Vocabulary

Idioms

Medium

Match the phrases in the List-I with their appropriate meanings in the List-II:

List-I List-II
(Phrases) (Meanings)
(A) Bad mouth (I) Softening the expression
(B) In the soup (II) Straight forward talking
(C) Call a spade a spade (III) In trouble
(D) Sugar coating (IV) Insult and criticise

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

List-I	List-II
(Phrases)	(Meanings)
(A) Bad mouth	(I) Softening the expression
(B) In the soup	(II) Straight forward talking
(C) Call a spade a spade	(III) In trouble
(D) Sugar coating	(IV) Insult and criticise

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

(A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

(A) - (IV), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (I)

(A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

✅ Correct Option: 3

(A) Bad mouth → To insult and criticize someone; speaking negatively about them → matches with (IV)

(B) In the soup → An idiom meaning to be in trouble or a difficult situation → matches with (III)

(C) Call a spade a spade → To speak frankly and directly without euphemisms; telling it like it is → matches with (II)

(D) Sugar coating → Making something unpleasant seem more acceptable by softening how it's presented → matches with (I)

Hence, Option 3: (A) - (IV), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (I) → This correctly pairs all the idiomatic phrases with their appropriate meanings: bad mouthing is criticism, being in the soup means trouble, calling a spade a spade is straightforward talk, and sugar coating softens expressions → correct

2023: 7 June Shift 2

Mark the correct meaning of the underlined idiom in the following sentence.

"He is as hard as a nail, never moved by anything.."

2025: 22 May Shift 2

Fill in the blank with the appropriate option: The idiom 'To Take a rain check' means

2025: 15 May Shift 2

Match the proverbs in List-I with their meanings in List-II:

List-I	List-II
(Proverbs)	(Meanings)
(A) A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse	(I) Bad actions have worse consequences.
(B) First catch your hare	(II) No point worrying about something before it actually happens
(C) Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind	(III) A slight hint is enough to make someone understand what you mean
(D) Don't meet trouble halfway	(IV) No point in planning what you are going to do with something until you actually have it

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

2025: 20 May Shift 2

Match the proverbs in List-I with their meanings in List-II:

List-I	List-II
(Proverbs)	(Meanings)
---	---
(A) It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest	(I) People often blame their equipments for their failure or incompetence
(B) Never look a gift horse in the mouth	(II) People can have perfect intentions and still act wrongly or inappropriately
(C) The bad workman blames his tools	(III) Only a bad person would do something to harm his family or friends
(D) The road to hell is paved with good intentions	(IV) Never be ungrateful or critical of something that you have received as a gift or obtained by chance

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

2025: 20 May Shift 1

Fill in the blanks in the sentences given in List-I with appropriate expressions from List-II:

List-I	List-II
(Sentences)	(Expressions)
---	---
(A) Akhira has a/an ______ so ask her to check the report.	(I) foot the bill
(B) Although others were also responsible for the problem, Alice decided to ______	(II) eye for detail
(C) Choose what you like from the menu - the company is going to ______	(III) on her toes
(D) Having three kids under the age of five keeps Janki ______	(IV) shoulder the blame

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

2025: 3 June Shift 1

Match the underlined and highlighted segments in List-I with the corresponding idioms in List-II:

List-I	List-II
(Sentences)	(Idioms)
(A) I think there's a reason she's not telling us about that letter she sent to the boss.	(I) at the receiving end
(B) She's an awful boss to work for. The employees have to do what she wants whenever she wants, eight hours a day, seven days a week.	(II) hidden agenda
(C) He has had to take a lot of criticism from the press in recent weeks.	(III) left to my own device
(D) I don't want someone telling me what to do all the time. I'd rather be allowed to make my own decisions about how to do things.	(IV) at someone's beck and call

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Solution

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