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Common English Idioms – Test 1

B2 Upper-intermediate VocabularyEnglish

This B2 vocabulary test checks your knowledge of common English idioms used in everyday conversation and at work. It covers what idioms mean, how to complete fixed expressions, how to use them correctly in context, and how to understand them in a short reading text. It suits upper-intermediate learners and teachers who need a ready-made practice or review test.

Questions
30
Time
30 min
PDF
5 pages
Answer key
Included
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Choose the best option (A, B, C or D) for each question. Choose your answers, then press “Check my answers”.

Part 1: What does it mean?

Read each sentence and choose the meaning of the idiom in bold.

  1. I'm sorry I can't come tonight. I'm feeling a bit under the weather. What does 'under the weather' mean?

  2. Everyone was worried, but the final exam was a piece of cake. What does 'a piece of cake' mean?

  3. We've been working for ten hours. Let's call it a day. What does 'call it a day' mean?

  4. Hiro let the cat out of the bag about Mia's surprise party. What did Hiro do?

  5. I'd love a new laptop, but a good one would cost an arm and a leg. What does 'cost an arm and a leg' mean?

  6. Amara has been on cloud nine since she got the job. How does Amara feel?

  7. Go and buy your coffee. I'll keep an eye on your bag. What will the speaker do?

  8. When you said the project failed because of poor planning, you hit the nail on the head. What did the person do?

  9. Don't worry about the delay. We're all in the same boat. What does 'in the same boat' mean?

  10. I usually cycle to work. I take the bus only once in a blue moon. How often does the speaker take the bus?

Part 2: Complete the idiom

Choose the word that correctly completes each idiom.

  1. I always get _____ in my stomach before a job interview.

  2. Could you give me a _____? This box is really heavy.

  3. Please don't _____ around the bush. Just tell me what happened.

  4. I really don't know the answer. It's just a _____ in the dark.

  5. Carlos works all day and studies all night. He's burning the candle at both _____.

  6. Driving was difficult at first, but now it's second _____ to me.

  7. Just before Lina went on stage, her friend whispered, 'Break a _____!'

  8. The offer came completely out of the _____. Nobody expected it.

  9. I'm not sure yet. Can I _____ on it and give you my answer tomorrow?

  10. You broke the printer, so you'll have to face the _____ and tell the manager.

Part 3: Using idioms correctly

Choose the correct sentence, find the error, or choose the best response.

  1. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?

  2. Find the error: My grandfather is still as fit as a violin, even at ninety.

  3. Find the error: It's raining cats and dog outside, so take an umbrella.

  4. A: I finally passed my driving test! B: _____

  5. A: I failed my chemistry test and I can't stop thinking about it. B: _____

Part 4: Idioms in a reading text

Read the text and choose the best meaning for each idiom as it is used in the text.

When Priya moved to a new city for her first full-time job, she felt like a fish out of water. Everything was unfamiliar: the streets, the office, even the way people spoke in meetings. Her manager, Tomás, told her to relax. 'It takes everyone a few weeks to learn the ropes,' he said. 'Ask as many questions as you like.'

During her second month, Priya offered to organise a large conference on her own. Although she was enthusiastic, she soon realised she had bitten off more than she could chew. She was working late every night and still falling behind. Just before the event, she almost got cold feet and considered asking Tomás to give the project to someone else.

Instead, she asked two colleagues for help. Working as a team, they made sure everyone was on the same page, and the conference went off without a hitch. Looking back, Priya thinks her difficult start was a blessing in disguise. 'I learned that asking for help isn't a weakness,' she says. 'Now, when a new colleague joins, I'm the first to offer support.'

  1. Tomás says it takes everyone a few weeks to 'learn the ropes'. This means to _____.

  2. Priya realised she had 'bitten off more than she could chew'. This means _____.

  3. Before the event, Priya 'almost got cold feet'. This means she _____.

  4. The conference 'went off without a hitch'. This means it happened _____.

  5. Priya thinks her difficult start was 'a blessing in disguise'. This means it was _____.

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About this test

This B2 vocabulary test checks your knowledge of common English idioms used in everyday conversation and at work. It covers what idioms mean, how to complete fixed expressions, how to use them correctly in context, and how to understand them in a short reading text. It suits upper-intermediate learners and teachers who need a ready-made practice or review test.

Topics covered

IdiomsIdiom meaning in contextFixed expressionsEveryday conversationWorkplace idiomsReading comprehension

How to use this test

  1. Download the PDF and print it, or take the test online below.
  2. Answer every question without a dictionary or time pressure.
  3. Check your answers and note the topics you need to review.

Notes for teachers

Use this test after a unit on idiomatic language or as a diagnostic for upper-intermediate groups. It targets typical learner errors: taking idioms literally, changing fixed words (for example, 'cats and dog' or 'fish out of the water'), and using an idiom in the wrong situation. As a follow-up, ask students to write a short dialogue or story that uses five idioms from the test correctly.