Idioms ELD

Idioms

Figurative Language

Multiple Choice

He is one tough cookie.

• He eats a lot of cookies
• He likes cookies
• He works hard

​An idiom is...

• a figure of speech

• an expression not to be taken literally

• mostly ​used in informal situations

• ​used to express ideas more clearly/more interestingly

Multiple Choice

Bart has never been able to eat more than half a pizza before. But today, he thinks he can eat a whole one! His eyes are bigger than his stomach.

What is the meaning of "his eyes are bigger than his stomach?"

• He has really BIG eyes!

• He can eat a lot.

• His stomach is really small.

• He thinks he can eat more than he really can.

Multiple Choice

Some people are really good at fractions, but not me. Fractions go over my head.

What is the meaning of "go over my head?"

• I see fractions in the sky.

• It means that it is too hard to understand.

• Fractions are in my head.

• Fractions are above me.

Multiple Choice

Eric wants to get Chinese food. Lindsey wants to get Mexican food. But Marcy is on the fence.

What is the meaning of "on the fence?"

• She is sitting on a fence.

• She can't decide what she wants.

• She wants both Chinese and Mexican food.

• She doesn't like either type of food.

Multiple Choice

Pablo is about to speak in front of a big group. He's never done it before. So, he has butterflies in his stomach.

What is the meaning of "has butterflies in his stomach?"

• He swallowed butterlies.

• He feels like he is sick to his stomach.

• His stomach is being tickled.

• He is nervous about speaking in front of people.

Multiple Choice

I invited Cara to my party, but she still hasn't said if she's coming. She has left me hanging for two weeks!

What is the meaning of "Left me hanging?"

• You were left hanging on the monkey bars.

• You and your friend were having fun together.

• You were made to wait.

• You went to the party.

Multiple Choice

Bart has never been able to eat more than half a pizza before. But today, he thinks he can eat a whole one! His eyes are bigger than his stomach.

What is the meaning of "his eyes are bigger than his stomach?"

• He has really BIG eyes!

• He can eat a lot.

• His stomach is really small.

• He thinks he can eat more than he really can.

Drag and Drop

Despite the tough exterior and hard bargaining, Les is known to have a soft spot for customers facing hard times and a heart of gold when it comes to his family. 'Heart of gold' means ​ ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

to care about other people

to promise

to really mean something

Drag and Drop

Janie has a big heart, she received a big box of candy for Valentine's Day and shared it with her brothers and sisters. To 'have a big heart' means to ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

to be giving, caring

to be scared or nervous

to really want something

Multiple Choice

What is the correct meaning of the following idiom?

you are in hot water

• do not buy too many bottled waters because we must share

• there is not any hot water so the shower is cold

• you need to go home and cook dinner

• you are in trouble because of something you have done

Multiple Choice

What is the correct meaning of the following idiom.

piece of cake

• only eat one piece of cake

• the bakery was closed

• something that is very easy

• something that tastes really good

Multiple Choice

What is the meaning of the following idiom?

cool as a cucumber

• something is easy

• it is time to quit

• to be very calm under stress

• a cool cucumber is good for the eyes

Multiple Choice

 What does “he got up on the wrong side of the bed” really mean?

• He hit his head when he got out of bed this morning.
• His bed is pushed up against the wall and he can only use one side.
• He has been grumpy since he woke up.

Multiple Choice

What does “she has butterflies in her stomach” really mean?

• She has a nervous or anxious feeling.
• She swallowed a butterfly.
• She feels sick.

Idioms

An idiom is a figurative, non literal meaning attached to a phrase.

Multiple Select

I can't afford to buy the video game because it would cost an arm and a leg. It would...

• take my arm and leg from my body.

• be too expensive for me.

• make my parents mad.

Multiple Select

She doesn't use a recipe when making dessert, she likes to play it by ear. She likes to...

• Listen to directions from Alexa.

• Call her grandma for help.

• Guess

• Add things as she sees fit according to what she already knows about baking.

Multiple Select

The Olympic Swimmer was considered the cream of the crop. She was...

• One of the best

• A great vegetable

• Very smooth

• Growing fast

Multiple Select

Sally's mind wanders during class, and she has her head in the clouds. Sally...

• gets dizzy from not getting enough oxygen.

• is extremely tall.

• doesn't pay attention and thinks about other things.

• gets out of her seat all the time.

Multiple Select

I wasn't supposed to know about the secret, but I heard it through the grapevine. I heard it...

• after it spread from person to person.

• after I ate grapes at lunch.

• from my best friend.

• on the announcements

Multiple Select

When it was my turn to play the violin, I had butterflies in my stomach. I felt...

• like I was ready to fly.

• like my strings might break.

• very nervous.

• mad.

Multiple Select

We watched a fun video in class this morning, but Joe was late to school. He missed the boat. That means he...

• had a flat tire.

• got stuck on the shore.

• missed out on something cool or fun.

• needed a lifejacket.

Multiple Choice

Bobby would have been playing ball until the cows came home if it hadn’t been for Suzie dragging him home for dinner.

• Bobby was just about to stop playing ball.

• b. Bobby didn’t even want to play ball to begin with

• c. Bobby prefers nature to athletics.

• d. Bobby would have continued playing ball for a long time.

Multiple Choice

After going to the zoo, the mall, and the movies, Cassie was sick of bending over backwards to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was doing very little to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was making small efforts to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was trying very hard to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was not trying at all to entertain her nieces.

Multiple Choice

4. Eric wanted to fix his cousin’s computer, but he was already having problems setting up his Aunt’s Wi-Fi network and he didn’t want to open a whole new can of worms.

• a. Eric was sick of spending his time helping his family.

• b. Eric wanted to go fishing instead of working on computers.

• c. Eric was having difficulties untangling the computer wires.

• d. Eric was not ready to begin working on a complicated new problem.

Multiple Choice

6. World renowned country western super group The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena at the drop of a hat.

• a. The Mountain Boys may be able to sell out an arena, but it will take a long time.

• b. The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena very quickly.

• c. The Mountain Boys are always willing to perform at charity events.

• d. The Mountain Boys enforce a dress code at all of their shows.

Multiple Choice

8. Mrs. Robinson expects Cassie and my presentation to be good, but we have been working on it every night for the last week, so we are really going to knock her socks off.

• a. Cassie and the speaker are not prepared to give a good presentation.

• b. Cassie and the speaker intend on hitting Mrs. Robinson rather than presenting.

• c. Cassie and the speaker’s presentation will far exceed Mrs. Robinson’s expectations.

• d. Cassie and the speaker’s presentation will meet Mrs. Robison’s expectations.

Multiple Choice

9. Over the summer Brian was really excited about being placed in the advanced math class, but after getting his syllabus on the first day and seeing the workload, he was ready to jump ship.

• a. Brian was even more excited about the math class than he was over the summer.

• b. Brian wanted to start working on his math assignments right away.

• c. Brian did not want to be in the advance math class anymore.

• d. Brian wanted to cause some trouble in the advanced math class.

Multiple Choice

12. After Ms. Smith caught Darnisha chewing gum for the third time, Ms. Smith scheduled a parent teacher conference with Darnisha’s mother. When Darnisha’s mother came into Ms. Smith’s classroom, she was chewing gum. Ms. Smith thought to herself, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

• a. Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha dresses like her mother.

• b. Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha acts a lot like her mother.

• c. Ms. Smith is surprised to see that Darnisha’s mother came.

• d. Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha’s mother lives very close to the school.