Idioms and Phrases— Concepts, Formulas & Shortcuts
- Never translate an idiom literally; the meaning is conventional, not compositional.
- Learn each idiom inside a full sentence so the register and usage stick.
- Watch for options that give the literal meaning — that is the standard distractor.
- Business-flavoured idioms (ballpark figure, get the ball rolling, touch base) are common in campus tests.
- Many idioms have a fixed grammatical form; changing a preposition changes the meaning.
- Idiom questions are quick marks: attempt them before comprehension passages.
Idioms and Phrases Practice Questions with Answers
Attempt each question first, then open the explanation. All 8 questions below are free to read and require no signup.
Q1.The idiom "to let the cat out of the bag" means:
Easy- ATo free an animal
- BTo reveal a secret
- CTo create confusion
- DTo act carelessly
Idioms and Phrases question 1 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. To reveal a secret
Explanation: It means to disclose a secret, usually unintentionally.
Q2."A blessing in disguise" means:
Easy- AA hidden gift
- BSomething that seems bad but turns out good
- CA religious ceremony
- DAn unexpected loss
Idioms and Phrases question 2 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Something that seems bad but turns out good
Explanation: It describes an apparent misfortune that eventually proves beneficial.
Q3."To burn the midnight oil" means:
Easy- ATo waste resources
- BTo work late into the night
- CTo start a fire
- DTo celebrate
Idioms and Phrases question 3 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. To work late into the night
Explanation: It refers to studying or working until very late — from the days of oil lamps.
Q4."To beat about the bush" means:
Easy- ATo search thoroughly
- BTo avoid coming to the point
- CTo attack someone
- DTo work in a garden
Idioms and Phrases question 4 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. To avoid coming to the point
Explanation: It means to talk around a subject instead of addressing it directly.
Q5."Once in a blue moon" means:
Easy- AEvery month
- BVery rarely
- CAt night
- DRegularly
Idioms and Phrases question 5 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Very rarely
Explanation: A blue moon is an unusual event, so the idiom means something that happens very seldom.
Q6."To turn a deaf ear" means:
Easy- ATo listen carefully
- BTo refuse to listen
- CTo become deaf
- DTo whisper
Idioms and Phrases question 6 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. To refuse to listen
Explanation: It means to deliberately ignore what someone says.
Q7."To keep one's fingers crossed" means:
Moderate- ATo be dishonest
- BTo hope for a good outcome
- CTo be confused
- DTo make a promise
Idioms and Phrases question 7 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. To hope for a good outcome
Explanation: It means to hope that something turns out well.
Q8."To smell a rat" means:
Moderate- ATo detect something suspicious
- BTo dislike a place
- CTo find a solution
- DTo be very hungry
Idioms and Phrases question 8 of 8+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: A. To detect something suspicious
Explanation: It means to suspect that something is wrong or that trickery is involved.
Idioms and Phrases — Frequently Asked Questions
How many idioms should I prepare?+
About 300 high-frequency idioms cover most of what appears in SSC, banking and campus placement papers. Prioritise the ones that show up in workplace and news English.
Why is the literal option always wrong?+
Because an idiom by definition means something other than the sum of its words. If an option simply restates the words, treat it as the planted distractor.
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