CBSE Class 9 English Idioms and Phrases Worksheet

Idioms Class 9 English Worksheets

Question. Hobson's choice ?
a) To challenge an unworthy opponent
b) An apparently free choice where there is no real alternative
c) To exercise the choice to surrender before the enemy
d) To be in an aggressive mood when facing a challenge

Answer : B

Question. penny for your thoughts ?
a) To make a bad situation worse
b) Start something all over again
c) Way of asking what someone is thinking
d) Be glad to see someone leave

Answer : C

Question. To take the bull by the horns ?
a) To handle difficulties
b) To speak arrogantly
c) To surrender to the enemy
d) To murder someone

Answer : A

Question. As the crow flies ?
a) To be uncertain
b) A long winding path
c) The shortest route
d) To be directionless

Answer : C

Question. A hard nut to crack ?
a) Easily disappointed
b) A difficult problem
c) Easily encouraged
d) Not restrained

Answer : B

Question. Get someone’s goat ?
a) To hurt someone
b) To irritate someone
c) To abuse someone
d) To cheat someone

Answer : B

Question. It’s greek to me. ?
a) Inevitable
b) Incomprehensible
c) Incredible
d) Intangible

Answer : B

Question. She felt like a fish out of water at her new job. ?
a) angry and hurt
b) happy and free
c) uncomfortable and restless
d) comfortable and relaxed

Answer : C

Question. Bend over backwards ?
a) To express sudden shock
b) To exert a lot of effort towards some end
c) To end all activities
d) To confess of a crime

Answer : B

Question. Blow one’s own trumpet ?
a) Rely on oneself
b) Praise oneself
c) Respect others
d) Criticise others

Answer : B

Question. Ashutosh kept a stiff upper lip even when he was reprimanded in the presence of clients. ?
a) remained expressionless
b) started sniggering
c) behaved insolently
d) kept shouting

Answer : A

Question. The residents of my colony ______ in trying to find out about the increasing number of car thefts. ?
a) Hit a purple patch
b) Hit the sack
c) Beat about the bush
d) Pulled all the stops

Answer : D

Question. When Anshul told everyone that he had resigned his job, all the members in the family were a t their wits’ end. ?
a) Very serious
b) Quite angry
c) Quite perplexed
d) Absolutely satisfied

Answer : C

Question. Gift of the gab ?
a) Receive a precious gift
b) Have the ability to adapt
c) Have the talent to speak well
d) Achieve sudden greatness

Answer : C

Question. To fall on deaf ears ?
a) To be ignored
b) To be aware of what is going on
c) To be listened carefully
d) To be paid attention

Answer : A

Question. To lose one’s head ?
a) To be beheaded for disloyalty
b) To lose self control
c) To die valiantly in a war
d) To lose one’s position

Answer : B

Question. Far cry from ?
a) To be very different from
b) To be sad about past things
c) To be away from dear ones
d) To cry over small things

Answer : A

Question. Going over one’s head ?
a) Unable to make a decision
b) Beyond one’s capacity to understand
c) Unable to function as one used to
d) Something one didn’t expect

Answer : B

Question. Raju was playing with fire when he made speeches against the management. ?
a) Taking a grave risk
b) Lighting candles
c) Smoking a cigarette
d) Provoking the crowd

Answer : A

Question. I am fed up with his false promises. ?
a) Disgusted
b) Hopeful
c) Furious
d) Pleased

Answer : A
 

Dog Idioms Class 9 English Worksheets

Test your understanding of dog idioms with this exercise.

Question. To be in the dog house is to ........................
(a) have dogs for company
(b) be in real trouble
(c) adopt dogs

Answer : B

Question. To live a dog's life is to .....................
(a) live a pampered life
(b) live a miserable life
(c) live a happy life

Answer : B

Question. A three dog night is a very ....................
(a) hot night
(b) cold night
(c) turbulent night

Answer : B

Question. When you are as sick as a dog, you are ...........................
(a) really sick.
(b) very ill
(c) just pretending to be ill

Answer : A

Question. A dog and pony show is a/an ....................
(a) over-staged performance
(b) tasteful performance
(c) charitable program

Answer : A

Question. The expression tail wagging the dog means that ..................
(a) nobody is insignificant
(b) something small and insignificant controls the whole establishment
(c) anybody can be the leader

Answer : B

Question. To work like a dog is to ......................
(a) work hard
(b) work carelessly
(c) do a bad job

