Idioms That Can Boost Your English Score in Government Exams
Create a Three Step Formula to LEARN Idioms:
Effective Strategy to Learn Idioms
Learning idioms can often feel like trying to memorize a secret code. To make them stick, you can move away from rote memorization and toward a system of context, visualisation, and application.
Here is a 3-step formula to mastery them:
Trace the Roots (Contextual Anchoring)
Idioms are really random; most have historical or logical origins. Institute of just learning the definition, spend a minute looking up why the phrase exists. When you understand the story behind the words, you are brain Creed some much stronger neural hook.
- Action: If you learn " To pull someone's leg", find out its likely refers to street thieves tripping people.
- The Goal: The idioms from "weird phrase" to "logical story".
Sketch the Literal (Visual Association)
The human brain processes images much faster than abstract text. Take the idiom and imagine it - or even better, doodle it - in its literal sense, no matter how ridiculous it looks.
- Action: For the idiom " to be under the weather", visualise yourself standing outside with a giant rain cloud hovering specifically over your head while everyone else is in the sun.
- The Goal: Create a vivid mental "anchor" that makes the phrase impossible to forget.
The "Three-Sentence" Rule (Active Production)
An idiom is not truly yours until you have used it in a personalized way. To move it from your passive memory to your active vocabulary, you must generate your own examples immediately.
Action: Write three sentences using the idiom in different contexts:
- Professional: I don't want to beat around the bush during the meeting.
- Casual: Stop beating around the bush and tell me if you liked the movie!
- Self-Reflective: I realised I was beating around the bush because I was nervous.
The Goal: Condition your brain to recognise the specific "slots" where the phrase fits in daily speech.
15 Idioms for SSC CGL, and Banking Candidates
Idioms for Competitive Exams
Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom:
Bank upon:
- Mistrust
- Doubt
- Depend on
- To save money
Ans: Depend on
Bring home:
- To buy a new home
- To explain
- To give information
- To continue
Ans: to explain
Square meal:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Full meal
Ans: Full meal
Wear a long face:
- To look gloomy
- Light up
- Cheerful face
- Surprized
Ans: To look gloomy
In vogue:
- In the current fashions
- Out of style
- Old fashioned
- Olden
Ans: In the current fashion
Once for all:
- Temporarily
- Gradually
- Finally
- Provisionally
Ans: Finally
- Common sense
- Academic qualification
- Mother's knowledge
- Native wit
Ans: Common sense
At large:
- As a whole
- Extensively
- Generally
- Confined
Ans: Confined
Assume airs:
- Humble
- Down-to-earth
- Pretend superiority
- Reject
Ans: Pretend superiority
At the stone's throw:
- Far away
- A very short distance
- Remote
- An easy task
Ans: A very short distance
The principal is not ready to listen to any arguments beside the mark.
Meaning of the idiom, "beside the mark".
- Suggestion
- On the mark
- Pertinent
- Irrelevant
Ans: Irrelevant
Nowadays, corporal punishment is considered a criminal activity.
Meaning of the idiom, "corporal punishment".
- Praise
- Reward
- Encouragement
- Bodily punishment
Ans: Bodily punishment
He is so cocksure that he will certainly ace the upcoming entrance exam.
Meaning of the idiom cocksure.
- Modest
- Humble
- Diffident
- Arrogant
Ans: Arrogant
His father strictly said to him," I cannot allow you to play ducks and drakes
with your inheritance.
Meaning of the idiom," Ducks and drakes".
- To store
- Frugal
- To waste money
- Hoard
Ans: To waste money
Tips To Learn Idioms:
Here is a list of 20 commonly repeated and important idioms, along with their meanings, that are often useful for competitive exams:
