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Idioms challenge 2 students

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Sandra Àlvarez

The document is a worksheet containing exercises about English idioms. Exercise 1 defines 7 idioms and provides 3 options to identify the correct one. Exercise 2 tests understanding of 7 additional idioms through multiple choice questions. Exercise 3 asks to complete sentences using idioms from Exercises 1 and 2 by filling in the blanks. The document provides practice identifying, understanding, and using common English idioms.

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Inside Out Idioms challenge! WORKSHEET A Exercise 1 Read the definitions (1-7) below of some idioms. For each definition, two of the expressions (a-c) have been invented, but one is the correct idiom. Can you identify it? 1. to fail to take an opportunity because you didn’t act quickly enough a) wake up at the end of the film b) buy yesterday’s newspaper c) miss the boat 2. What people actually do is more important (or a better indication of their true feelings) than what they say. a) Doing is above talking. b) Actions speak louder than words. c) A foot on the stairs beats a word in the air. 3. If something bad is being said about someone, or if something seems bad, there is probably a good reason for it a) no smoke without fire b) no mouth without teeth c) no car without wheels 4. to avoid taking responsibility by saying that someone else is responsible a) pass the chocolate b) pass the buck c) pass the wine 5. Something is not going to continue for much longer (e.g. a person is a going to lose their job soon, or a product is going to stop being produced soon) a) (His/her/its, etc) days are numbered b) (His/her/its, etc) bottle is almost empty c) (His/her/its, etc) milkshake is finished 6. an activity or situation (especially a job or career) in which there is a lot of competition and people are too busy to relax or enjoy themselves a) rat hole b) rat food c) rat race 7. Don’t expect or wait for something (usually something good) to happen, because it probably won’t happen a) Don’t stand with your mouth open b) Don’t hold your breath c) Don’t hold your hands out This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net. It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009.
Inside Out Idioms challenge! WORKSHEET B Exercise 2 Now choose the correct answer, a, b or c for each of the questions below. 1. What is a ‘hat trick’? a) three successes, one straight after the other (e.g. for a politician to win three consecutive elections, or a footballer to score three goals in one game) b) something that looks impressive but is really just an illusion c) something that makes your face or head look very different. 2. What does it mean if you ‘keep someone posted’? a) You make sure they can’t come near you (or at least not often). b) You give them up-to-date information about what is happening. c) You make sure they have enough to eat and drink. 3. What does it mean if someone has ‘guts’ (or has ‘the guts’ to do something)? a) They are courageous. b) They are angry. c) They are intelligent. 4. What does ‘sell your soul’ mean? a) to sell something that is important to you but not to anyone else b) to mix your personal life with your working life c) to do something that is against your beliefs (e.g. for financial reward) 5. What does it mean if something is ‘like watching paint dry’? a) It is very difficult. b) It is very easy. c) It is very boring. 6. What does it mean if something is ‘set in stone’? a) It is extremely old. b) It cannot be changed or altered. c) It is dirty. 7. When might someone say ‘in a nutshell’? a) If they are about to give you a short summary of some information. b) If they are about to tell you about something someone did that they think was very bad. c) If they are about to tell you a joke. This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net. It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009.
Inside Out Idioms challenge! WORKSHEET C Exercise 3 Complete the sentences below with the appropriate idioms from Exercises 1 and 2. You may need to change the verb forms. 1. ‘I don’t know how much longer I can do this job. Sure, the money’s good, but the company does so many unethical things. I feel like I’ve ____________. What I’d really like to do is leave the ____________ and just go and live on a beach somewhere, but then how would I pay the bills?’ ‘Yeah, right, you’ve been saying that for at least five years. Maybe you like the job more than you say. After all, ____________’ 2. ‘I heard that John Baker’s ____________ as head of marketing and that he might be gone by the end of the month. Do you think I’ll be asked to replace him?’ ‘Well, I wouldn’t ____________. I think they’ll probably recruit someone from outside instead.’ 3. ‘You were on the phone to her for almost an hour, so what did she say?’ ‘____________, that the holiday was good but quite expensive.’ 4. ‘What was the Chelsea match like?’ ‘The first half was awful – it was like ____________. But then the second half was brilliant. Lampard got two goals, Drogba got one, then Lampard got a ________ in the last minute – four-nil!’ 5. ‘I really wanted to do that Spanish course but I ____________. I didn’t call the college until yesterday and then they told me there were no more places. What about your Spanish class? I guess it’s full as well, isn’t it?’ ‘Well, yeah, there are only supposed to be fifteen students, but that’s not ____________. There’s a chance they might decide to let a couple more in. I’ll ___________, ok?’ 6. ‘I’ve been hearing some funny things about Peter. Two different people told me he’s in some kind of trouble with the police. I’m not sure whether to believe it.’ ‘Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised. ____________.’ 7. ‘Sarah, can’t you see that none of these problems are my fault?’ ‘But you’re the head of the department!’ ‘Yes, but Jo and Michael are running the project. That should be obvious.’ ‘Oh, come on, stop ____________! Why don’t you have ____________ to admit it when you’ve made mistakes?’ This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net. It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009.

