📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. High-frequency Idioms
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A bolt from the blue | A sudden, unexpected event |
| At the eleventh hour | At the last moment |
| Bite the dust | To be defeated / to die |
| Burn the midnight oil | To work late into the night |
| Cry over spilt milk | To regret what cannot be undone |
| Hit the nail on the head | To say exactly the right thing |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Spill the beans | To reveal a secret |
| A white elephant | A costly but useless possession |
| Beat about the bush | To avoid the main point |
| Turn a deaf ear | To ignore |
| Bury the hatchet | To make peace |
| Call it a day | To stop working for the day |
| Cut corners | To do something cheaply or carelessly |
| Pull someone's leg | To tease |
| A red-letter day | A memorable day |
| Achilles' heel | A weak point |
| Add fuel to the fire | To make a bad situation worse |
| By hook or by crook | By any means |
| Keep one's fingers crossed | To hope for a good result |
| Leave no stone unturned | To try every possible way |
| Show the white feather | To show cowardice |
| Under one's thumb | Completely controlled by someone |
📌 2. Phrasal Verbs
| Phrasal verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look after | take care of |
| look into | investigate |
| put off | postpone |
| put up with | tolerate |
| give in | surrender |
| break down | stop working / collapse |
| call off | cancel |
| carry out | execute |
| come across | meet by chance |
| turn down | reject |
| bring up | raise (a child) / mention |
| run out of | exhaust supply |
💡 Memory Tip: The option with the literal meaning of an idiom is usually the trap. Read the context and choose the figurative meaning.
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- "Put off" (postpone) vs "put out" (extinguish) vs "put up with" (tolerate) — the particle changes the meaning.
- "White elephant" = costly useless thing; "white lie" = small harmless lie.
📌 3. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. Choose the meaning of the idiom: A bolt from the blue Practice
Correct answer: (A) A sudden unexpected event
Explanation: A sudden, unexpected event.
Explanation: A sudden, unexpected event.
Q2. Choose the meaning of the idiom: At the eleventh hour Practice
Correct answer: (B) At the last moment
Explanation: At the last moment.
Explanation: At the last moment.
Q3. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Burn the midnight oil Practice
Correct answer: (D) To work late into the night
Explanation: To work or study late into the night.
Explanation: To work or study late into the night.
Q4. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Spill the beans Practice
Correct answer: (A) To reveal a secret
Explanation: To reveal a secret.
Explanation: To reveal a secret.
Q5. Choose the meaning of the idiom: A white elephant Practice
Correct answer: (C) A costly but useless possession
Explanation: A costly but useless possession.
Explanation: A costly but useless possession.
Q6. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Beat about the bush Practice
Correct answer: (B) To avoid coming to the point
Explanation: To avoid the main point.
Explanation: To avoid the main point.
Q7. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Bury the hatchet Practice
Correct answer: (C) To make peace
Explanation: To end a quarrel and make peace.
Explanation: To end a quarrel and make peace.
Q8. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Once in a blue moon Practice
Correct answer: (D) Very rarely
Explanation: Very rarely.
Explanation: Very rarely.
Q9. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Achilles' heel Practice
Correct answer: (A) A weak point
Explanation: A weak point.
Explanation: A weak point.
Q10. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Add fuel to the fire Practice
Correct answer: (C) To make a bad situation worse
Explanation: To make a bad situation worse.
Explanation: To make a bad situation worse.
Q11. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Leave no stone unturned Practice
Correct answer: (A) To try every possible way
Explanation: To try every possible means.
Explanation: To try every possible means.
Q12. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Show the white feather Practice
Correct answer: (D) To show cowardice
Explanation: To show cowardice.
Explanation: To show cowardice.
Q13. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Cry over spilt milk Practice
Correct answer: (B) To regret what cannot be undone
Explanation: To regret something that cannot be changed.
Explanation: To regret something that cannot be changed.
Q14. Choose the meaning of the idiom: In hot water Practice
Correct answer: (D) In trouble
Explanation: In trouble.
Explanation: In trouble.
Q15. Choose the meaning of the phrasal verb: The match was called off due to rain. Practice
Correct answer: (B) Cancelled
Explanation: Call off = cancel.
Explanation: Call off = cancel.
Q16. Choose the meaning of the phrasal verb: I cannot put up with his rude behaviour. Practice
Correct answer: (C) Tolerate
Explanation: Put up with = tolerate.
Explanation: Put up with = tolerate.
Q17. Choose the meaning of the phrasal verb: The police will look into the matter. Practice
Correct answer: (A) Investigate
Explanation: Look into = investigate.
Explanation: Look into = investigate.
Q18. Choose the meaning of the phrasal verb: She turned down the job offer. Practice
Correct answer: (B) Rejected
Explanation: Turn down = reject.
Explanation: Turn down = reject.
Q19. Choose the meaning of the idiom: Hit the nail on the head Practice
Correct answer: (D) To say exactly the right thing
Explanation: To describe exactly what is right.
Explanation: To describe exactly what is right.
Q20. Choose the meaning of the idiom: By hook or by crook Practice
Correct answer: (A) By any means, fair or foul
Explanation: By any means, fair or foul.
Explanation: By any means, fair or foul.