Idioms and phrases form a crucial component of the Language II (English) section in Bihar TET. These questions test your understanding of figurative language—expressions whose meanings cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of individual words. Mastery of common idioms and phrasal verbs helps you tackle vocabulary-based MCQs, comprehension passages, and sentence completion questions.
For Bihar TET, expect 2–4 questions directly testing idioms and phrasal verbs. Additionally, unseen passages often contain idiomatic expressions where understanding context clues becomes essential. The exam focuses on frequently used idioms in everyday English rather than obscure literary expressions. Building a bank of 150–200 common idioms with their meanings and usage contexts will serve you well.
Key Concepts
**Idiom**: A fixed expression whose meaning differs from the literal meaning of its component words. "Kick the bucket" means to die, not literally kicking a bucket.
**Phrasal Verb**: A verb combined with a preposition or adverb (or both) that creates a new meaning. "Give up" means to quit, distinct from "give" alone.
**Fixed Structure**: Most idioms cannot be modified. You say "break the ice," not "break some ice" or "shatter the ice."
**Context Dependency**: The same phrasal verb can have different meanings. "Take off" can mean remove clothing, airplane departure, or sudden success.
**Separable vs Inseparable Phrasal Verbs**: Some phrasal verbs allow objects between verb and particle ("turn the light off"), while others don't ("look after the child," not "look the child after").
**Cultural Loading**: Many idioms originate from British culture, sports, or historical events. Understanding origin helps remember meaning.
**Register Awareness**: Some idioms are informal ("chill out") while others suit formal writing ("in lieu of"). Bihar TET tests standard, neutral-register idioms.
Formulas / Key Facts
**Must-Know Idioms (Category-wise)**
*Body Parts*
At the drop of a hat — immediately, without hesitation
Bite your tongue — stop yourself from speaking
Cold shoulder — deliberate unfriendliness
Keep an eye on — watch carefully
Turn a blind eye — ignore deliberately
*Animals*
Let the cat out of the bag — reveal a secret
Kill two birds with one stone — accomplish two tasks with one action
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Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: "To break the ice"
Q2 · Idioms and Phrases · EASY
What does the phrasal verb "put off" mean in the sentence: "The meeting has been put off until next week"?
Q3 · Idioms and Phrases · MEDIUM
Select the sentence in which the idiom "a piece of cake" is used correctly:
Q4 · Idioms and Phrases · MEDIUM
Which of the following phrasal verbs correctly completes the sentence: "The teacher asked the students to ______ their assignments before leaving the classroom"?
Straight from the horse's mouth — directly from the original source
A fish out of water — uncomfortable in unfamiliar situation
Raining cats and dogs — raining very heavily
*Nature/Weather*
Under the weather — feeling ill
Break the ice — initiate conversation in awkward situation
A storm in a teacup — big fuss over trivial matter
Once in a blue moon — very rarely
*Time/Action*
Burn the midnight oil — work late into the night
In the nick of time — just in time
Beat around the bush — avoid the main topic
Hit the nail on the head — be exactly right
**Essential Phrasal Verbs**
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | |--------------|---------| | Break down | stop functioning; lose emotional control | | Bring up | raise a child; mention a topic | | Call off | cancel | | Carry on | continue | | Come across | find by chance | | Get along | have good relations | | Give in | surrender, yield | | Look forward to | anticipate with pleasure | | Make up | invent; reconcile | | Put off | postpone | | Run out of | exhaust supply | | Set up | establish | | Take after | resemble (family member) | | Turn down | reject; reduce volume |
Worked Examples
**Example 1: Idiom Meaning**
*Question*: Choose the correct meaning of "to bury the hatchet." (a) To die in battle (b) To make peace after a quarrel (c) To hide evidence (d) To start a fight
*Solution*: Step 1: Recall that "hatchet" is a small axe, historically used in warfare. Step 2: "Burying" weapons symbolises ending conflict. Step 3: The idiom means to end a disagreement and become friends again. **Answer: (b)**
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**Example 2: Phrasal Verb in Context**
*Question*: Fill in the blank: "The meeting has been _______ until next Monday." (a) put off (b) put up (c) put down (d) put out
*Solution*: Step 1: The sentence indicates rescheduling to a later date. Step 2: "Put off" means postpone. Step 3: "Put up" means accommodate/tolerate; "put down" means insult/write; "put out" means extinguish. **Answer: (a)**
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**Example 3: Sentence Completion**
*Question*: She was over the moon when she heard about her promotion. "Over the moon" means: (a) confused (b) extremely happy (c) worried (d) indifferent
*Solution*: Step 1: Context clue—receiving a promotion is positive news. Step 2: "Over the moon" describes extreme happiness or delight. Step 3: The moon represents something high; being "over" it suggests elevated emotions. **Answer: (b)**
Common Mistakes
**Literal Interpretation** → Remember that idioms are figurative. "Kick the bucket" has nothing to do with buckets. Always consider non-literal meanings first.
**Confusing Similar Phrasal Verbs** → "Look after" (care for), "look into" (investigate), "look up to" (admire), and "look down on" (despise) have completely different meanings. Note the preposition carefully.
**Wrong Preposition in Phrasal Verbs** → Students write "look forward for" instead of "look forward to." The preposition is fixed and cannot be changed.
**Mixing Up Idioms with Similar Words** → "A piece of cake" (easy task) is different from "a cake walk" (easy victory). Don't assume similar-sounding idioms mean the same thing.
**Ignoring Context in Passages** → When an idiom appears in a comprehension passage, read surrounding sentences. Even unfamiliar idioms can be understood through context clues about tone and situation.
Quick Reference
Idioms have **fixed forms**—do not change words or structure.
Phrasal verbs = verb + preposition/adverb with **new combined meaning**.
"At the eleventh hour" = at the last moment.
"A blessing in disguise" = something good that initially seemed bad.
Separable phrasal verbs: object can go in middle ("pick up the book" or "pick the book up").
When unsure, eliminate options by checking if literal meaning fits the context—if yes, it's probably not the idiom's meaning.