Common Idioms For Success and Failure IELTS Reading

Common Idioms For Success and Failure IELTS Reading contains 6 exercises. The exercise questions include Choose the correct word, decide if the given statement is true or false,rephrase the sentences correctly, correct the idioms in the sentence,complete the sentences with idioms, and complete the table with idioms.
Common Idioms For Success and Failure 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 the use of idioms. Candidates need to undertake effective preparation in learning idioms for IELTS to improve their English language skills.

Idiom topic - Success and Failure

Exercise 1:

1. I’m sure you’ll pass your final exam with flying ­­­­­­____________.

1. flags
2. colours
3. sails

Answer: Colours.
Explanation: With flying colours: If you achieve something with flying colours it means that you have achieved with easily and very successfully.

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2. She guessed – and hit the ____________ on the head first time.

1. nail
2. board
3. hammer

Answer: Nail
Explanation: Hit the nail on the head: to explain or describe the cause of a problem in an accurate or exact manner.

3. It seemed like a good idea but I fell ____________ on my face.

1. down
2. belly-up
3. flat

Answer: flat
Explanation: Fall flat on your face: If a person falls flat on his face it means that he or she has failed at something or made an embarrassing mistake.

4. I’m trying to learn Japanese but I think I’m fighting a losing ____________

1. fight
2. battle
3. face

Answer: battle
Explanation: To fight a losing battle: It means that you are trying to do something that won’t work out or you will fail.

5. That nail varnish remover you gave me worked like a ____________

1. charm
2. pear
3. trick

Answer: Charm
Explanation: Work like a charm: If something works like a charm it means it is very effective or successful.

6. We’ve done the hard work – it’ll be ____________ sailing from now on.

1. plain
2. flying
3. flat

Answer: plain
Explanation: Plain sailing: Easy or without problems.

7. The plan went ____________-shaped almost from the very start.

1. belly
2. face
3. pear

Answer: pear
Explanation: Go Pear-shaped: If a situation or a plan goes pear-shaped, it starts to fail or have problems.

8. All my work over the last year has just gone ____________!

1. belly-up
2. down
3. flat

Answer: belly-up
Explanation: Go belly-up: to fail completely.

Exercise 2:

Decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F).

1. If a performance brings the house down, it is a complete failure.

Answer: False
Explanation: Brings the house down: If a person brings the house down during a show it means that the person made the audience laugh and applaud.

2. If someone saves the day, they make it a success.

Answer: True
Explanation: Save the day: To save the day means to end a bad situation successfully or to produce a good result when a bad result was expected.

3. If something goes belly-up, it fails.

Answer: True.
Explanation: Go belly-up: to fail completely.

4. If something goes pear-shaped, it goes according to plan.

Answer: False.
Explanation: Go Pear-shaped: If a situation or a plan goes pear-shaped, it starts to fail or have problems.

5. If you have to go back to the drawing board, you have to start again.

Answer: True.
Explanation: Back to the drawing board: It means that the efforts have failed and one needs to start all over again.

6. If something works like a charm, it doesn’t have the desired results.

Answer: False.
Explanation: Work like a charm: If something works like a charm it means it is very effective or successful.

7. If you hit the nail on the head, you are wrong about something.

Answer: False.
Explanation: Hit the nail on the head: to explain or describe the cause of a problem in an accurate or exact manner.

8. If something is touch and go, the outcome is certain.

Answer: False
Explanation: Touch and go - Something that is very uncertain.

Exercise 3:

Re-order the phrases to make sentences. Add punctuation where necessary.

1. will win the final / we’re hoping / hands down / that our team

Answer: We’re hoping that our team will win the final hands down.
Explanation: The idiom hands down means to win a contest easily.

2. to go belly-up / the exporters / it looks like / are likely.

Answer: It looks like the exporters are likely to go belly-up.
Explanation: The idiom go belly-up means to fail and does not have enough money to pay its debts

3. for the launch of / all our arrangements / the new products / have gone pear-shaped.

