English Grammar: Idioms and Phrases
Introduction
Idioms and Phrases are among the most important topics in English Vocabulary. They are frequently asked in competitive examinations such as WB Gram Panchayat, SSC, Railway, PSC, Banking, WBCS, TET, Food SI, CDS, CHSL, MTS, and many others.
Learning Idioms helps students improve vocabulary, understand spoken and written English more naturally, and answer exam questions quickly and accurately.
This comprehensive guide covers the meaning, types, rules, examples, memory techniques, commonly asked Idioms, and practice MCQs.
What are Idioms?
An Idiom is a group of words whose meaning is completely different from the literal meaning of the individual words.
Definition
An Idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning cannot be understood simply by interpreting the individual words.
Example
Kick the bucket
Literal Meaning:
To kick a bucket.
Actual Meaning:
To die.
Sentence:
The old man kicked the bucket peacefully.
What are Phrases?
A Phrase is a group of words that functions as a unit but does not contain both a subject and a finite verb.
Unlike Idioms, many phrases have meanings that can be understood directly.
Example:
In the morning
At home
On time
With great care
Difference Between Idioms and Phrases
| Idioms | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Meaning is not literal | Meaning is usually literal |
| Fixed expression | Can be flexible |
| Difficult to guess meaning | Easier to understand |
| Common in spoken English | Used in both spoken and written English |
Example:
Idiom: Break the ice = Start a conversation.
Phrase: In the classroom = Inside the classroom.
Why are Idioms Important?
Idioms help you—
- Improve vocabulary.
- Understand English newspapers.
- Speak naturally.
- Score higher in competitive exams.
- Improve Reading Comprehension.
- Enhance Writing Skills.
Types of Idioms
There are several categories of Idioms.
1. Action Idioms
Examples:
Break the ice
Hit the nail on the head
Beat around the bush
2. Success Idioms
Examples:
Hit the jackpot
Bring home the bacon
Go the extra mile
3. Failure Idioms
Examples:
Miss the boat
Fall flat
Bite the dust
4. Money Idioms
Examples:
Cost an arm and a leg
Make ends meet
Bring home the bacon
5. Time Idioms
Examples:
Against the clock
At the eleventh hour
Once in a blue moon
6. Emotion Idioms
Examples:
On cloud nine
Down in the dumps
Lose one's temper
Characteristics of Idioms
Idioms are—
- Fixed expressions
- Non-literal
- Context-dependent
- Frequently used
- Difficult to translate word by word
Rules for Learning Idioms
Rule 1
Never translate Idioms word by word.
❌ Wrong
Kick the bucket = বালতিতে লাথি মারা
✔ Correct
Kick the bucket = মারা যাওয়া
Rule 2
Always learn Idioms with their meanings.
Rule 3
Learn Idioms through example sentences.
Rule 4
Revise Idioms regularly.
Rule 5
Practice Idioms in context.
