Common Idioms for Happiness and Sadness- IELTS Reading

There are many idioms used in English daily, whether in a business context, in media, or in social conversations between friends. Idioms help candidates understand IELTS reading passages. This IELTS Reading sample - Common idioms for Happiness and Sadness contains various complex words and phrases helpful for IELTS preparation. Candidates can use their knowledge of idioms while solving IELTS reading practice papers as well.

Topic -Happiness and Sadness

Exercise 1

Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.

1. Look on the ____________ side. You still have a job.

1. good
2. bright
3. top

Answer: bright

Explanation: this idiom explains to look at the better things in life when you are reeling from a bad situation.

Also, Check:

2. I’m over the ____________ about Rosie’s news.

1. moon
2. world
3. side

Answer: moon

Explanation: This is phrase that explains how happy the person is over Rosie’s news

3. Why have you got such a ____________ face?

1. long
2. bad
3. low

Answer: long

Explanation: this idiom helps to ask the person why they seem to be sad.

4. He always gets a ____________ out of being recognized in the street.

1. hit
2. kick
3. whale

Answer: kick

Explanation: Idiom used here is ‘kick out of’ explains that the person enjoys being recognized in public

5. Don’t let that dreary job get on ____________ of you

1. down
2. side
3. top

Answer: top

Explanation: the idiom used here is get on top of you which meant in this context not to let the tiresome job make you feel upset

6. He’s been looking very down in the ____________ lately.

1. face
2. world
3. dumps

Answer: dumps

Explanation: Down in the dumps is an idiom used to express how depressed or sad a person feels.

7. She’s become her old self again – laughing and full of __________ .

1. kicks
2. beans
3. dumps

Answer: beans

Explanation: It means she seems to be back to her old self where she was happy and energetic

8. She was on top of the __________, showing everyone her engagement ring.

1. world
2. moon
3.  time

Answer: world

Explanation: On top the world is an idiom to express utmost joy and happiness. In this sentence it signifies how happy she is on account of her engagement

Exercise 2

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

Answer 1: B You made my day when you told me how beautiful I was.

Explanation: the idiom expresses how someone made the other person very happy by complimenting him/her on how he/she looks.

Answer 2: D He felt full of beans after he’d had a steam bath and massage.

Explanation: he was energetic and joyful after having a bath and massage

Answer 3: A She was on top of the world because she’d been invited for an interview.

Explanation: the idiom helps to explain how happy the person was after being called for an interview.

Answer 4: C Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on when they’ve had depressing news.

Explanation: the idiom in use here is a shoulder to cry on which meant that all of us need emotional support once they have heard sad news.

Answer 5: F She broke her mother’s heart when she decided to give up dancing.

Explanation: the idiom used here refers to a situation of someone making a beloved person unhappy by ending things.

Answer 6: E The bright side is that you can visit them for your holidays.

Explanation: the idiom helps to make us look at the better things in life that we possess in situations of adversity.

Exercise 3

Complete the advertisements with the words in the box.

1. _____________ someone’s day – give them a book token!

Answer 1: Make

Explanation: the idiom used here is to make someone happy which means that in order to make them smile, its best to give them a book token

2. Don’t let illness get on _____________ of you – stay fit and healthy

Answer 2: top

Explanation: it means in order to not fall sick, ensure to stay strong and healthy.

3. Give your wife flowers on valentine’s day – she’ll be _____________ the moon

Answer 3: over

Explanation: the idiom over the moon is the perfect fit to explain how the wife will be filled with absolute joy if gifted flowers on valentine’s day.

4. Start the day with Wheaties cereal – be _____________ of beans all day!

Answer 4: full

Explanation: If a person starts with the Wheaties cereal, he or she will be energetic and happy all day long.

5. Spring time allergies? No need to be _____________ in the dumps with our new treatment

Answer 5: down

Explanation: the idiom here used is down in the dumps which is aptly used here.

6. Try our new swimming pool and_____________ a whale of a time!

Answer 6: have

Explanation: the sentence means to have a great time and to try out the new swimming pool

Exercise 4

Complete the sentences. Choose the correct answers.

1. Something must be wrong. Sally looks over the moon / down in the dumps / full of beans.

Answer 1: down in the dumps

Explanation: it talks about how something is not right based on how Sally looked really upset

2. The meeting didn’t go well – it was awful. I’m not a happy bunny / getting a kick out of it / full of beans.

Answer 2: Not a happy bunny

Explanation: Since the meeting didn’t got well and was awful, the idiom;’not a happy bunny’ interpret that the person is either annoyed or unhappy with how the meeting was held.

