Idioms, Phrases and One-Word Substitution
Idioms, Phrases and One-Word Substitution
This topic gives two or three questions and is pure recall, which makes it the most predictable part of the English qualifying section. The lists are short and the same items return year after year, so an hour spent here is repaid directly on the answer sheet.
Common Idioms
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A blessing in disguise | Something bad that turns out good |
| Break the ice | Start a conversation |
| Bury the hatchet | End a quarrel |
| Call it a day | Stop work for the day |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Turn a deaf ear | Refuse to listen |
An idiom never means what its words say. Break the ice has nothing to do with ice, and in hot water nothing to do with water. So in a multiple-choice question the literal-meaning option is always wrong, and spotting it removes one choice immediately.
✗ 'A blessing in disguise' means a hidden gift | ✓ It means something that seemed bad but turned out to be good
More Idioms Worth Knowing
- At the eleventh hour — at the last moment.
- A white elephant — a costly but useless possession.
- Once in a blue moon — very rarely.
- To let the cat out of the bag — to reveal a secret.
- To burn the midnight oil — to work late into the night.
- A bolt from the blue — a sudden shock.
One-Word Substitution
| Phrase | One word |
|---|---|
| One who writes books | Author |
| One who cannot read or write | Illiterate |
| One who loves mankind | Philanthropist |
| A person who eats no meat | Vegetarian |
| That which cannot be believed | Incredible |
| A speech made without preparation | Extempore |
Word endings are a useful shortcut. Words ending in cide mean killing — homicide, suicide, insecticide. Words ending in phile mean loving and phobia means fear. One ending unlocks a whole group of answers.
- Autobiography — the life story of a person written by that person.
- Biography — the life story written by someone else.
- Manuscript — a handwritten document.
- Omnipotent — all-powerful; omniscient — all-knowing.
मुहावरे का शाब्दिक अर्थ कभी उत्तर नहीं होता — वह विकल्प तुरंत काट दीजिए।
TRE pointer: In an idiom question, strike out the literal-meaning option first — it is never right and its removal turns five choices into four. In one-word substitution, learn by ending: cide for killing, phile for loving, phobia for fear, omni for all. And keep autobiography against biography clear, since that pair is asked very frequently in qualifying papers.
60-Second Recap
- An idiom's meaning is never the literal meaning of its words.
- Break the ice means to start a conversation; bury the hatchet means to end a quarrel.
- A white elephant is a costly but useless possession.
- At the eleventh hour means at the last moment.
- Endings help: cide means killing, phile loving, phobia fear, omni all.
- An autobiography is written by the person; a biography by someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I eliminate a wrong option in an idiom question?
Strike out the option that gives the literal meaning of the words. An idiom by definition means something different from its words, so that option is never correct. Removing it turns five choices into four and improves the odds considerably.
What is the difference between autobiography and biography?
An autobiography is the life story of a person written by that person, while a biography is written by someone else. The prefix auto means self, which is the key to remembering the pair. This is among the most frequently asked substitution questions.
Are there shortcuts for one-word substitution?
Yes, word endings. Cide means killing, as in homicide and insecticide; phile means loving; phobia means fear; and omni means all, as in omnipotent and omniscient. Learning one ending gives you a whole group of answers at once.
What does 'a white elephant' mean?
A possession that is very costly to keep but of no real use. It comes from the practice of gifting a rare white elephant, which the receiver could neither refuse nor afford to maintain. The literal option about an animal is always the wrong choice.