IDIOMS AND COLLOCATIONS EXERCICES

Exercise 1: Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences

Question 1: The technological advances_________birth to the Industrial Revolution, which was the transition to new
manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840.
A. took B. gave C. had D. made
Question 2: A number of the kids in my classroom come from_________homes.
A. broken B. damaged C. hurt D. separated
Question 3: After a_________divorce from his wife of 20 years, the actor married a woman young enough to be his daughter.
A. hostile B. unhappy C. bitter D. normal
Question 4: An _________family is a family consisting of parents like father, mother, and their children, aunts, uncles, and
cousins, all living nearby or in the same household.
A. nuclear B. loving C. close-knit D. extended
Question 5: His parents died in a car accident 3 years ago and he has been _________up by his grandparents since then.
A. grown B. brought C. taken D. made
Question 6: A _________ mother is the woman who gives birth to a child, regardless of whether she is the genetic mother or
subsequently brings up the child.
A. step B. adoptive C. birth D. law
Question 7: She decided to quit the job despite its high salary because she was not on good_________with her boss.
A. terms B. well C. relations D. relationships
Question 8: John had a_________childhood, growing up with happily married parents and three brothers.
A. carefree B. careful C. careless D. troubled
Question 9: My aunt’s going through a_________divorce; she’s paying a fortune in legal fees.
A. bitter B. messy C. mutual D. carefree
Question 10: Some women choose to_________an abortion rather than care for a severely disabled child.
A. have B. give C. get D. A and C
Question 11: A judge might_________sole custody to the mother, and the father has to pay child support.
A. reward B. award C. receive D. accept
Question 12: He is a_________boy in the family and his parents always give him everything he wants.
A. blue-eyed B. naked-eyed C. black sheep D. spoiled
Question 13: My sister_________pregnant immediately after she got married.
A. took B. gave C. had D. got
Question 14: _________is the fact of someone having been born into a family that belongs to the highest social class
A. Cold blood B. Blue blood C. Bad blood D. Fresh blood
Question 15: My son is making a diagram of our family_________for a school project.
A. background B. tree C. root D. roof
Question 16: My wife is pregnant with twins. They are_________in February.
A. come B. date C. due D. here
Question 17: If you are unable to meet the legal and moral responsibilities of parenthood, you may give the
baby_________adoption. There are professional adoption services and agencies to help you find a loving forever home for
your baby.
A. up for B. in for C. out of D. up to
Question 18: Sally was granted sole_________ of the children from her first marriage.
A. keeping B. custody C. guardian D. adoptive
Question 19: The celebrity wrote a book about his_________family.
A. debilitated B. defective C. dysfunctional D. effective
Question 20: They have three biological children and two_________children.
A. adopted B. adoptive C. adopting D. adoptable

Exercise 2: Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences

Question 1: Everyone in my community_______to help those impacted by the hurricane.
A. joined hands B. joined hand C. gave hand D. gave a hand
Question 2: After marriage, Mrs. Hoa always keeps good_______with her mother-in-law.
A. association B. Relation C. friendship D. relationship
Question 3: We always split the housework equally - my mom cooks, my dad cleans the house and I do the washing-up.
A. join B. break C. share D. pickup
Question 4: She decided to find a job to earn money instead of just living at home and being a housekeeper.
A. lend B. make C. borrow D. raise
Question 5: Every individual should take responsibility for participating to protect environment.
A. give B. assume C. make D. create
Question 6: It is advisable that everyone in family share the household duties.
A. views B. ideas C. jobs D. Chores
Question 7: We take_________in doing the washing-up, cleaning the floor and watering the flowers.
A. turn B. out C. around D. turns
Question 8: To Hoa, her father is the greatest person in the world and he always sets a good_________for her.
A. role B. behaviour C. example D. action
Question 9: Make_________he's honest before you lend him any money.
A. sure B. believe C. haste D. ready
Question 10: My mother and I often go to the supermarket to shop for_________at weekends.
A. cook B. groceries C. the chores D. heavy lifting
Question 11: Today is a day I shall not forget in a_________.
A. hurry B. debt C. huff D. flutter
Question 12: When his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Mr. Nam became the sole_________.
A. housemaid B. housekeeper C. father D. breadwinner
Question 13: You've been so kind to me that I ought to be_________to make any sacrifice for you.
A. glad B. willing C. pleased D. happy
Question 14: _________is a person who works at home and takes care of the house and family.
A. Breadwinner B. Homemaker C. Servant D. Houseman
Question 15: My parents always wish me to win a place at this university, but they never put pressure_________me.
A. under B. on C. at D. in
Question 16: Mr. Hoang found it difficult to be in charge of the household_________.
A. financial B. financially C. finances D. financier
Question 17: My wife is going on her business next week so I have to_________most of the chores around the house.
A. distribute B. hold C. take D. handle
Question 18: In my family, my father always takes charge of doing the_________lifting.
A. strong B. hard C. heavy D. huge
Question 19: There are many people that:" men build the house and women make it______" but I don't agree with them.
A. the home B. house C. home D. the house
Question 20: I wish you’d_________the effort to get on with her.
A. make B. try C. attempt D. do

