Common Idioms For Fear And Frustration IELTS Reading

Common Idioms For Fear And Frustration IELTS Reading consists of 6 exercises. The exercise questions include- complete the sentences, choose the correct explanation, match the sentences, correct the idioms, complete the table.

Common Idioms For Fear And Frustration IELTS Reading assesses candidates on their reading abilities in English language. Candidates willing to achieve a high IELTS Score need to be proficient in vocabulary and use of idioms. In order to excel in IELTS Reading section candidates need to enhance their knowledge in use of idioms. Candidates need to undertake effective preparation in learning idioms for IELTS to improve their English language skills.

Idiom topic - Fear and Frustration

Exercise 1

Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.

1. I had __________ in my stomach before I walked out onto the stage.

1. creeps
2. butterflies
3. nerves

2. I’ve written to the newspapers until I’m blue in the __________ but they do nothing.

1. face
2. skin
3. feet

3. The door suddenly banged and frightened the __________ out of me.

1. life
2. leaf
3. wits

4. After the car alarm went off, getting the key stuck in the lock was the last __________

1. edge
2. straw
3. word

5. I’m at the end of my __________ – I can’t find my credit card anywhere.

1. tether
2. mind
3. nerves

6. Could you please stop for a moment and let me get a __________ in edgeways?

1. straw
2. foot
3. word

Question 1:

Answer: butterflies
Explanation: “Butterflies in your stomach” means that someone feels nervous about something.

Question 2 :

Answer: face
Explanation: “Blue in the face” indicates that someone is exhausted from anger and having frustration about a particular thing as one has already said many times to complete it but the task is still incomplete.

Question 3:

Answer: Life
Explanation: “Frightened the life” here means that someone is very much afraid or frightened about a particular thing.

Question 4 :

Answer: straw
Explanation: “Last straw” indicates that you are unable to deal with the situations happening with you anymore.

Question 5:

Answer: tether
Explanation: “End of my tether” means that one is very upset as he/she is unable to deal with the problems.

Question 6:

Answer: word
Explanation: “not get a word in edgeways” implies that one wants to talk, but he/she is not getting an opportunity to talk as the other person continues to speak.

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Exercise 2

Choose the correct explanation for each sentence.

1. There was so much red tape involved in getting a visa.

1. It was expensive.
2. There were a lot of official documents to complete.

Answer: There was a lot of official documents to complete
Explanation: “Red Tape” means that one should follow all the unnecessary rules and bring documents that cause delay to the work.

2. I’m at the end of my tether.

1. I’ve really had enough of this situation.
2. I’m finished my task

Answer: I’ve really had enough of this situation
Explanation: “End of my tether” indicates that one is very upset as he/she is unable to deal with the problems.

3. I nearly jumped out of my skin!

1. Something made me laugh.
2. I was frightened.

Answer: I was frightened
Explanation: “Something made me laugh “ means that one is surprised or shocked by something.

4. I’ve got butterflies in my stomach.

1. I feel ill.
2. I am nervous.

Answer: I am nervous
Explanation: Butterflies in my stomach means that one is nervous

5. Just before the parachute jump, I got cold feet.

1. I was too scared to do it.
2. I couldn’t wait to do it.

Answer: I was too scared to do it
Explanation: “Getting cold feet” means that one is very nervous about doing the particular thing.

6. What’s wrong? You’re shaking like a leaf.

1. I think you’ve got some exciting news to tell me.
2. I think you’ve had some shocking news.

Answer: I think you’ve had some shocking news
Explanation: “Shaking like a leaf” means that one is very frightened.

Exercise 3:

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

1. She’s afraid of flying. Before the plane takes off
2. Please take off that horrible mask.
3. I don’t know why I feel uneasy about that man.
4. You’ve had a nasty shock. Sit down –
5. I’m sorry I’ve been in such a bad mood recently.
6. I was late for work – and then when I tripped on the way to the bus stop

1. He just gives me the creeps, for some reason.
2. I’ve been on edge about work – things are very stressful at the moment.
3. it was the last straw!
4. She's a bundle of nerves.
5. you scared me out of my wits!
6. you’re shaking like a leaf.

