Common Idioms for Deceptions IELTS Reading

Common Idioms for Deceptions IELTS Reading can help candidates with a number of phrases or expressions that they can use in their IELTS Speaking assessment. Idioms and phrases play a critical role while a test-taker appears for either of the sections in the IELTS examination. In order to score good marks, use of common IELTS idioms can be undertaken by the candidates. Candidates appearing for IELTS reading must learn how to use them appropriately in their assessments.

Topic: Common Idioms for Deceptions

Exercise 1:
Complete the sentences. Choose the best answers.

1. I never know if he’s serious or if he’s pulling my _________.

1. leg
2. teeth
3. hat

Answer. a
Explanation. Here the expression “pulling my leg” means that the person is not sure if the other person is joking or not. He could be saying something that is not true. Therefore, the idiom is making the sentence meaningful.

2. It’s obvious that she’s lying through her _________.

1. hat
2. teeth
3. back

Answer. b
Explanation. The idiom used here is ‘lie through your teeth’. This indicates that the person is lying and is obvious about the fact while not feeling embarrassed. The sentence states that it is understandable that girl is lying and not embarrassed about it.

3. This information is too important, you can’t sweep it under the _________.

1. tracks
2. carpet
3. back

Answer. b
Explanation. The idiom used here is ‘sweep it under the carpet’. This means forget about a problem or hide it. This sentence states, as the information is very important, the speaker is stating that it cannot be covered up or hidden.

4. Please keep this story under your _________.

1. leg
2. carpet
3. hat

Answer. c
Explanation. The idiom used here is ‘under your hat’ which means when you put something under your hat, you don’t tell anyone about it. In this sentence, the person is asking to not spread the story and keep it with themselves.

5. They made careful plans and carefully covered their _________.

1. tracks
2. back
3. carpet

Answer. a
Explanation. The idiom used here is ‘cover the tracks’ which means destroying or hiding any evidence. In this sentence, the pans were made so that what they have been up to will be hidden and untraceable.

6. I was surprised to find he’d gone behind my _________.

1. hat
2. back
3. leg

Answer. b
Explanation. ‘Go behind my back’ means hiding something from someone. The idiom means that the speaker was surprised to find out that he had done something by hiding it from him/her.

Read More IELTS Idioms Samples

Check: IELTS Actual Test ebooks Combo

Exercise 2

Match idioms A-F with situations.

1. She was on the fiddle.
2. She gave the game away.
3. She blew the whistle on them.
4. He went through the motions.
5. She told a white lie.
6. They had a hidden agenda.

1. She wasn’t enjoying herself so she said she was too tired to stay.

Answer. E
Explanation. A white lie is said so as not to harm another person, so she used being tired as an excuse to get out of the situation as it wasn’t enjoyable.

2. He hated parties but he went anyway.

Answer. D
Explanation. He did not enjoy being at parties but he went for the sake of going and did not have any enthusiasm. The idiom used here is ‘went through the motions’.

3. We found out after she left that she’d been taking money from the till.

Answer. A
Explanation. She was dishonest about getting money and was taking it from the till. The idiom used here is ‘on the fiddle’ which refers to someone taking money dishonestly.

4. The company offered him a ‘free’ holiday weekend and then tried to sell him the apartment.

Answer. F
Explanation. By offering the ‘free’ holiday weekend, the company was actually trying to get him to buy the apartment. So while it looked like a kind gesture, they had a hidden motive or hidden agenda.

5. We knew she was guilty when she started to cry.

Answer. B
Explanation. When she cried, she made it obvious that she was guilty. She was unable to keep it a secret. The idiom giving the game away means revealing something that they have been trying to keep a secret.

6. They stole some cash and she told the manager.

Answer. C
Explanation. She told the manager about the theft as she was morally inclined. Blowing the whistle here means she revealed something that was illegal or dishonest.

Exercise 3:
Match sentence halves 1-6 with A-F to make complete sentences.

1. When you mentioned seeing her at the surprise party
2. I’m not really enthusiastic about the trip –
3. They thought they’d get away with it but someone
4. He never seems to get caught for his dishonesty – he’s
5. I can see they’re not telling the truth – they’re
6. When they mentioned a pay rise they were

1. good at covering his tracks.
2. you really gave the game away!
3. leading me up the garden path.
4. lying through their teeth.
5. blew the whistle on them.
6. I’m just going through the motions.