Exercise 3: Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences

Question 1: The relationship is on the_________and the couple seems unable to find ways to resolve their differences.
A. stones B. rocks C. land D. grounds
Question 2: The prince asked for her_________in marriage in an elaborately planned proposal in the yacht.
A. hand B. arms C. finger D. hands
Question 3: They are a match_________in heaven. They enjoy doing things together and cannot stand being away from each
other for even a single day.
A. done B. taken C. held D. made
Question 4: We are quick to kiss and_________. We make sure arguments make us stronger, not weaker.
A. make-up B. makeup C. make up D. making up
Question 5: Grandpa_________sweet nothings in grandma's ears while they were seated in the porch overlooking the lake.
A. whistled B. twisted C. whispered D. wished
Question 6: They say it is just_________love. The high-school sweethearts say it is true love.
A. doggy B. dogged C. puppy D. doggish
Question 7: He’s head over_________in love with Sue! He's totally hung up on her.
A. heels B. knees C. toes D. shoulder
Question 8: When are you and Jenny going to_________the knot? - This year, but we haven’t set a date yet."
A. trip B. tie C. cut D. bring
Question 9: I _________ up a friendship with John while we were on a business trip together.
A. struck B. drove C. strike D. took
Question 10: She found out that he'd been cheating_________her for a long time.
A. on B. in C. at D. off
Question 11: It's a good place for buying something special for your significant_________.
A. others B. other C. another D. one
Question 12: Maybe you and I go_________years because I remember I used to fight with you.
A. up B. down C. on D. back
Question 13: Later that year she met Adam and she knew instantly that they were_________.
A. soul mates B. classmates C. roommates D. schoolmates
Question 14: We had similar ideas about the show, and the two of US_________it off right away.
A. put B. hit C. call D. take
Question 15: She's having an_________with a married man. She’s aware of what she is doing but she can’t stop it.
A. affair B. matter C. problem D. issue
Question 16: If love that you feel for someone is_________, it is not felt in the same way by the other person.
A. requited B. unrequited C. required D. unrequired
Question 17: He really cares about me or he’s just leading me_________?
A. up B. in C. on D. over
Question 18: I didn't think Larry and Patricia had anything in_________, but they talked all evening.
A. common B. popular C. normal D. same
Question 19: Some guy_________on me while I was standing at the bar.
A. bit B. hit C. nit D. kit
Question 20: Do you believe in love at first sight? That’s when two people meet each other and immediately fall in love -
perhaps because they have strong _________ - this expression describes strong compatibility or connection between two
possible romantic partners.
A. Physics B. chemistry C. biography D. history

