25 Questions on Idioms in English *Correct answers will be displayed at the end of the test Click the Next button to start... 1. ‘To twist someone’s arm’ means to…… convince someone to do something hurt someone’s feelings borrow money from someone tell someone a lie2. ‘To be under the weather’ means to…... be sick be wet be outside in the rain be in trouble3. The idiom which means ‘to face reality’ is to….. face the cold face the cold face the train face the music4. ‘To cut corners’ means to….. do something poorly to save money take a shortcut plan a holiday forget your friend’s birthday5. ‘To get a taste of your own medicine’ is to ….. taste food that you don’t like have something bad happen to you that you have done to someone else say you are better at something than everyone else feel sick6. To do something ‘by the book’ means to… do something you read about check the person’s calendar do it properly in accordance with the rules do something based on research7. To ‘learn the ropes’ is to… exercise at lunch time learn how to drive bond with your colleagues work out the culture and processes at a new workplace8. If something happens ‘once in a blue moon’, it happens... rarely often sometimes usually9. If you ‘wouldn’t be caught dead doing something’, you…… have never done it before would never do it think it would be fun, but naughty love doing something10. I finally managed to quit smoking by going ……. cold turkey long pants warm zebra tired camel11. If something goes ‘pear-shaped’, it means… you dropped it it took longer than you thought it would you have put on some weight over summer something has gone wrong12. If someone ‘kicks the bucket’, they... Laugh a lot Cry a lot die get very angry13. To ‘get the ball rolling’ is to… brainstorm ideas play team building games at work give a presentation start something14. The idiom that means ‘to speak with someone to get an update about something’ is… to make a homerun to touch base to save face to speak soon15. The idiom that means ‘to say something in a small number of words’ is… in a nutshell In an eggshell In a bowl of nuts In the end16. If you are ‘barking up the wrong tree’, you ….. are parking in a no parking zone have come to the wrong conclusion are looking in the wrong drawer have sent an email to the wrong person17. The idiom that means that something is expensive is….. I must see a man about a horse it costs two feet it costs an arm and a leg it costs more than a bicycle18. If someone tells you that ‘you shouldn’t give up your day job’, it means…. your house is not very clean you are very talented at what you are doing you aren’t very good at what you are doing you need the money19. If you ‘pick someone’s brain’ about something, you…… insult them ask them questions about a certain topic travel with them invite them to speak at a conference20. I lost my job last week, but it turned out to be a … because I found a better one almost straight away! blessing in disguise cat with a moustache angel in a white cloak cake with icing21. You should visit me in my ………….. (area where I live) cuff of the jeans neck of the woods back of the playing card ear of the elephant22. Which idiom means that more than one person is responsible for an event, disagreement or action? It takes two to pull in the net Flamingos don’t always stand on one leg Dancing is a two man sport It takes two to tango23. If you heard something ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’, you… heard it directly from the source think that someone is lying to you heard someone talking about you behind your back saw someone talking whilst they were eating24. To finish something ‘at the eleventh hour’ means to… finish it at 11 in the morning finish it late at night finish it just before it is due finish it after it is due25. An idiom which means ‘to talk about something entirely different’? A mouse that runs backwards A flower that blooms at night A different block of chocolate A different kettle of fishFinished! To see your results please enter your Name and Email below *By entering your details you are subscribing to Absolute English. Sometimes we will send you an email with some tips to improve your English. Name Email RELATED POSTS How to succeed in the IELTS Speaking Test part 3by Absolute EnglishSeptember 11, 2018 Tips and Topics for the IELTS Speaking Test part 2: the ‘Long Turn’by Absolute EnglishSeptember 11, 2018 Everything you need to know to prepare for the IELTS Speaking Test Part 1by Absolute EnglishSeptember 11, 2018 What is IELTS? 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