3. I love doing Sudoku puzzles! They really get on top of me / I really get a kick out of them / They break my heart.

Answer 3: I really get a kick out of them

Explanation: this is the correct idiom to express how much the person enjoys doing sudoku puzzles.

4. I’m sorry about your news. I’m here, if you need a shoulder to cry on / a long face / to get a kick out of something.

Answer 4: shoulder to cry on

Explanation: it emphasises that the person is here for you and can console you since the news was disturbing.

5. I know you’ve got a lot of work but you’ll manage. Just don’t let it make your day / look on the bright side / get on top of you.

Answer 5: get on top of you.

Explanation: the person is comforting the other by using the idiom and advising the person not to make themselves feel upset or sad over their work.

6. Thanks for telling me that great news. It really broke my heart / made my day / got on top of me.

Answer 6: made my day

Explanation: the idiom helps to express the person’s joy because of the news that was shared with him/her.

Exercise 5

Match idioms A-F with situations 1-3.

1. enjoying something
2. being unhappy
3. being very happy

1. She was over the moon when she heard the news.
2. Carl’s walking around with a very long face today.
3. I really get a kick out of being on stage.
4. Tina’s been very down in the dumps lately.
5. They’re having a whale of a time.
6. He’s on top of the world at the moment.

Answer 1: C,E

Explanation: C explains how it brings joy to the person by performing on stage. E talks about how they are having a good time. Both signify enjoyment

Answer 2: B,D

Explanation: option B explains how Car is walking around with an expression that confirms how unhappy he is. Option D also used the idiom down in the dumps to express how upset Tin has beem

Answer 3: A,F

Explanation: A -option states how happy she has been since she heard the news. Option F tells how great he feels at the moment by using the idiom ‘on top of the world.’

Exercise 6

Correct the idioms in these sentences.

1. If you need an arm to cry on, you know where I am.

Answer 1: a shoulder to cry on

Explanation: It explains how the person is available, if her or she needed someone to be sympathetic when sad and can be a good listener

2. When she came back from that holiday she was on the top of the world.

Answer 2: on top of the world

Explanation: the correct idiom is on top of the world as it explains how happy she was after her vacation

3. Business hasn’t been good and things have been getting on top of my head lately.

Answer 3: getting on top of me

Explanation: in this situation the person is unhappy as business has been doing badly making the work overwhelming

4. When you have a customer who turns round and thanks you, it builds your day.

Answer 4: makes your day

Explanation: when a customer shows their gratitude, it makes you happy and joyful

5. Khaled has been up in the dumps since failing his exam.

Answer 5 : down in the dumps

Explanation: it explains by using the idiom that Khalid has been unhappy for quite a while

6. It was easy to see that Kari was not a funny bunny.

Answer 6: not a happy bunny

Explanation: it expresses how Kari doesn’t look happy. It could also mean he is annoyed with something/someone.

7. He left rather hurriedly but when he came back he was made of beans.

Answer 7: full of beans

Explanation: It expresses how energetic the person looks after he rushed hurriedly and came back

8. She was over the side when she heard their news.

Answer 8: over the moon

Explanation: The correct expression is over the moon which explains how happy she was when she heard the news.

Exercise 7

Complete the sentences with idioms from this unit, changing the pronouns and verb forms if necessary.

1. Give me a ring any time if you feel you need ________________ .

Answer 1: a shoulder to cry on

Explanation: the idiom helps to interpret that the person is available to provide comfort when needed

2. I took one look at his ________________ and knew something was wrong.

Answer 2: long face

Explanation: it helps to convey the message that the person seemed in distress by look at his facial expressions

3. She ________________ by offering to make the dinner.

Answer 3: made my day

Explanation: She was filled with joy when the person offered to make her dinner

4. Things could be so much worse; you have to ________________

Answer 4: look at the bright side

Explanation: it expresses how you have to count your blessings in times of adversity

5. He’s one of those nasty individuals who ________________ bad things happening to other people.

Answer 5: get a kick out of

Explanation: the idiom used explains how the person is mean and who enjoys seeing bad things happen to people

6. My father didn’t want me to leave home and it ________________ when I did go, at seventeen.

Answer 6: broke his heart

Explanation: the person father here was depressed and shattered when his child did not take his advice and left home at the age of seventeen

7. We all ________________ at Fahida’s birthday party.

Answer 7: had a whale of a time

Explanation: it means everyone had fun and had a great time at Fahida’s birthday party

8. You look a bit ________________. What wrong?

Answer 8: down in the dumps

Explanation: the person uses the idiom to understand what went wrong as he /she looked upset and saddened by something/someone.