Exercises: Learn Common Idiomatic Expressions in English

Stand

Von Autor/in Christopher Brütting, Julian Hetz, Antonia Renon

Exercise A

Single Choice: Choose the correct idiom from four options (A–D). Only one answer is correct per question.

1 Start a conversation in an awkward situation
A Hit the nail on the head
B Break the ice
C Spill the beans
D Pull someone’s leg

2 Say or do exactly the right thing
A Cut corners
B Hit the sack
C Hit the nail on the head
D Miss the boat

3 Very easy
A Once in a blue moon
B Piece of cake
C Burn the midnight oil
D On thin ice

4 Very rarely
A Under the weather
B Once in a blue moon
C The best of both worlds
D Back to the drawing board

5 Reveal a secret
A Let the cat out of the bag
B Break the ice
C Bite the bullet
D Call it a day

6 It’s your turn to take action
A Miss the boat
B The ball is in your court
C Jump on the bandwagon
D Get out of hand

7 Reveal confidential information
A Pull someone’s leg
B Spill the beans
C Cut corners
D Hit the sack

8 Feeling sick
A Under the weather
B In hot water
C On the same page
D Up in the air

9 Face a difficult situation bravely
A Bite the bullet
B Throw in the towel
C Keep an eye on
D Wrap your head around

10 Do something cheaply or carelessly
A Miss the boat
B Cut corners
C Burn the midnight oil
D Break the ice

11 Very expensive
A Costs an arm and a leg
B Piece of cake
C Up in the air
D Pull someone’s leg

12 Work late into the night
A Hit the sack
B Burn the midnight oil
C Call it a day
D Back to the drawing board

13 In agreement or understanding
A On thin ice
B On the same page
C In hot water
D The ball is in your court

14 A situation with all the advantages
A Jump on the bandwagon
B The best of both worlds
C Once in a blue moon
D Get out of hand

15 Joke or tease
A Pull someone’s leg
B Spill the beans
C Hit the nail on the head
D Miss the boat

16 The person you were just talking about appears
A Speak of the devil
B Break the ice
C Take it with a grain of salt
D Call it a day

17 Go to sleep
A Burn the midnight oil
B Hit the sack
C Bite the bullet
D Cut corners

Exercise B

Fill in the blanks: Choose the correct idiom from the following list to complete each sentence. Each idiom is used once.

on thin ice – keep an eye on – miss the boat – hang in there – up in the air – take it with a grain of salt – jump on the bandwagon – call it a day – get out of hand – wrap your head around something – back on the drawing board – throw in the towel – in hot water

Stand
Autor/in
Christopher Brütting
Julian Hetz
Antonia Renon