1. Break the ice: To initiate conversation in a social setting, making people more comfortable.
2. A piece of cake: Something very easy to do.
3. Bite the bullet: To endure a painful or difficult situation with courage.
4. Hit the nail on the head: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
5. The ball is in your court: It is up to you to take the next step or decision.
6. Burn the midnight oil: To work late into the night, especially to study or complete a task.
7. Let the cat out of the bag: To reveal a secret or disclose something that was previously hidden.
8. Kick the bucket: A humorous way of saying someone has died.
9. Under the weather: Feeling ill or unwell.
10. In the same boat: To be in the same difficult situation as someone else.
11. Cost an arm and a leg: To be very expensive.
12. Hit the sack: To go to bed or to sleep.
13. Raining cats and dogs: To rain very heavily.
14. Every cloud has a silver lining: There is something good in every bad situation.
15. Once in a blue moon: Occurring very rarely.
16. Throw in the towel: To give up or admit defeat.
17. Bite off more than you can chew: To take on a task that is too big or difficult to manage.
18. The elephant in the room: A major problem or controversial issue that is being ignored.
19. Spill the beans: To reveal secret information unintentionally or indiscreetly.
20. A blessing in disguise: Something that appears to be bad or unlucky at first but results in something good.
These idioms are frequently tested in exams to assess a candidate's understanding of English language nuances and their ability to interpret figurative language.
Frequently Asked Questions About Idioms
How can I explain idioms as there are so many idioms? Can you elaborate at least 5 idioms with their meaning? Use them in sentences.
Explaining idioms can be a delightful journey into the nuances of language. Idioms are expressions that convey meanings not deducible from the literal definitions of their individual words. They often reflect cultural nuances and historical contexts. Here's a look at five popular idioms, their meanings, and how they can be used in sentences:
1. "Bite the bullet"
Meaning: To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination.
Sentence: Despite her fear of public speaking, Maria decided to bite the bullet and give the presentation herself.
2. "Break the ice"
Meaning: To initiate conversation in a social setting, easing tension or discomfort.
Sentence: To break the ice at the party, James told a funny story about his recent travel mishap.
3. "The ball is in your court"
Meaning: It is up to you to make the next decision or take action.
Sentence:I've given you all the information you need, so now the ball is in your court to decide what to do next.
4. "Burn the midnight oil"
Meaning: To work late into the night.
Sentence: With the deadline approaching, Sarah had to burn the midnight oil to finish her report on time.
5. "Under the weather"
Meaning: Feeling ill or unwell.
Sentence: Tom called in sick today because he’s feeling a bit under the weather.
These idioms add color and depth to language, offering a glimpse into the shared experiences and creativity of those who use them.
What is the difference between idioms and phrases?
Idioms and phrases are both expressions used in language, but they differ in their composition and interpretation. An idiom is a group of words that, when taken together, has a figurative meaning different from the literal meanings of the individual words. For example, the idiom “kick the bucket” means “to die,” which is not deduced from the meanings of “kick” and “bucket.” Idioms often reflect cultural nuances and can be challenging for non-native speakers to understand.
On the other hand, a phrase is a broader term that refers to any group of words that work together to convey a particular idea, but unlike idioms, phrases can be literal or figurative. Phrases can include idioms, such as “under the weather” (an idiom meaning “ill”), but they can also be straightforward, like “on the table,” which literally means something is physically located on a table. In essence, all idioms are phrases, but not all phrases are idioms.
As we are going to celebrate Halloween on 31st Oct, suggest some idioms related to Halloween with their meanings and use them in sentences.
Here are some Halloween-related idioms, along with their meanings and example sentences:
1. “Skeletons in the closet”
Meaning: This idiom refers to secrets or past actions that someone wants to keep hidden.
Sentence: Despite his friendly demeanor, he has a few skeletons in the closet that he hopes no one will discover.
2. “Ghost of a chance”
Meaning: This phrase indicates a very slim or unlikely possibility.
Sentence: After the team lost their best player, they didn’t have a ghost of a chance of winning the championship.
3. “Witching hour”
Meaning: Traditionally believed to be the time when witches, ghosts, and supernatural creatures are most active, usually around midnight.
Sentence: As the clock struck midnight, the witching hour began, and the eerie sounds of the old house seemed to grow louder.
4. “Bite the dust”
Meaning: To fall to the ground or to die; often used humorously to refer to failure.
Sentence: The old haunted house finally bit the dust after years of being a neighborhood landmark.
5. “In cold blood”
Meaning: To act in a deliberately cruel or callous manner without emotion.
Sentence: The villain in the horror movie was notorious for committing his crimes in cold blood.
These idioms add a spooky flair to language, perfect for the Halloween season!
