PRACTICE TEST 22 – IDIOMS

A. IDIOMS about work:

I. Put the nouns in the box into these dialogues:
plate end finger candle hands thumbs feet eyes
1. I didn’t leave the office till seven. I’m up to my ____________ in work at the moment.
2. My first day at work was really boring. I had nothing to do. I just sat at my desk twiddle my _________.
3. - Bill wants to know if you can spend some time training the new secretary.
- I’m afraid I haven’t got a minute – I can’t. I’ve already got enough on my ___________.
4. I just need to get to bed earlier. I’ve been burning the __________ at both ends recently – late nights
and early starts.
5. I need a rest. I’ve been on my _________ all day.
6. – I’m going to spend whole weekend painting the outside of the house.
– Do you need some help? I’m at a loose ________ this weekend.
7. Paul never shares the cooking and cleaning with me. He never lifts a ______________.
8. My sister’s three children are coming to stay with me this weekend. So I’ll have my _________full.
II. Complete the sentences using the idiomatic expressions below:
rushed off our feet the top of the tree dead all day a short-list a dead-end job
one thing after another fit you in on the go tied up in the pipeline

1. Everything went wrong today. It’s been ___________________________.

2. Sorry, I can’t go for a drink with you. I’m tired. I’ve been __________________ all day.
3. Wednesday is not a good day for me, but I can __________________ on Thursday.
4. I haven’t had any customers today. It’s been __________________.
5. We’ve got a lot of customers in this morning. We’ve been ____________________.
6. – Can I talk to you about a problem that’s just come up?
– Sorry, I’m _________________ till after lunch.
7. Imagine just putting letters in envelopes all day. What ___________________!
8. It’s going to be a busy year for us. We’ve got two major projects to finish and an even bigger one
________________.
9. I just had a really good job interview. I’m on ________________ of five.
10. Where is there to go once you’ve reached _____________________?
III. Complete the following situations with the correct form of a suitable verb in the box.
climb take breathe stand go hold land find
1. – Do you think it’s worth me doing a part-time MBA? It’s a lot of work.
– It depends how much you want to ___________ the career ladder.
2. – My new job’s OK but there are lots of things I’m still not used to.
– That’s normal. It always takes a few months before you really ______________ your feet.
3. – I suppose your busiest time is around Christmas, isn’t it?
– Yes, we always _________ on extra staff just for that period.
4. – Are you working late again tonight?
– I’m afraid so. Peter _____________________ down my neck for last month’s sales figures.
5. – I’m going to have a word with Jack and try to change my holidays.
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 – Jack’s on a course this week and Marie ________________ in for him, so you’d better wait till he gets
back. You know what she’s like!
6. – You know Frank’s not going to put your idea on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting, don’t you?
– Isn’t he? In that case I’ll have to _________over his head and talk to his head of department.
7. – I bumped into Paul last week. He’s just started a new job selling insurance.
– I wonder how long that’ll last. He can’t __________ a job down for longer than six months.
8. – Where’s Andrew working nowadays?
– Haven’t you heard? He’s just ________________ a great job with that new American bank in the City.

B. IDIOMS with “all”:

I. Put the expressions with “all” in the dialogues below:
all yours all for all year round not at all
by all means by all accounts 25 all told all in all
1. Can I leave my car in this space for 10 minutes?
- ___________. But you’ll have to move it when the manager comes back from lunch - it’s her space.
2. – Is the castle open to the public 52 weeks a year? – Yes, it’s open _________, except Christmas Day.
3. – How many people came to yesterday’s meeting? – There were ________, including your own people.
4. - I hope the weather didn’t ruin your holiday.
– Well, it was very disappointing, but everything else was great. _________ we had a really good time.
5. – I couldn’t have fixed the car on my own. Thanks for your help.
- ______________. Just call me whenever you need help.
6. – Have you tried that new Mexican restaurant in Kemp Street?
– No, I haven’t but, ________________, it’s excellent.
7. - People should be allowed to smoke wherever they want. This is a free country, after all.
– Well, I’m _______________ freedom but you do have to respect other people’s health, don’t you?
8. – Have you finished with the newspaper? – Yes, just take it. It’s ________________.

II. Fill in the following sentences with a suitable word/phrase:

over along of a sudden the same for said and done being well go
1. I should arrive about six, all _________________. It partly depends on the traffic.
2. Come on, hurry up or the party will be all ___________ by the time we get there.
3. Nobody admitted to damaging my car, but I suspected all _______________that it was my eldest son’
wife, Sheila.
4. Sorry, I haven’t been able to ring you earlier, but my phone hasn’t stopped ringing since I got in this
morning. It’s been all _____________.
5. I haven’t spoken to my brother for years. I’ve got no idea what he’s doing these days. He could be in
Australia or Timbuctoo ____________ all I know.
6. Thanks for offering, but if it’s all _______________ to you, I’ll walk. I need some fresh air.
7. I was watching TV, having a coffee and all ___________ everything went back – the TV, the lights.
There was a power cut.
8. I can’t say I like my job – there are things I don’t like about it, but it pays the bills. When all’s
______________, it’s better than having no job at all!

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