30 Most Important Idioms (Part-1)
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break the ice | Start a conversation |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Hit the nail on the head | Say exactly the right thing |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid the main topic |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| A blessing in disguise | Something good that seemed bad |
| Under the weather | Feeling ill |
| Piece of cake | Very easy |
| Spill the beans | Reveal a secret |
| Burn the midnight oil | Study or work late |
| Kill two birds with one stone | Achieve two goals together |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Accusing the wrong person |
| Add fuel to the fire | Make a situation worse |
| Cry over spilled milk | Regret something that cannot be changed |
| Bite the bullet | Face a difficult situation bravely |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret accidentally |
| Pull someone's leg | Tease someone |
| Hit the sack | Go to bed |
| Keep an eye on | Watch carefully |
| On cloud nine | Very happy |
| At sixes and sevens | In confusion |
| By heart | From memory |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Make a long story short | Briefly explain |
| The ball is in your court | Your turn to decide |
| Call it a day | Stop working |
| Face the music | Accept punishment |
| Go the extra mile | Make extra effort |
| Miss the boat | Miss an opportunity |
| A storm in a teacup | Small issue exaggerated |
Frequently Asked Idioms
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| At the eleventh hour | At the last moment | He submitted the form at the eleventh hour. |
| Against the clock | In limited time | We worked against the clock. |
| Apple of one's eye | Very dear person | His daughter is the apple of his eye. |
| Back to square one | Start again | The project failed, so we're back to square one. |
| Behind the scenes | Secretly | Everything happened behind the scenes. |
| Blow one's own trumpet | Praise oneself | Never blow your own trumpet. |
| Burn bridges | End relationships permanently | Don't burn bridges with colleagues. |
| By hook or by crook | By any means | He succeeded by hook or by crook. |
| Cross your fingers | Wish for good luck | Cross your fingers for tomorrow's exam. |
| Cut corners | Do something cheaply or carelessly | Don't cut corners while studying. |
| Drop in the bucket | Very small amount | This donation is a drop in the bucket. |
| Elephant in the room | Obvious issue ignored | Nobody discussed the elephant in the room. |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Hope in bad situations | Remember, every cloud has a silver lining. |
| Fish out of water | Feel uncomfortable | He felt like a fish out of water. |
| Get cold feet | Become afraid | She got cold feet before the interview. |
| Go down in flames | Fail badly | The plan went down in flames. |
| Go with the flow | Accept things naturally | Learn to go with the flow. |
| Hold your horses | Wait patiently | Hold your horses; we'll leave soon. |
| In black and white | In writing | Put the agreement in black and white. |
| In the same boat | In the same situation | We are all in the same boat. |
| Jump the gun | Act too early | Don't jump the gun. |
| Keep your chin up | Stay positive | Keep your chin up during hard times. |
| Know the ropes | Know how things work | She knows the ropes very well. |
| Leave no stone unturned | Try everything | Leave no stone unturned in preparation. |
| Lose track of time | Forget the time | I lost track of time while reading. |
| Make a mountain out of a molehill | Exaggerate a small problem | Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. |
| Off the record | Not official | This discussion is off the record. |
| On the same page | Agree with each other | We are on the same page now. |
| Out of the blue | Suddenly | He called me out of the blue. |
| Pull yourself together | Calm yourself | Pull yourself together before the exam. |
| Rain cats and dogs | Rain heavily | It rained cats and dogs yesterday. |
| Read between the lines | Understand hidden meaning | Read between the lines carefully. |
| See eye to eye | Agree | We don't always see eye to eye. |
| Sit on the fence | Remain undecided | Don't sit on the fence forever. |
| Take with a grain of salt | Don't believe completely | Take the rumor with a grain of salt. |
Common Idioms with Bengali Meanings
| Idiom | Bengali Meaning |
|---|---|
| Piece of cake | খুব সহজ |
| Under the weather | অসুস্থ |
| Hit the sack | ঘুমাতে যাওয়া |
| Burn the midnight oil | গভীর রাত পর্যন্ত পড়াশোনা |
| On cloud nine | খুব আনন্দিত |
| Pull someone's leg | মজা করা |
| Spill the beans | গোপন কথা ফাঁস করা |
| Cost an arm and a leg | খুব ব্যয়বহুল |
| Break the ice | আলাপ শুরু করা |
| Beat around the bush | মূল বিষয় এড়িয়ে যাওয়া |
| Miss the boat | সুযোগ হারানো |
| Call it a day | দিনের কাজ শেষ করা |
| Face the music | শাস্তি মেনে নেওয়া |
| Hit the nail on the head | একদম সঠিক কথা বলা |
| Keep an eye on | নজর রাখা |
| Once in a blue moon | খুব কম ঘটে |
| In hot water | সমস্যায় পড়া |
| By heart | মুখস্থ |
| A blessing in disguise | ছদ্মবেশী আশীর্বাদ |
| Kill two birds with one stone | এক কাজে দুই লাভ |
Memory Tricks for Idioms
Trick 1
Learn Idioms through Stories.
