Important Rules: Phrases and Idioms | English Language & Comprehension for SSC CGL PDF Download

Idioms and Phrases are literal terms that induce a meaning that may be otherwise hidden behind the actual words.

• Possessing an inherent cultural significance.
• Metaphorical in nature; extracting the literal meaning of the words would seem unbelievable or even absurd.
• Idioms and phrases can enhance dull prose or literature, offering authors a means to inject interest and eliminate monotony from their writing.

While reading and answering Idioms and Phrases we can say that there is a slight difference in the two.

Difference between Idioms & Phrases

• The difference is that in an idiom, the meaning arises from common usage. While a phrase is a small group of words that have a meaning when taken together.

Idioms

For example:

• Being comfortable in one’s skin –
  If you take the literal meaning it would be absurd to even explain.
  However the actual meaning here that we can extract : ‘the feeling of being comfortable with yourself’.
  One’s skin means own skin or to simplify ‘yourself’
• Beat around the bush –
  With this idiom it doesn’t mean to actually take a bat and beat the bush but:
  to talk about everything around the topic and try to ignore / avoid the main topic, the person, or a particular thing.

Phrases

For Example: 

• Deep down – deeper feelings
  
• Group of men and women – group of men and group of women
• Challenge of imagination – challenging to be imaginative
• Latin and Greek –  some strange meaning

Examples

Q1: One proverb/Idiom is mentioned below together with its meaning. Choose the correct meaning of that particular Idiom from the given

Add fuel to the flames:
(a) To burn something
(b) To do or say something that makes someone react more strongly
(c) To consider something
(d) None of the above
Ans: B
To add fume to flames means to over exaggerate anything that makes a bad situation more miserable.

Q2: One proverb/Idiom is mentioned below together with its meaning. Choose the correct meaning of that particular Idiom from the given
To smell a rat
(a) To see a rat
(b)To suspect foul dealings
(c) To find plague in a specific area
(d) None of the above
Ans: (b)
To smell a rat means to suspect a nasty dealing or sensing something wrong in a particular situation. This can be better explained with the help of an example below:
If I don’t go to school today, then the teacher will smell a rat.

Q3: One proverb/Idiom is mentioned below together with its meaning. Choose the correct meaning of that particular Idiom from the given
Strike while the Iron is hot.
(a)To beat the hot iron
(b)To act promptly when the situation is in favour
(c)To Extreme tensed situation
(d)To raise objections
Ans: (b)
It means to take advantage of any opportunity as and when it arises without waiting. It can be better explained with the help of an example:
Sam told Martha- You’ve got such a great job opportunity. If I were you, then I’d rather strike while the iron is hot.

Q4: One proverb/Idiom is mentioned below together with its meaning. Choose the correct meaning of that particular Idiom from the given
To snap one’s fingers
(a) To grasp eagerly
(b) To speak abruptly
(c) To accept immediately
(d) To become contemptuous of
Ans: (d)
It means to treat with contempt, scorn, disregard
He was snapping his fingers in time with the music.

Q5: One proverb/Idiom is mentioned below together with its meaning. Choose the correct meaning of that particular Idiom from the given
To spill the beans
(a) To misbehave
(b) To great obstructions
(c) To keep secrets
(d) To reveal secret information
Ans: (d)
It means to reveal secret information unintentionally or indiscreetly.
My brother spilled the beans about the surprise party planned for our parents, by telling them during a conversation last night.