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Idioms challenge 2 students

  • 1. Inside Out Idioms challenge! WORKSHEET A Exercise 1 Read the definitions (1-7) below of some idioms. For each definition, two of the expressions (a-c) have been invented, but one is the correct idiom. Can you identify it? 1. to fail to take an opportunity because you didn’t act quickly enough a) wake up at the end of the film b) buy yesterday’s newspaper c) miss the boat 2. What people actually do is more important (or a better indication of their true feelings) than what they say. a) Doing is above talking. b) Actions speak louder than words. c) A foot on the stairs beats a word in the air. 3. If something bad is being said about someone, or if something seems bad, there is probably a good reason for it a) no smoke without fire b) no mouth without teeth c) no car without wheels 4. to avoid taking responsibility by saying that someone else is responsible a) pass the chocolate b) pass the buck c) pass the wine 5. Something is not going to continue for much longer (e.g. a person is a going to lose their job soon, or a product is going to stop being produced soon) a) (His/her/its, etc) days are numbered b) (His/her/its, etc) bottle is almost empty c) (His/her/its, etc) milkshake is finished 6. an activity or situation (especially a job or career) in which there is a lot of competition and people are too busy to relax or enjoy themselves a) rat hole b) rat food c) rat race 7. Don’t expect or wait for something (usually something good) to happen, because it probably won’t happen a) Don’t stand with your mouth open b) Don’t hold your breath c) Don’t hold your hands out This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net. It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009.
  • 2. Inside Out Idioms challenge! WORKSHEET B Exercise 2 Now choose the correct answer, a, b or c for each of the questions below. 1. What is a ‘hat trick’? a) three successes, one straight after the other (e.g. for a politician to win three consecutive elections, or a footballer to score three goals in one game) b) something that looks impressive but is really just an illusion c) something that makes your face or head look very different. 2. What does it mean if you ‘keep someone posted’? a) You make sure they can’t come near you (or at least not often). b) You give them up-to-date information about what is happening. c) You make sure they have enough to eat and drink. 3. What does it mean if someone has ‘guts’ (or has ‘the guts’ to do something)? a) They are courageous. b) They are angry. c) They are intelligent. 4. What does ‘sell your soul’ mean? a) to sell something that is important to you but not to anyone else b) to mix your personal life with your working life c) to do something that is against your beliefs (e.g. for financial reward) 5. What does it mean if something is ‘like watching paint dry’? a) It is very difficult. b) It is very easy. c) It is very boring. 6. What does it mean if something is ‘set in stone’? a) It is extremely old. b) It cannot be changed or altered. c) It is dirty. 7. When might someone say ‘in a nutshell’? a) If they are about to give you a short summary of some information. b) If they are about to tell you about something someone did that they think was very bad. c) If they are about to tell you a joke. This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net. It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009.
  • 3. Inside Out Idioms challenge! WORKSHEET C Exercise 3 Complete the sentences below with the appropriate idioms from Exercises 1 and 2. You may need to change the verb forms. 1. ‘I don’t know how much longer I can do this job. Sure, the money’s good, but the company does so many unethical things. I feel like I’ve ____________. What I’d really like to do is leave the ____________ and just go and live on a beach somewhere, but then how would I pay the bills?’ ‘Yeah, right, you’ve been saying that for at least five years. Maybe you like the job more than you say. After all, ____________’ 2. ‘I heard that John Baker’s ____________ as head of marketing and that he might be gone by the end of the month. Do you think I’ll be asked to replace him?’ ‘Well, I wouldn’t ____________. I think they’ll probably recruit someone from outside instead.’ 3. ‘You were on the phone to her for almost an hour, so what did she say?’ ‘____________, that the holiday was good but quite expensive.’ 4. ‘What was the Chelsea match like?’ ‘The first half was awful – it was like ____________. But then the second half was brilliant. Lampard got two goals, Drogba got one, then Lampard got a ________ in the last minute – four-nil!’ 5. ‘I really wanted to do that Spanish course but I ____________. I didn’t call the college until yesterday and then they told me there were no more places. What about your Spanish class? I guess it’s full as well, isn’t it?’ ‘Well, yeah, there are only supposed to be fifteen students, but that’s not ____________. There’s a chance they might decide to let a couple more in. I’ll ___________, ok?’ 6. ‘I’ve been hearing some funny things about Peter. Two different people told me he’s in some kind of trouble with the police. I’m not sure whether to believe it.’ ‘Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised. ____________.’ 7. ‘Sarah, can’t you see that none of these problems are my fault?’ ‘But you’re the head of the department!’ ‘Yes, but Jo and Michael are running the project. That should be obvious.’ ‘Oh, come on, stop ____________! Why don’t you have ____________ to admit it when you’ve made mistakes?’ This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net. It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009.