Example:
"Yesterday it rained cats and dogs, so I stayed home and burned the midnight oil."
Using multiple Idioms together helps improve memory.
Trick 2
Group Similar Idioms
Happiness
- On cloud nine
- Over the moon
- Walking on air
Anger
- Blow one's top
- Lose one's temper
- Hit the roof
Success
- Hit the jackpot
- Bring home the bacon
- Go the extra mile
Failure
- Miss the boat
- Bite the dust
- Fall flat
Exam Tips
Competitive exams usually ask Idioms in three ways:
Pattern 1
Choose the correct meaning.
Pattern 2
Fill in the blank using the correct Idiom.
Pattern 3
Identify the incorrect meaning.
Previous Year Style Questions
Example 1
Break the ice means—
A. Break something
B. Start a conversation
C. End friendship
D. Become angry
✅ Answer: B
Example 2
Piece of cake means—
A. Difficult work
B. Very easy
C. Sweet food
D. Delicious cake
✅ Answer: B
Example 3
Burn the midnight oil means—
A. Waste electricity
B. Work or study late at night
C. Sleep early
D. Burn fuel
✅ Answer: B
Example 4
Once in a blue moon means—
A. Every day
B. Frequently
C. Very rarely
D. Every month
✅ Answer: C
Example 5
Spill the beans means—
A. Cook food
B. Reveal a secret
C. Throw beans
D. Plant seeds
✅ Answer: B
Quick Revision Box
✔ Idioms are non-literal expressions.
✔ Learn Idioms with meaning + sentence.
✔ Avoid translating Idioms word by word.
✔ Revise frequently asked Idioms every week.
70 Most Important Idioms for Competitive Exams
Frequently Asked Idioms
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| At the eleventh hour | At the last moment | He submitted the form at the eleventh hour. |
| Against the clock | In limited time | We worked against the clock. |
| Apple of one's eye | Very dear person | His daughter is the apple of his eye. |
| Back to square one | Start again | The project failed, so we're back to square one. |
| Behind the scenes | Secretly | Everything happened behind the scenes. |
| Blow one's own trumpet | Praise oneself | Never blow your own trumpet. |
| Burn bridges | End relationships permanently | Don't burn bridges with colleagues. |
| By hook or by crook | By any means | He succeeded by hook or by crook. |
| Cross your fingers | Wish for good luck | Cross your fingers for tomorrow's exam. |
| Cut corners | Do something cheaply or carelessly | Don't cut corners while studying. |
| Drop in the bucket | Very small amount | This donation is a drop in the bucket. |
| Elephant in the room | Obvious issue ignored | Nobody discussed the elephant in the room. |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | Hope in bad situations | Remember, every cloud has a silver lining. |
| Fish out of water | Feel uncomfortable | He felt like a fish out of water. |
| Get cold feet | Become afraid | She got cold feet before the interview. |
| Go down in flames | Fail badly | The plan went down in flames. |
| Go with the flow | Accept things naturally | Learn to go with the flow. |
| Hold your horses | Wait patiently | Hold your horses; we'll leave soon. |
| In black and white | In writing | Put the agreement in black and white. |
| In the same boat | In the same situation | We are all in the same boat. |
| Jump the gun | Act too early | Don't jump the gun. |
| Keep your chin up | Stay positive | Keep your chin up during hard times. |
| Know the ropes | Know how things work | She knows the ropes very well. |
| Leave no stone unturned | Try everything | Leave no stone unturned in preparation. |