Answer: All our arrangements for the launch of the new products have gone pear-shaped.
Explanation: Here the idiom go pear shaped means starts to fail or have problems.

4. move up in the world / can expect to / a keen young politician / who knows the right people.

Answer: A keen young politician who knows the right people can expect to move up in the world.
Explanation: here move up in the world means achieve success

5. be prepared to go / we have to / to fix these serious problems / back to the drawing board.

Answer: We have to be prepared to go back to the drawing board to fix these serious problems.
Explanation: Back to the drawing board: It means that the efforts have failed and one needs to start all over again.

6. would be / it was touch and go / finished in time / whether my manuscript.

Answer: It was touch and go whether my manuscript would be finished in time.
Explanation: The idiom touch and go means you cannot be certain whether it will happen or not

Exercise 4:

Correct the idioms in these sentences.

1. Our presentation started off well, but then it all went flat-shaped at the end.

Answer: Our presentation started off well, but then it all went pear-shaped at the end.
Explanation: Here the idiom go pear shaped means starts to fail or have problems

2. That’s it! You’ve really hit the head on the nail.

Answer: That’s it! You’ve really hit the nail on the head.
Explanation: Hit the nail on the head: to explain or describe the cause of a problem in an accurate or exact manner.

3. Being a student is not all plain playing – there’s a lot of hard work to do.

Answer: Being a student is not all plain sailing– there’s a lot of hard work to do.
Explanation: Here the idiom plain sailing means something easy to do or achieve.

4. He’s really come up in the face since his humble beginnings.

Answer: He’s really come up in the world since his humble beginnings.
Explanation: Here the idiom come up in the world means increase in social status.

5. Our team was far better than the competition and we won hands up.

Answer: Our team was far better than the competition and we won hands down.
Explanation: The idiom won hands down means great performance.

6. It was start and go as to whether he would survive the accident – but he’s made a full recovery.

Answer: It was touch and go as to whether he would survive the accident – but he’s made a full recovery.
Explanation: The idiom touch and go means certain whether it will happen or not

Exercise 5:

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

1. Once I’ve done the research, writing the report will be ______________ .

Answer: Once I’ve done the research, writing the report will be plain sailing.
Explanation: Plain sailing: Easy or without problems.

2. I agree with you entirely. I think you’ve ______________

Answer: I agree with you entirely. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head.
Explanation: Hit the nail on the head: to explain or describe the cause of a problem in an accurate or exact manner.

3. We started well, but it all ______________ and we lost five matches in a row.

Answer: We started well, but it all went pear-shaped and we lost five matches in a row.
Explanation: Go Pear-shaped: If a situation or a plan goes pear-shaped, it starts to fail or have problems

4. The medicine ______________and my life has greatly improved.

Answer: The medicine worked like a charm and my life has greatly improved.
Explanation: Work like a charm: If something works like a charm it means it is very effective or successful.

5. I told myself I was going to try even harder and I would not __________again.

Answer: I told myself I was going to try even harder and I would not fall flat on my face again.
Explanation: Fall flat on your face: If a person falls flat on his face it means that he or she has failed at something or made an embarrassing mistake.

6. The newspapers ______________ to maintain their sales figures.

Answer: The newspapers are fighting a losing battle to maintain their sales figures.
Explanation: fighting a losing battle: difficult situation but likely to succeed.

7. Mr Cheng’s secretary finally found the missing documents and ______________

Answer: Mr Cheng’s secretary finally found the missing documents and saved the day.
Explanation: saved the day:they manage to make it successful

8. The audience loved her dancing and her performance ______________

Answer: The audience loved her dancing and her performance brought the house down.
Explanation: Brings the house down: If a person brings the house down during a show it means that the person made the audience laugh and applaud.

Exercise 6:

Complete the table with idioms from this unit.

Answer: