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  1. LPU MCA Semester 1
  2. PEL546
  3. Unit 6

PEL546 · Unit 6: Vocabulary and reading comprehension

Idioms, collocations and formulaic expressions

12 practice questions · in the ETE syllabus

Practise this topicPractise this topic

Key points

  • Idioms have a meaning different from their words
  • Collocations: make a decision, do homework, take a risk, pay attention
  • heavy rain, strong tea
  • Formulaic expressions such as by the way and in conclusion

Idioms are fixed phrases whose meaning is not the sum of the words, so they must be learned as wholes.

IdiomMeaning
a piece of cakevery easy
break the icestart a conversation in an awkward situation
once in a blue moonvery rarely
spill the beansreveal a secret
hit the nail on the headbe exactly right
burn the midnight oilwork or study late at night
under the weatherslightly ill

Collocations are words that naturally go together: make a decision, make a mistake, do homework, take a risk, pay attention, heavy rain, strong tea, catch a cold, keep a promise. Using a different verb sounds wrong even if the meaning is clear (do a mistake, strong rain). Formulaic expressions are ready-made phrases that organise speech or writing: by the way (side note), to be honest, in my opinion, on the other hand, as a result, in conclusion.

Exam trap: idioms are not literal. Look for the meaning of the whole phrase, and learn the verb that goes with each noun.

Try two questions

Question 1 · Tier 2, Understand

Choose the correct collocation: Please ___ attention to the instructions.

  1. give up
  2. do
  3. pay
  4. make
Show the answer

C. Pay attention is the standard collocation.

Why not A: Give up means to stop trying.

Why not B: Do is not used with attention.

Why not D: Make is not used with attention.

Question 2 · Tier 3, Apply

What does the idiom "once in a blue moon" mean?

  1. Every night
  2. Very rarely
  3. At midnight
  4. During bad weather
Show the answer

B. A blue moon is a rare event, so the idiom means almost never.

Why not A: That is the opposite of rarely.

Why not C: The idiom has nothing to do with the time of day.

Why not D: The idiom is not about weather.