| Lose track of time | Forget the time | I lost track of time while reading. |
| Make a mountain out of a molehill | Exaggerate a small problem | Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. |
| Off the record | Not official | This discussion is off the record. |
| On the same page | Agree with each other | We are on the same page now. |
| Out of the blue | Suddenly | He called me out of the blue. |
| Pull yourself together | Calm yourself | Pull yourself together before the exam. |
| Rain cats and dogs | Rain heavily | It rained cats and dogs yesterday. |
| Read between the lines | Understand hidden meaning | Read between the lines carefully. |
| See eye to eye | Agree | We don't always see eye to eye. |
| Sit on the fence | Remain undecided | Don't sit on the fence forever. |
| Take with a grain of salt | Don't believe completely | Take the rumor with a grain of salt. |
Common Idioms with Bengali Meanings
| Idiom | Bengali Meaning |
|---|---|
| Piece of cake | খুব সহজ |
| Under the weather | অসুস্থ |
| Hit the sack | ঘুমাতে যাওয়া |
| Burn the midnight oil | গভীর রাত পর্যন্ত পড়াশোনা |
| On cloud nine | খুব আনন্দিত |
| Pull someone's leg | মজা করা |
| Spill the beans | গোপন কথা ফাঁস করা |
| Cost an arm and a leg | খুব ব্যয়বহুল |
| Break the ice | আলাপ শুরু করা |
| Beat around the bush | মূল বিষয় এড়িয়ে যাওয়া |
| Miss the boat | সুযোগ হারানো |
| Call it a day | দিনের কাজ শেষ করা |
| Face the music | শাস্তি মেনে নেওয়া |
| Hit the nail on the head | একদম সঠিক কথা বলা |
| Keep an eye on | নজর রাখা |
| Once in a blue moon | খুব কম ঘটে |
| In hot water | সমস্যায় পড়া |
| By heart | মুখস্থ |
| A blessing in disguise | ছদ্মবেশী আশীর্বাদ |
| Kill two birds with one stone | এক কাজে দুই লাভ |
Memory Tricks for Idioms
Trick 1
Learn Idioms through Stories.
Example:
"Yesterday it rained cats and dogs, so I stayed home and burned the midnight oil."
Using multiple Idioms together helps improve memory.
Trick 2
Group Similar Idioms
Happiness
- On cloud nine
- Over the moon
- Walking on air
Anger
- Blow one's top
- Lose one's temper
- Hit the roof
Success
- Hit the jackpot
- Bring home the bacon
- Go the extra mile
Failure
- Miss the boat
- Bite the dust
- Fall flat
Exam Tips
Competitive exams usually ask Idioms in three ways:
Pattern 1
Choose the correct meaning.
Pattern 2
Fill in the blank using the correct Idiom.
Pattern 3
Identify the incorrect meaning.
Previous Year Style Questions
Example 1
Break the ice means—
A. Break something
B. Start a conversation
C. End friendship
D. Become angry
✅ Answer: B
Example 2
Piece of cake means—
A. Difficult work
B. Very easy
C. Sweet food
D. Delicious cake
✅ Answer: B
Example 3
Burn the midnight oil means—
A. Waste electricity
B. Work or study late at night
C. Sleep early
D. Burn fuel
✅ Answer: B
Example 4
Once in a blue moon means—
A. Every day
B. Frequently
C. Very rarely
D. Every month
✅ Answer: C
Example 5
Spill the beans means—
A. Cook food
B. Reveal a secret
C. Throw beans
D. Plant seeds
✅ Answer: B
Quick Revision Box
✔ Idioms are non-literal expressions.
✔ Learn Idioms with meaning + sentence.
✔ Avoid translating Idioms word by word.
✔ Revise frequently asked Idioms every week.
Practice MCQs (Competitive Exam Pattern)
MCQ 1
Choose the correct meaning of the Idiom:
Break the ice
A. Break frozen water
B. Start a conversation
C. Stop talking
D. Become angry
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: "Break the ice" means to begin a friendly conversation in an awkward or unfamiliar situation.