Question 1.

Answer. B
Explanation. Since she mentioned she was at the surprise party, she revealed the fact that was supposed to be kept secret. The idiom used is ‘give the game away’.

Question 2.

Answer. F
Explanation. The person is going on a trip even though they have no excitement or enthusiasm about it. They are just going because it is expected. The idiom used here is ‘going through the motions’.

Question 3.

Answer. E
Explanation. They did something they were not supposed to and believe it would remain a secret but another person mentioned it to the concerned authorities.

Question 4.

Answer. A
Explanation. He doesn’t get caught for being dishonest as he does not leave any proof.

Question 5.

Answer. D
Explanation. It is plainly obvious that they are lying and hiding the truth. The idiom used here is ‘lie through their teeth’.

Question 6.

Answer. C
Explanation. The pay rise was mentioned only for motivation however it’s not actually true. The idiom mentioned here is ‘lead someone up the garden path.’

Exercise 4:

Correct the idioms in these sentences.

1. Many of the politicians were found to be pulling the fiddle.

Answer. On the fiddle
Explanation. The politicians are not on the path of honesty. Their means of getting money is through unjust ways.

2. She looks twenty years younger than she really is. Only the skin on her hands blows the game away.

Answer. Gives the game away
Explanation. Her actual age is not noticeable from her face as she looks younger, it is only because of the skin on her hands that you can tell she is older than she appears.

3. Look, if I tell you something will you promise to cover it under your hat?

Answer. Keep it under your hat
Explanation. The speaker is asking the listener to keep a secret and not share it with anyone else.

4. The week he died, the Foreign Minister was planning to blow the fiddle on corrupt top-level officials.

Answer. Blow the whistle
Explanation. The Foreign Minister was going to expose the deceptive ways by which corrupt high-level officers received money but he passed away before it could happen.

5. The killer may return to the scene of the crime to brush away his tracks.

Answer. Cover his tracks
Explanation. The miller will be back to erase any evidence so as to hide from the authorities.

6. Ministers and heads of industry are going under the motions of negotiating with the unions.

Answer. Going through the motions
Explanation. The Ministers and heads of industries are only participating in the meeting out of obligation and not fully invested in it. It is all for appearance’s sake

Exercise 5:
Complete the sentences with the words in the box.

1. His business was closed down after it was discovered that he hadn’t been declaring all his earnings – he’d been ____________.

Answer. Economical with the truth
Explanation. He was not wholly honest about his income, he only gave half-truths. As a result, his business came to a halt.

2. I wonder what the real purpose of this meeting is? I suspect there’s ____________

Answer. A hidden agenda
Explanation. The true motive behind the meeting is not revealed upfront. The real reason is not directly given.

3. When she asked me what I thought of her new hairstyle, I decided not to hurt her feelings and told ____________

Answer. A white lie
Explanation. The speaker lied about the hairstyle so as not to hurt her feelings. It was done with good intentions. While lies are not meant to bring harm.

4. Don’t take him seriously – he’s only ____________

Answer. Pulling your leg
Explanation. He is only teasing so it’s ok to not believe what he says.

5. It was very dishonest of you to ____________ and gossip about me to others.

Answer. Go behind my back
Explanation. The person is upset that the listener was gossipping about him/her and hiding it from the speaker.

6. Please don’t tell anyone about my new job just yet – ____________

Answer. Keep It under your hat
Explanation. The person is asking the fact that he/she having a new job be kept secret and not to reveal to anyone else for the time being.

7. The newspapers have ____________ on this matter.

Answer. Led us up the garden path
Explanation. The newspapers have been untruthful about the matter. Their actions were deceitful.

8. He said there was no point being honest when you could make so much more money being ____________

Answer. On the fiddle
Explanation. He was of the opinion that more money could be made by unjust means than by genuine ways so why should honesty be pursued.

Exercise 6:

Complete the table. Put the idioms in the correct groups.

blow the whistle on someone | a white lie | a hidden agenda give the game away pull someone’s leg | go through the motions | be economical with the truth | sweep something under the carpet

lying

1 ___________________

2 ___________________

pretending

1 ___________________

2 ___________________

hiding the truth

1 ___________________

2 ___________________

telling the truth

1 ___________________

2 ___________________

Answer.