Phrasal Verbs and Idioms MCQ Exercise 4

The idiom high and low means everywhere: you searched in every possible place. Example: I searched high and low for my keys.

Little by little means gradually: slowly, in small steps over time. Not to a small degree, because the idiom describes how something happens over time, not how much.

All at once means suddenly, without any warning. Not one time: the phrase is about something happening unexpectedly, not about how many times.

For good means forever or permanently: the speaker is never coming back. Not at last, which means 'finally, after a long wait'.

Someone who is down to earth is practical and realistic, and simple and honest in the way they behave. That is why everyone trusts the young man.

To get cold feet means to suddenly feel nervous or afraid just before doing something important. Not froze: the idiom is about losing courage, not about the body being cold or unable to move.

To take after someone means to resemble an older family member in looks or character. Example: She takes after her grandmother. Don't confuse it with look after, which means 'take care of'.

To give up doing something means to stop doing it. Example: He gave up smoking. Not resign: you resign from a job or position, but here the person simply stopped working from home.

When fireworks or bombs go off, they explode. Example: The bomb went off in the street. Not started: an alarm that goes off starts ringing, but fireworks that go off explode.

To come down with an illness means to become ill with it, usually something not too serious. Example: She came down with the flu.

To go over something means to examine or check it carefully. Not grade: the teacher will look through the project with the student, not just give it a mark.

To get on well with someone means to have a friendly relationship with them. Get along with means the same. Not living with: the birds already live together, and the phrase describes how friendly they are.

To get round to doing something means to finally find time for it after delaying. The speaker has been too busy to phone. Not reach: the problem is time, not contacting her.

Look out! is a warning that means take care or be careful, because there is danger. Not look at: it isn't asking you to look at something, it warns you.

To bring up a child means to raise them: to care for them until they are an adult. Not educate, which is only one part of bringing up a child.

To cut across a place means to go through it to take a short cut, a quicker way. Not run through: the phrase is about choosing a shorter route, not about speed.

To let someone down means to disappoint them by not doing what they expected. The clue is 'I shouldn't have relied on him'. Not dropped me off, which means taking someone somewhere in a car.

To set off means to start a journey. The time 8:30 shows when the trip began. Not travelled, because set off refers only to the moment of leaving.

To set up an organisation or programme means to establish or start it. Not planned: planning comes before, but set up means it actually started.

To get away with something wrong means to escape punishment for it. Example: He cheated, but he didn't get away with it. Not run off: get away on its own can mean escape from a place, but get away with a bad action means not being punished.