MCQ 2
Once in a blue moon means—
A. Frequently
B. Very rarely
C. Every week
D. Every day
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 3
Hit the nail on the head means—
A. Hit someone
B. Say exactly the right thing
C. Repair furniture
D. Make a mistake
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 4
Cost an arm and a leg means—
A. Free of cost
B. Very expensive
C. Cheap
D. Dangerous
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 5
Under the weather means—
A. Standing outside
B. Feeling ill
C. Working outdoors
D. Enjoying the weather
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 6
Piece of cake means—
A. Delicious cake
B. Very easy
C. Very difficult
D. Birthday party
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 7
Spill the beans means—
A. Cook beans
B. Reveal a secret
C. Buy vegetables
D. Waste food
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 8
Burn the midnight oil means—
A. Burn fuel
B. Work or study late at night
C. Sleep early
D. Waste electricity
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 9
Kill two birds with one stone means—
A. Hunting birds
B. Achieve two goals with one action
C. Throw stones
D. Solve one problem
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 10
Face the music means—
A. Enjoy music
B. Accept punishment or criticism
C. Learn singing
D. Attend a concert
✅ Answer: B
Fill in the Blanks
MCQ 11
He is very happy today. He is __________.
A. Under the weather
B. On cloud nine
C. In hot water
D. Out of order
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 12
Don't __________. Tell me the main point.
A. Break the ice
B. Beat around the bush
C. Call it a day
D. Hit the sack
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 13
I have learned the poem __________.
A. By mistake
B. By heart
C. By chance
D. By accident
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 14
Please __________ the children while I am away.
A. Keep an eye on
B. Break the ice
C. Hit the road
D. Cut corners
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 15
The secret was revealed when he __________.
A. Burned the midnight oil
B. Spilled the beans
C. Hit the sack
D. Called it a day
✅ Answer: B
Choose the Correct Idiom
MCQ 16
Which Idiom means "Very expensive"?
A. Piece of cake
B. Cost an arm and a leg
C. Break the ice
D. Pull someone's leg
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 17
Which Idiom means "Very easy"?
A. Piece of cake
B. In hot water
C. Once in a blue moon
D. At sixes and sevens
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 18
Which Idiom means "Go to bed"?
A. Hit the sack
B. Hit the road
C. Hit the roof
D. Hit the books
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 19
Which Idiom means "Rarely"?
A. Once in a blue moon
B. Every now and then
C. Every day
D. Every year
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 20
Which Idiom means "Very happy"?
A. On cloud nine
B. In hot water
C. In black and white
D. By heart
✅ Answer: A
Error Spotting (Idiom Usage)
MCQ 21
Choose the correct sentence.
A. This exam is under the weather.
B. This exam is a piece of cake.
C. This exam is on cloud nine.
D. This exam spilled the beans.
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 22
Choose the correct sentence.
A. She spilled the beans about the surprise party.
B. She spilled the beans in the kitchen.
C. She spilled the beans and cooked them.
D. She bought the beans yesterday.
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 23
Choose the correct sentence.
A. I hit the sack to attend school.
B. I hit the sack because I was sleepy.
C. I hit the sack after breakfast to play.
D. I hit the sack during class.
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 24
Choose the correct sentence.
A. We called it a day after completing the work.
B. We called it a day before starting work.
C. We called it a day every morning.
D. We called it a day while sleeping.
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 25
Choose the correct sentence.
A. He was on cloud nine after winning the competition.
B. He was on cloud nine because of illness.
C. He was on cloud nine while sleeping.
D. He was on cloud nine after failure.
✅ Answer: A
Mixed Practice MCQs
MCQ 26
Bite the bullet means—
A. Eat food
B. Face a difficult situation bravely
C. Shoot someone
D. Buy bullets
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 27
Read between the lines means—
A. Read quickly
B. Understand the hidden meaning
C. Read loudly
D. Skip lines
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 28
The ball is in your court means—
A. Play cricket
B. It is your turn to decide or act
C. Throw the ball
D. Win the match
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 29
Go the extra mile means—
A. Walk a long distance
B. Make extra effort
C. Travel abroad
D. Exercise daily
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 30
Miss the boat means—
A. Travel by boat
B. Lose a valuable opportunity
C. Swim in a river
D. Reach early
✅ Answer: B
Quick Exam Tips
✅ Learn 10 Idioms daily.