Question 1:

Answer: D
Explanation: “Bundle of nerves” means that someone is very afraid or nervous

Question 2:

Answer: E
Explanation: ‘Scare out of my wits” indicates that something is making you frightened or worried.

Question 3:

Answer: A
Explanation: ‘Give someone the creeps” means that someone or something is making you nervous.

Question 4:

Answer: F
Explanation: “Shaking like a leaf” indicates that their body is shaking a lot due to nervousness and he/she is very frightened.

Question 5:

Answer: B
Explanation: “On the edge: means that someone is not able to relax as they are very nervous.

Question 6:

Answer: C
Explanation: “Last straw” indicates that you are unable to deal with the situations happening with you anymore.

Exercise 4:

Correct the idioms in these sentences.

1. He was on the edge, continually glancing behind him, thinking he was being followed.
2. When his phone rang, he almost jumped out of his stomach.
3. The house was silent and still and gave me the cold creeps.
4. She was frightened out of her tether but somehow managed to swim back to shore and crawl out of the water.
5. On the morning of the match, I was a bunch of nerves.
6. Poor Charles was totally exhausted and just about at the end of his wits.

Question 1:

Answer: on edge
Explanation: The correct idiom used is “on edge”, therefore on the edge is incorrect.

Question 2:

Answer: jumped out of his skin
Explanation: The correct idiom is “jumped out of his skin” which means one is very surprised or in shock by something.

Question 3:

Answer: gave me the creeps
Explanation: The correct idiom used is “give me the creeps”, therefore cold words will not be included in the idiom.

Question 4:

Answer: frightened out of her wits
Explanation: The correct idiom used is “frightened out of her wits” which means that something is making you frightened or worried.

Question 5:

Answer: a bundle of nerves
Explanation: The correct idiom is “bundle of nerves”, therefore the bunch of nerves is incorrect.

Question 6:

Answer: end of his tether
Explanation: The correct idiom used here is “ end of his tether: hence wits should be replaced by a tether.

Exercise 5:

Complete the sentences with idioms from this unit, changing the pronouns and verb forms if necessary. Some sentences can take more than one idiom.

1. I nearly _________ when the plate crashed to the floor.
2. Ingrid felt _________ , wondering what he would think of her family and her house.
3. I argued _________ that the project was worth the money, but no one would listen.
4. Immediately after the accident, as I realised I was still alive, I noticed that I _________
5. When they told me I’d got the part, I suddenly _________ and nearly changed my mind.
6. We are spending more and more time dealing with _________ and filling in forms.
7. It was _________ : he snatched his coat and marched out of the office.
8. The way she carefully studied me and took my personal details _________

Question 1:

Answer: jumped out of my skin
Explanation: Here,” jumped out of my skin” means one is very surprised or in shock by something.

Question 2:

Answer: on edge
Explanation: “On the edge” means that someone is not able to relax as they are very nervous or frightened.

Question 3:

Answer: until I was blue in the face
Explanation: “Blue in the face” indicates that someone is having frustration about a particular thing as one has already said many times to complete it but the task is still incomplete.

Question 4:

Answer: was shaking like a leaf
Explanation: Shaking like a leaf” indicates that the body is shaking a lot as the person is very nervous.

Question 5:

Answer: got cold feet
Explanation: “Getting cold feet” implies that someone is very nervous about doing a particular thing.

Question 6:

Answer: red tape
Explanation: Here, “Red Tape” means that one should follow all the unnecessary rules and bring documents that cause delay for the work to get completed.

Question 7:

Answer: the last straw
Explanation: “Last straw” indicates that someone is unable to deal with the situations happening with them anymore.

Question 8:

Answer: scared/frightened us out of our wits or gave me the creeps
Explanation: Both the idioms are used interchanging in this sentence and it means that something is making the person frightened.

Exercise 6:

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

Answer:

Explanation:

Sudden fright:- Idioms, “jump out of your skin”, “scare someone out of their wits”, “frighten the life out of someone” are related to frightening, therefore they are added to the sudden fright group.
Feeling Nervous: Idioms “a bundle of nerves “, “butterflies in your stomach” and “ get/have cold feet” are related to nervousness, therefore they are included in the feeling nervous group.
Frustration: Idioms, “not get a word in edgeways” and “at the end of your tether” are related to frustration, hence it is added in the frustration group.