Answer : A

Question. A complete dog's dinner is a/an .....................
(a) nutritious meal
(b) total mess
(c) unhealthy meal

Answer : B

Question. A dog in the manger is someone who ...................
(a) is very loyal
(b) doesn't share things with others
(c) is very aggressive

Answer : B

Question. The expression dog eat dog refers to .........................
(a) the practice of eating dogs
(b) the intense competition to succeed
(c) lack of money

Answer : B

Question. The expression you can't teach an old dog new tricks means that ...................
(a) training should be given at a young age
(b) it is never too late to learn
(c) it takes a lot of time to learn new skills

Answer : A

Question. If somebody is as ............... dog, they are very aggressive and vicious.
(a) mean as a junkyard
(b) loyal as a backyard
(c) fierce as a hunting dog

Answer : A
 

Family Idioms Class 9 English Worksheets

Question. If you come from a close-knit family, you are ..................................
(a) the son/daughter of garment makers
(b) very close to other members of your family
(c) very traditional

Answer : B

Question. What does the expression the apple doesn't fall far from the tree mean?
(a) A child is very similar to their parent
(b) A child never wants to leave their parent
(c) A child is very fond of their parent.

Answer : A

Question. If somebody is a spitting image of another person, they are extremely ...........................
(a) different
(b) similar
(c) close

Answer : B

Question. I never thought my own ............................... would cheat me.
(a) sweat and blood
(b) flesh and blood
(c) flesh and bone

Answer : B

Question. She and her sister are cut from the same ............................... They have the same likes and dislikes.
(a) piece
(b) cloth
(c) block

Answer : B

Question. He is the ................................ of his family. While his siblings are all educated and employed, he didn't even finish high school.
(a) black dog
(b) black cat
(c) black sheep

Answer : C

Question. Her parents are doctors and she has always wanted to .................................
(a) follow suit
(b) be in their shoes
(c) follow in their footsteps

Answer : C

Question. After the untimely demise of her husband, she worked three jobs to bring home ..........................
(a) the mutton
(b) the chicken
(c) the bacon

Answer : C

Question. What does the expression blood is thicker than water mean?
(a) Family relationships are stronger than any other relationships
(b) Family relationships are thick like blood
(c) There is blood relationship between members of a family

Answer : A

Question. There is a lot of ............................ between the siblings.
(a) cold blood
(b) hot blood
(c) bad blood

Answer : C

Question. My son shares his dad's passion for racing. He is a .................................
(a) chip of the old block
(b) chip off the old block
(c) run of the mill

Answer : B

Question. Diabetes ................................ in my family.
(a) rules
(b) reigns
(c) runs

Answer : C
 

Work Related Idioms Class 9 English Worksheets

Question. We are losing customers and revenue. In a ..................., our business is failing.
(a) nutshell
(b) seashell
(c) loop

Answer : A

Question. You should talk to her in person. A simple Whatsapp message won't ................ it.
(a) make
(b) cut
(c) do

Answer : B

Question. I just wanted to touch .................... and make sure that you have received the invitation to my party.
(a) stone
(b) base
(c) ground

Answer : B

Question. We have no idea what is going on behind the ....................
(a) walls
(b) scenes
(c) curtains

Answer : B

Question. To be in the same ..................... is to be in the same difficult situation.
(a) shoe
(b) boat
(c) bus

Answer : B

Question. It is already 8 o'clock. I think we should call it a .....................
(a) day
(b) night

Answer : A

Question. To kill two ................... with one stone is to solve two problems with one action.
(a) birds
(b) pigs
(c) parrots

Answer : A

Question. We have done what we were supposed to do. Now the ball is in their ...................
(a) hand
(b) pocket
(c) court

Answer : C

Question. We had another round of negotiations yesterday and the deal is in the .......................
(a) closet
(b) bag
(c) kitty

Answer : B

Question. You can't expect him to do a perfect job. He is still learning the ...................
(a) wheels
(b) ropes
(c) tricks

Answer : B

Question. I applied for that job despite knowing that it was a .......................
(a) close shave
(b) long shot
(c) free kick

Answer : B

Question. My partner and I are rarely on the .................. and that is the main problem we face.
(a) same page
(b) same boat
(c) ship

Answer : A
 

Clothing Idioms Class 9 English Worksheets

Question. That laptop really burned a hole in my ...................
(a) pocket
(b) purse
(c) wallet