✅ Revise using flashcards.
✅ Read newspapers and identify Idioms in context.
✅ Practice MCQs regularly.
✅ Use Idioms in your own sentences to improve retention.
📚 Practice Challenge
Try to write one sentence using each of the following Idioms:
- Break the ice
- On cloud nine
- Piece of cake
- Burn the midnight oil
- Cost an arm and a leg
Final Practice MCQs
MCQ 31
"A blessing in disguise" means—
A. A hidden danger
B. Something good that first appeared bad
C. A religious gift
D. A bad habit
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 32
"Keep your fingers crossed" means—
A. Pray for success or good luck
B. Fold your hands
C. Hide your fingers
D. Cross the road
✅ Answer: A
MCQ 33
"Back to square one" means—
A. Return home
B. Start again from the beginning
C. Move to another place
D. Reach the destination
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 34
"Call it a day" means—
A. Celebrate a holiday
B. Finish the day's work
C. Wake up early
D. Plan the next day
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 35
"In hot water" means—
A. Taking a bath
B. In trouble
C. Swimming
D. Feeling warm
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 36
Choose the correct meaning of "Elephant in the room."
A. A large animal
B. An obvious problem everyone avoids discussing
C. A zoo visit
D. Heavy luggage
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 37
"Fish out of water" means—
A. Excellent swimmer
B. Feeling uncomfortable in a new situation
C. Catching fish
D. Living near water
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 38
"Leave no stone unturned" means—
A. Break stones
B. Make every possible effort
C. Clean the road
D. Build a house
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 39
"Take with a grain of salt" means—
A. Eat salty food
B. Don't believe completely
C. Cook carefully
D. Preserve food
✅ Answer: B
MCQ 40
"Jump the gun" means—
A. Fire a gun
B. Act too early
C. Win a race
D. Start a journey
✅ Answer: B
Common Mistakes Students Make
❌ Mistake 1
Translating Idioms word by word.
Example:
Kick the bucket = Kick a bucket ❌
Kick the bucket = To die ✅
❌ Mistake 2
Memorising only meanings.
✔ Always learn
- Meaning
- Sentence
- Exam usage
❌ Mistake 3
Confusing Similar Idioms.
Example:
By heart
≠
Heart and soul
❌ Mistake 4
Using Idioms in inappropriate situations.
Every Idiom has a specific context.
❌ Mistake 5
Ignoring Revision.
Vocabulary requires continuous revision.
Last-Minute Revision Chart
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break the ice | Start conversation |
| Piece of cake | Very easy |
| Cost an arm and a leg | Very expensive |
| Burn the midnight oil | Study late at night |
| Under the weather | Sick |
| On cloud nine | Very happy |
| Spill the beans | Reveal secret |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Pull someone's leg | Tease |
| Beat around the bush | Avoid main topic |
| Hit the nail on the head | Say exactly right |
| Keep an eye on | Watch carefully |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Face the music | Accept punishment |
| Call it a day | Stop working |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is an Idiom?
An Idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its individual words.
Q2. What is the difference between an Idiom and a Phrase?
An Idiom has a figurative meaning, whereas a Phrase usually has a literal meaning and functions as a group of words without forming a complete sentence.
Q3. How can I remember Idioms easily?
Learn Idioms with:
- Meanings
- Example Sentences
- Daily Revision
- Practice MCQs
- Flashcards
Q4. Which exams ask Idioms and Phrases?
- WB Gram Panchayat
- SSC
- Railway
- PSC
- WBCS
- Banking
- Food SI
- TET
- CHSL
- CGL
- MTS
- CDS
- NDA
- Various State Government Exams
Q5. How many Idioms should I learn?
Learning 200–300 frequently used Idioms is sufficient for most competitive examinations.
Conclusion
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