English Idioms Test B1-B2 for Intermediate Learners

English Idioms Test B1-B2: Can You Understand Them in Context?

English idioms can be tricky because their meaning is not always clear from the individual words. In this B1-B2 test, read each short situation and choose the correct meaning or the most natural idiom.

English Idioms Test B1-B2 part 1

Test your understanding of common English idioms at B1-B2 level. Read 10 short situations and choose the correct meaning.

1 / 10

Your friend is trying to avoid talking about the real problem. Which idiom fits best?

She is under the weather.

She is hitting the books.

She is calling it a day.

She is beating around the bush.

2 / 10

We wanted to finish the whole project in two days, but honestly, we bit off more than we could chew.

What does bit off more than we could chew mean?

made a small mistake

finished the work very quickly

accepted a task that was too difficult

refused to help someone

3 / 10

I was nervous about giving the presentation, but after the first few minutes I started to get the hang of it.

What does get the hang of it mean?

stop doing it completely

become angry about it

forget the main idea

understand how to do it

4 / 10

I didn’t really believe his story. It sounded strange, so I decided to take it with a pinch of salt.

What does take it with a pinch of salt mean?

ignore it because it is boring

not fully believe it

repeat it to everyone

believe it completely

5 / 10

I know the job interview is tomorrow, but try not to overthink it. Just be yourself and break a leg.

What does break a leg mean here?

work harder

good luck

don’t move

be careful

6 / 10

You want to say that someone revealed a secret by accident. Which idiom is best?

He spilled the beans.

He kept an eye on it.

He pulled someone’s leg.

He missed the boat.

7 / 10

The manager said the new system would save time, but for many employees it only made things more complicated. It was a real mixed blessing.

What is a mixed blessing?

something very easy to understand

something that has both good and bad sides

something that happens by accident

something that is only negative

8 / 10

After three hours of discussion, we still couldn’t agree. In the end, we decided to call it a day.

What does call it a day mean here?

choose an important date

have a difficult conversation

stop working for now

start a new project

9 / 10

Your colleague says: “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on the emails while you’re away.”

What does your colleague mean?

I’ll watch or check the emails.

I’ll answer every email immediately.

I’ll stop using email.

I’ll delete the emails.

10 / 10

A: “Did Tom really meet a famous actor yesterday?”
B: “No, he was just pulling your leg.”

What does B mean?

Tom was angry.

Tom was very lucky.

Tom was joking.

Tom was telling a secret.

Your score is

The average score is 80%

English Idioms Test B1-B2: Can You Understand Them in Context?

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