Full Concept and Most Important Questions on Idioms and phrases for competitive exams like SSC, Banking, and other state-level exams.

Idioms and Phrases: Full Concept & 30 Most Important Questions for Competitive Exams

What are Idioms and Phrases?

• Idioms are expressions whose meanings are different from the literal interpretation of the words. Example: “Break the ice” (means to start a conversation).

• Phrases are a group of words that work together in a sentence but do not contain both a subject and a verb. Example: “At the eleventh hour” (means at the last moment).

Commonly Asked Idioms & Phrases in Competitive Exams

1. Important Idioms with Meanings

2. 30 Most Important Questions on Idioms & Phrases

Directions: Choose the correct meaning of the idiom/phrase in the given sentence.

1-10: Multiple Choice Questions

1. The teacher hit the nail on the head while explaining the problem.
   a) Said the wrong thing
   b) Explained something precisely
   c) Hurt someone
   d) Made a mistake
   Answer: b) Explained something precisely

2. The new business was a blessing in disguise for him.
   a) A hidden benefit
   b) A curse
   c) A loss
   d) A risk
   Answer: a) A hidden benefit

3. I was feeling under the weather, so I took a day off.
   a) Very happy
   b) Unwell
   c) Excited
   d) Confused
   Answer: b) Unwell

4. The phone cost an arm and a leg but was worth it.
   a) Was very cheap
   b) Was very costly
   c) Was useless
   d) Was of no value
   Answer: b) Was very costly

5. He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
   a) Hid the secret
   b) Revealed the secret
   c) Ignored the situation
   d) Cancelled the party
   Answer: b) Revealed the secret

6. He will change his attitude when pigs fly.
   a) Soon
   b) Never
   c) Frequently
   d) With difficulty
   Answer: b) Never

7. She burned the midnight oil to prepare for her exams.
   a) Slept early
   b) Worked late into the night
   c) Ignored studies
   d) Wasted time
   Answer: b) Worked late into the night

8. He finally threw in the towel and quit his job.
   a) Succeeded
   b) Gave up
   c) Won the competition
   d) Got promoted
   Answer: b) Gave up

9. His speech was a piece of cake for him.
   a) Very difficult
   b) Very easy
   c) Boring
   d) Useless
   Answer: b) Very easy

10. They made a mountain out of a molehill over a minor issue.
    a) Created a big issue from a small problem
    b) Solved a problem
    c) Ignored a problem
    d) Handled the issue wisely
    Answer: a) Created a big issue from a small problem

11-20: Fill in the Blanks

11. The teacher advised us not to ______ over spilled milk.
    Answer: cry

12. She ______ the beans about the surprise test.
    Answer: spilled

13. It was his dream job, so he went ______ mile to achieve it.
    Answer: the extra

14. The athlete was ______ the weather but still competed.
    Answer: under

15. He decided to hit ______ after a long day of work.
    Answer: the sack

16. Their vacation was cancelled at ______ hour.
    Answer: the eleventh

17. His honesty makes him call ______ a spade.
    Answer: a spade

18. After much effort, he finally hit ______ on the head.
    Answer: the nail

19. They promised to meet again but we know it’s once in a ______.
    Answer: blue moon

20. He ______ the bullet and took the difficult decision.
    Answer: bit

21-30: Match the Following

Answers:
21-a, 22-b, 23-c, 24-d, 25-e, 26-f, 27-g, 28-h, 29-i, 30-j

Conclusion

Idioms and phrases are crucial for competitive exams like SSC, Banking, UPSC, and other state-level exams. Learning them with examples helps in understanding their usage and meaning.