Name:

PRACTICE - IDIOMS
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following
question
Question 1. I always wanted to work for that company but it took me 10 years to get a foot in the_______.
A. door B. house C. window D. villa
Question 2. This new product became the company’s cash_______.
A. pig B. horse C. cow D. duck
Question 3. There are too many chiefs and not enough_______in my company.
A. Texans B. Canadians C. Americans D. Indians
Question 4. Don is an eager_______and is certain to succeed in business.
A. go-getter B. beaver C. pistol D. sharp
Question 5. Exxon Mobil made big profits and the workers want a slice of the_______.
A. cake B. pie C. cream D. cheese
Question 6. Last year the business went_______up after sales continued to fall.
A. stomach B. tummy C. belly D. gut
Question 7. When Larry left Google, he was given a golden_______.
A. fortune B. pact C. handshake D. grip
Question 8.There are rumours that the company had to grease someone’s_______to get that contract.
A. blue ribbons B. palms C. crowns D. prizes
Question 9. While the president is out of the office, his senior counselor will hold the_______.
A. fort B. castle C. fortress D. blockhouse
Question 10. Business is bad. I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to keep our heads above_______.
A. wave B. aqua C. saliva D. water
Question 11. You have to go through endless red_______to start up a business.
A. line B. queue C. rope D. tape
Question 12. Don is such a smooth talker, he could sell ice to_______.
A. Native Americans B. Maoris C. Indians D. Eskimos
Question 13. Chuck found a_______partner to invest money in his business.
A. sleeping B. dozing C. napping D. snoozing
Question 14. Cindy was given her_______papers yesterday.
A. walking B. running C. jumping D. swimming
Question 15. The project was a dead_______from the start due to a lack of funding.
A. chicken B. duck C. cow D. cat
Question 16. While the secretary is on vacation, her deputy will call the_______.
A. breaks B. quorums C. shots D. rolls
Question 17. We_______in 10 dollars each to buy Lily a birthday gift.
A. chipped B. snacked C. popcorned D. candied
Question 18. It's coming down to the_______to get these done on time.
A. cable B. wire C. coil D. line
Question 19. Brett is a front_______for the nomination.
A. runner B. racer C. carrier D. marathoner
Question 20. It will probably take a month of working at my new job before I get into the full_______of things.
A. swing B. tempo C. sway D. beat
Question 21. Max got off the_______for stealing because the security camera was broken.
A. curve B. angle C. hook D. link
Question22.Mr.President,you shouldgiveKatie a fair_______before you decide she isn't good enough for the job.
A. quake B. tremor C. whip D. shake
Question 23. Eric was exhausted after 3 kilometres of running, but he got a_______wind after he passed the beach.
A. blast B. second C. hook D. link
Question 24. I know the other team is expected to win, but let's give them a run for their_______ tonight.
A. money B. fortune C. gold D. check
Question 25. You can't believe everything Jane says about Marco. She tends to_______overboard when she's
complaining about him.
A. jump B. go C. run D. walk
Question 26.Therenovationsweregoingalonggreatuntilwe hit a_______with the carpet installation.
A. drag B. bug C. snag D. spot
Question 27. The children hold all the_______when it comes to the father-son baseball tournament.
A. goals B. homeruns C. aces D. winners
Question 28. All the_______shots from Silicon Valley were invited to meet the president.
A. cold B. hot C. grand D. super
Question 29. I guess Ijumped the_______by buying Pam and Paul a wedding gift. They called off the engagement.
A. gun B. cannon C. pistol D. rifle
Question 30. The spelling bee is a level playing_______because all of the kids are in grade nine.
A. meadow B. field C. ground D. garden
Question 31._______! You deserved to win.
A. Unfair luck B. Nasty luck C. Hard luck D. Bad luck
Question 32. He didn’t speak a word of French when he first moved to French. He had to pick up the language
from_______.
A. scratch B. start C. naught D. nil
Question 33. We’re free most of the weekend, but we’ve got a few bits and_______to do on Sunday morning.
A. things B. stuff C. pieces D. ends
Question 34. Tamara has set her_______on becoming a ballet-dancer.
A. head B. feet C. brain D. heart
Question 35. It was so exciting! I was on the_______of my seat!
A. side B. edge C. end D. front
Question 36. There are about twenty_______so people waiting in the outer office.
A. but B. and C. or D. so
Question 37. It finally_______home to me that it was time to buy a place of my own.
A. arrived B. came C. hit D. reached
Question 38. “I’m_______to listen to your pathetic excuses,” she said.
A. sick and tired B. having enough C. in no mood D. sick to death
Question 39. Philips offered Joan a_______to cry on after her husband’s death.
A. shoulder B. arm C. hand D. leg
Question 40. Mary wanted to give Nigel a present that was a little bit out of the_______.
A. normal B. ordinary C. average D. everyday
Question 41. Clare was_______her homework when her friend called.
A. at the center B. in between C. halfway through D. in the middle of
Question 42. I know your name is Jim. When I called you Tim, it was just a_______of the tongue.
A. slip B. skid C. skim D. slight
Question 43. During the match, someone_______fire to the stadium.
A. opened B. put C. set D. caught
Question 44. I don’t have any cash just now. I’m _______.
A. flat broken B. flat broke C. no money D. less money
Question 45. The nearest town was 80 km away, I mean really in the middle of _______.
A. everywhere B. somewhere C. anywhere D. nowhere
Question 46. She’s won the lottery! She’s________ the moon.
A. across B. over C. along D. through
Question 47. On first coming to England,I fell_______in love with a girl who lived in the flat below mine.
A. feet over hands B. elbow to toe C. foot in mouth D. head over heels
Question 48. I revised my views_______comments from colleagues.
A. against B. further to C. in the light of D. consequent upon
Question 49. “Did you enjoy the party?” Well, kind_______.
A. off B. of C. like D. or
Question 50. I don’t want to listen to any more of your half -_______ideas. Come back when you have some ideas
that aren’t impractical and stupid.
A. mashed B. peeled C. rinsed D. baked