Finish the Phrase

How well do you know these common English expressions?

The English language is full of fun, compelling, and downright weird expressions and idioms. Ready to test your knowledge of common American English sayings? Our quiz isn’t for the faint of heart: we’ve arranged our questions from easiest and most common to hardest and most obscure, and only a true English language expert can get all 15 right! See if you can pass this quiz with flying colors—or crash and burn!

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Questions Overview

1. Complete the phrase: “A friend in need is a friend ______.”
  1. indeed
  2. in need
  3. in greed
  4. indebted
2. Complete this phrase: “turn over a new ______.”
  1. leaf
  2. hand
  3. day
  4. bed
3. Actors are commonly told to “break a ______” before a performance.
  1. leg
  2. neck
  3. mirror
  4. record
4. Complete the sentence: “I had a tough week at work, so cut me some ______.”
  1. slack
  2. rope
  3. ice
  4. space
5. Fill in the blank: “Find a ______, pick it up, and all day long you’ll have good luck.”
  1. penny
  2. nickel
  3. clover
  4. button
6. Complete the phrase: “A bad workman blames his ______.”
  1. tools
  2. hands
  3. friends
  4. luck
7. Complete the phrase: “He put his ______ in his mouth.”
  1. foot
  2. fork
  3. hand
  4. shoe
8. Fill in the blank: “The bigger they are, the harder they ______.”
  1. fall
  2. crash
  3. fight
  4. cry
9. Fill in the blank: “I’ll believe it when ______ fly.”
  1. pigs
  2. horses
  3. dragons
  4. monkeys
10. Complete the phrase: “You can’t teach an old dog ______.”
  1. new tricks
  2. new things
  3. to be young
  4. a young dog’s game
11. Complete the phrase: “A bird in the hand is worth two ______.”
  1. in the bush
  2. in the sky
  3. in the cage
  4. in the nest
12. Fill in the blank: “He got the answer straight from the ______ mouth.”
  1. horse’s
  2. dog’s
  3. pastor’s
  4. farmer’s
13. Complete the phrase: “Measure twice, ______.”
  1. cut once
  2. cut twice
  3. twice is nice
  4. cut right
14. Fill in the blank: “That only happens once in a ______.”
  1. blue moon
  2. harvest moon
  3. blood moon
  4. bear moon
15. Complete the phrase: “Don’t throw the ______ out with the bathwater.”
  1. baby
  2. soap
  3. butter
  4. cat

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Fun American English Idioms

Can’t get enough? Check out these other popular (and weird!) American English idioms, adages, and expressions:

  • The elephant in the room: a glaring issue that needs to be discussed
    • Can we talk about the elephant in the room? Why did you shave your head?
  • Chew the fat: make casual chit-chat
    • Want to grab a coffee and chew the fat?
  • As the crow flies: the shortest possible distance between two points
    • The university is about 30 minutes away, as the crow flies.
  • The bee’s knees: something totally awesome
    • Have you seen Yellowjackets? That show is the bee’s knees.
  • Like chalk and cheese: used to describe two things that are very different
    • Todd and Jaime are best friends, but their personalities are like chalk and cheese.
  • Piece of cake: something that’s super easy
    • That English exam was a piece of cake. I’ll be shocked if I don’t get an A.
  • Miss the boat: to lose out on an opportunity due to lateness
    • I was going to apply for that artist residency, but I missed the boat—applications closed last month!
  • Beat around the bush: to avoid discussing something important or to speak indirectly about something
    • Stop beating around the bush—what is it you really want to say to me?
  • Bite the bullet: to force yourself to do something difficult
    • I’ve been avoiding breaking up with Joan for weeks…but I’ve just got to bite the bullet.
  • Call it a day: to stop working on something for the time being
    • You’ve been taking wikiHow quizzes for hours—why don’t you call it a day and go for a walk?

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