Answer : A

Question. If somebody has a ................... in their bonnet, they have something that annoys them.
(a) beetle
(b) wasp
(c) bee

Answer : C

Question. The city is bursting at the ..................... due to the influx of migrants.
(a) sleeves
(b) seams
(c) hems

Answer : B

Question. They examined the evidence with a ..................
(a) knife
(b) fine-tooth comb
(c) blade

Answer : B

Question. If you are willing to do something at the drop of a ................., you don't need any advance notice to do it.
(a) ball
(b) hat
(c) cap

Answer : B

Question. When you have a card up your ....................., you have a reserve plan.
(a) collar
(b) belt
(c) sleeve

Answer : C

Question. She is very sensitive. You have to handle her with …………….….
(a) baby gloves
(b) kid gloves
(c) child gloves

Answer : B

Question. We were not going to a party. She was still dressed to the …………….
(a) nines
(b) sevens
(c) fives

Answer : A

Question. You needn't have commented on her speech impairment. It was below ....................
(a) the collar
(b) the belt
(c) the sleeves

Answer : B

Question. This gown fits me like a ..................
(a) hat
(b) glove
(c) coat

Answer : B

Question. To ....................... down is to work hard.
(a) fasten
(b) buckle

Answer : B

Question. To fly by the seat of one's .................... is to do something without a plan.
(a) pants
(b) shorts
(c) trousers

Answer : A

Idioms and Phrases for Class 9 English

Some Commonly Used Idioms

• To pay one’s way (not get into debt) : While at college, he paid his way by working as a newspaper vendor.
• To weather the storm (to come out of a crisis successfully) : In a crisis it is unity which helps a nation to weather the storm.
• To sail before the wind (to go in the direction towards in which the wind is blowing) : An opportunist is he who sails before the wind (Its opposite is to sail close to the wind i.e., to break a law or principle)
• To be in the same boat (To be equally exposed with a person to risk or misfortune) : In a nuclear war, the rich and the poor nations will be in the same boat. None will be able to protect themselves.
• To sail under false colours (To pretend to be what one is not, to try to deceive) : In our blessed country, a smuggler sailing under the false colours of a socialist will never be exposed.
• To take the wind out of one’s sails (Frustrating him by anticipating his arguments, take away his advantage suddenly) : Before the U.S. could spread the canard about India’s intention to destroy West Pakistan after “capturing” Bangladesh, India took the wind out of their sails by declaring a unilateral cease-fire.
• Game is not worth the candle (The advantage or enjoyment to be gained is not worth the time spent in gaining it) : Journey to the moon is an elaborate and costly affair and some people with a pragmatic approach feel the game is not worth the candle.
• Not fit to hold a candle to (One is inferior) : For all his pious platitudes and political stunts, Mr. Nixon is not fit to hold a candle to Lincoln or Roosevelt.
• Hope springs eternal in the human breast (one never loses hope).
• Fools rush in where angels fear to tread (said of reckless persons)
• He who pays the piper calls the tune (one has to act according to the wishes of one’s master)
• You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear (said of something impossible)
• A bird in hand is worth two in the bush (right use of the present opportunity)
• One man’s meat is another man’s poison (what is good for one may be harmful for another person)
• Out of the frying pan into the fire (from one trouble to another)
• The last straw breaks the camel’s back (the smallest addition to an already heavy task makes it intolerable)
• Distance lends enchantment to the old (things look nice and beautiful when they are not within reach)
• Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (to be wise)
• Look before you leap (don’t be reckless and impulsive)
• Make hay while the sun shines (to make/ill use of the given opportunity)
• Never look a gift horse in the mouth (there can be no choice about things given in charity)
• Beggars can’t be choosers (no choice in scarcity)
• Nearer the Church, farther from heaven (the more opportunity you have, the less you benefit from it)
• Every cock fights best on his own dung hill (one is very brave and confident in one’s own place)
• A rolling stone gathers no moss (an aimless person cannot succeed)
• Rome was not built in a day (things take time to complete and to mature)
• One swallow does not make a summer (one person can’t do everything)
• Apparel proclaims the man (you judge a man’s worth by his clothes)
• To run with the hare, to hunt with the hound (to be insincere to someone)
• Sweet are the uses of adversity (sufferings are to be welcomed)
• Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown (with power and authority come worries and responsibilities)