Free Idioms and Phrases MCQs with Answers

292 Idioms and Phrases MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Idioms and phrases are fixed groups of words whose meaning may differ from the literal meanings of their individual words. Questions focus on interpreting expressions such as “spill the beans,” selecting suitable idioms for a situation, and distinguishing idioms from ordinary phrases, proverbs and phrasal verbs.

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292 questions · page 9 of 15

Fairly easy
  • A. Hard Punishment
  • B. Beating Someone
  • C. Warning or Small Punishment
  • D. Make someone sad

Explanation: A “slap on the wrist” is a mild reprimand or a small punishment, not a literal beating.

Correct answer: Warning or Small Punishment
Hard
  • A. Make possible effort
  • B. To compensate for damage
  • C. To bring chance in something
  • D. None of these

Explanation: To make amends for something means to compensate for it or repair the harm caused.

Correct answer: To compensate for damage
Fairly easy
  • A. To make peace
  • B. To make a foolish choice
  • C. To make a wrong decision
  • D. To lose something

Explanation: To bury the hatchet means to end a quarrel and make peace, based on the symbolic burial of a weapon.

Correct answer: To make peace
Moderate
  • A. A women scorned
  • B. A burnned women
  • C. A women forgotten
  • D. A devil's advocate

Explanation: The standard expression is “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” meaning a deeply offended woman may show intense anger.

Correct answer: A women scorned
Fairly easy
  • A. Friendship
  • B. Getting married
  • C. Enmity
  • D. Criticism

Explanation: To tie the knot is an idiom meaning to get married, traditionally referring to the joining of two people in marriage.

Correct answer: Getting married
Hard
  • A. A person having one special feature, talent, or area of experti
  • B. Doing work dishonesty
  • C. Unlawful paropaganda
  • D. Clever planning for enemy

Explanation: A one-trick pony is a person who has only one notable talent, skill, or area of expertise.

Correct answer: A person having one special feature, talent, or area of experti
Moderate
  • A. Neat & tidy
  • B. Disordered
  • C. Mismanaged
  • D. Ornamental

Explanation: “In apple-pie order” means arranged neatly and tidily. It describes good order, not decoration or poor management.

Correct answer: Neat & tidy
Moderate
  • A. Keep one's expectations
  • B. Keep one's gift
  • C. Have patience
  • D. High on energy

Explanation: The standard idiom is “hold your horses,” meaning wait or have patience.

Correct answer: Have patience
Hard
  • A. To gain prominence
  • B. To praise oneself
  • C. To destroy before it blooms
  • D. To confess without of reserves

Explanation: To “make a clean breast of” something is to confess it fully and frankly, without concealing details.

Correct answer: To confess without of reserves
Moderate
  • A. a true story
  • B. a lengthy tale
  • C. Story told by an idiot
  • D. An unbelievable story

Explanation: A cock-and-bull story is an implausible or fabricated tale, so an unbelievable story is the best match.

Correct answer: An unbelievable story
Moderate
  • A. too pleased
  • B. get angry
  • C. attract a lot of attention
  • D. not knowing what to say
  • E. get acquainted

Explanation: To turn heads means to attract people's attention, usually because of one's appearance or striking behaviour.

Correct answer: attract a lot of attention
Easy
  • A. active person
  • B. busy person
  • C. lazy person
  • D. angry person

Explanation: A couch potato is a person who spends much time sitting and watching television instead of being active.

Correct answer: lazy person
Hard
  • A. happy
  • B. sad
  • C. puzzled
  • D. triumphant

Explanation: To be “at sea” means to be confused, uncertain, or unable to understand what to do. It comes from the helplessness of being lost at sea.

Correct answer: puzzled
Easy
  • A. Feel Sad
  • B. Feel happy
  • C. Feel energetic
  • D. Feel angry

Explanation: To feel blue means to feel sad or depressed. The expression uses blue figuratively for a low or unhappy emotional state.

Correct answer: Feel Sad
Moderate
  • A. A mammoth car accident
  • B. A Huge car accident
  • C. A small car accident
  • D. A major car accident

Explanation: A fender-bender is a minor traffic accident, usually involving slight damage to vehicles. It is not a major, huge, or mammoth crash.

Correct answer: A small car accident
Hard
  • A. One person paying for everyone
  • B. share the cost of something, especially a meal, equally
  • C. Enjoy two different opportunities at the same time
  • D. To do something badly or cheaply

Explanation: To go Dutch means that each person pays an equal share, especially when sharing the cost of a meal.

Correct answer: share the cost of something, especially a meal, equally
Moderate
  • A. Full of bruises
  • B. A poor plan
  • C. False sense of happiness or success
  • D. Something that is not understandable

Explanation: “Black and blue” describes skin covered with bruises, usually after an injury or beating.

Correct answer: Full of bruises
Hard
  • A. A decisively indicative test
  • B. False sense of happiness or success
  • C. Something that is not understandable
  • D. To show dislike or disappointment through facial expressions

Explanation: A “litmus test” is a test that gives a decisive indication of the nature or suitability of something.

Correct answer: A decisively indicative test
Moderate
  • A. An ugly but essential addition or enhancement
  • B. An ugly & inessential removal or diminution
  • C. Be very expensive
  • D. An attractive but inessential addition or enhancement

Explanation: The “icing on the cake” is an attractive extra that improves something already satisfactory but is not essential.

Correct answer: An attractive but inessential addition or enhancement
Easy
  • A. something that is easy to do
  • B. raining very heavily
  • C. something that will never happen or is impossible
  • D. miss the chance

Explanation: “When pigs fly” refers to an event that is impossible or extremely unlikely to happen.

Correct answer: something that will never happen or is impossible