Exercise 4: Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences

Question 1: The couple had been living in a_________relationship for eight years and then they didn't feel the attraction of
each other.
A. solid B. stable C. secure D. balanced
Question 2: She knew he was attracted to her, but preferred to keep their relationship_________.
A. platonic B. bright C. pure D. naive
Question 3: _________ talk is a serious conversation between two people, usually close friends, in which they talk honestly
about their feelings.
A. Heart-and-heart B. Heart-to-heart C. Heart-or-heart D. Heartly
Question 4: His youngest daughter was the_________of his eye.
A. apple B. honey C. strawberry D. sweet
Question 5: Only time will heal the rift between the two families.
A. peach B.breach C. beach D. reach
Question 6: Jane arranged for me to go on a/an _________date with a guy from her office.
A. blind B. group C. online D. speed
Question 7: Parents are always willing to lend a sympathetic_________to their children when they have problems.
A. hand B. ear C. eye D. paw
Question 8: This is a classic work of literature. It has stood the_________of time.
A. exam B. check C. test D. length
Question 9: I don't know what to say to break the_________with someone I've just met at the party.
A. air B. ice C. leg D. rule
Question 10: We sprang to Mary's_________when she was accused of doing wrong.
A. defense B. insurance C. security D. safety
Question 11: Gary didn't always_________eye to eye with his father, and this is where the honesty shows through.
A. watch B. look C. find D. see
Question 12: Don't be afraid to take the_________and say what you think.
A. initiatives B. initiation C. initiative D. initiate
Question 13: They were ever lovers, but now he makes a stranger of her. They are_________strangers.
A. total B. quite C. complete D. quiet
Question 14: I am now reconciled with two of my estranged siblings - not just my older brother, but my sister, whom I hadn't
spoken to for 17 years.
A. contactable B. harmonized C. opposed D. truthful
Question 15: Students are advised to tune out distractions and focus on study.
A. avoid B. stop C. neglect D. regard
Question 16: I actually don't like John's girlfriend, but I still work_________a relationship.
A. on B. in C. at D. out
Question 17: I never expected that he would abuse the_________I placed in him.
A. confidence B. trust C. expectation D. belief
Question 18: Don't_________your love to your friends unless you know they feel the same way.
A. confess B. conceal C. consend D. confide
Question 19: Sir, we have politely asked you to leave — please don't make a_________
A. mess B. allowance C. mistake D. fuss
Question 20: Friendship is love without its wings and a friend in_________is a friend indeed.
A. danger B. need C. short D. sum

Exercise 5: Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences

Question 1: My best friend Joanna is absolutely gorgeous. She has long, sleek, jet-black hair, pale blue eyes and
a_________complexion.
A. radiation B. radiant C. radiated D. radiative
Question 2: If you say that somebody is as flat as a _________, you are emphasizing that he/she is completely flat.
A. cake B. pea cake C. pancake D. noodle
Question 3: People always compliment her on her hourglass_________and ask her what the secret is to maintaining such a
slender waist.
A. number B. figure C. sum D. amount
Question 4: She has a round face with an upturned nose, and she actually bears a striking resemblance to a famous singer.
A. looks extremely similar to B. extremely takes after C. makes acquaintances with D. both A and B are correct
Question 5: After getting some sleep, I was as fresh as a_________and continued to work.
A. flowers B. daisy C. peach D. rose
Question 6: Joanna could get any guy she wanted - so I was really surprised when she introduced me to her latest boyfriend,
who 1 think is_________ugly.
A. bitterly B. extremely C. ostentatiously D. hideously
Question 7: Do you think this dress is too young-looking for me? -1 don't want to look like mutton dressed as_____.
A. lamp B. lamb C. stamp D. ramp
Question 8: He has an_________build, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. If he would only trim his beard and comb his
hair, I suppose he could be considered somewhat attractive.
A. energetic B. dynamic C. strong D. athletic
Question 9: His arm was_________, so he couldn’t carry his case.
A. black and blue B. black and white C. blue and black D. white and black
Question 10: Marilyn turned as white as a sheet when the policeman told her that her son had been in a car wreck.
A. god B. ghost C. sheep D. fairy
Question 11:1 don’t think of myself as being_________the hill yet. I’m too old.
A. on B. over C. at D. behind
Question 12: Whenever I asked about his girlfriend, he would go as red as a_________.
A. beetroot B. sun C. chilly D. tomato
Question 13: Why don't we ever sing new songs? Those hymns are as old as the_________.
A. mountains B. hills C. everests D. chops
Question 14: When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I loved playing with dolls and stuffed animals.
A. an teenager B. an adult C. an infant D. small
Question 15: The twins are like two peas in a_________and apart from their parents, no one can tell them apart.
A. pod B. pond C. pound D. proud
Question 16: He's a little_________in the tooth to be wearing shorts, don't you think?
A. green B. long C. old D. strong
Question 17:1 love these pants because they_________like a glove and they're so comfortable.
A. seem B. are C. fit D. look
Question 18: I'm no spring_________, so I can't stay out till 2 AM drinking and dancing anymore.
A. chicken B. hen C. cock D. peacock
Question 19: You won't be living to a_________old age if you keep eating all that junk food.
A. ripe B. ripen C. ripening D. ripened
Question 20: Although they are twins, they are as different as _________and cheese.
A. butter B. chalk C. coal D. roast