Idioms often have tricky usage of articles, so it's important to practice!

Choose the correct (and most

natural-sounding) response to complete each sentence:

1. I'm not doing anything important. I'm just killing _________________ time.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

2. We had fun. = We had _________________ great time.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

3. He made a lot of money. = He made _________________ killing.

   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE

4. They were racing against _________________ clock to finish the project.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

5. If someone is clumsy, you can say he/she is "all _________________ thumbs".

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

6. Why do you always have to stir up ( = cause) _________________ trouble?

   the

   NO ARTICLE

   a
7. Keep _________________ eye on him and make sure he doesn't steal anything.

   an

   the

   NO ARTICLE

8. A "jack-of-all-_________________-trades" is someone who knows how to do a lot of different things.

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

9. We have only begun to scratch _________________ surface. = We have only begun to find out about
something.

   an

   NO ARTICLE

   the

10. I will never set _________________ foot in your house again!

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

1. I'm going to tell him that I'm angry/upset. = I'm going to give him _________________ piece of
my mind.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

2. She worked as a waitress. = She was waiting _________________ tables.

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

3. I thought it was going to end badly, but it all worked out for _________________ best.
   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE

4. He made _________________ bundle ( = a lot of money) selling mobile phones.

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

5. She has many good things (happening) in her life. = She has _________________ lot going for
her.

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

6. Easy as _________________ pie = Very easy

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

7. I love to sing, but I can't carry _________________ tune. ( = I can't sing on key/accurately)

   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE

8. She's got _________________ blues. = She's sad.

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

9. To read between _________________ lines = To try to understand what is meant by

something that is not expressed clearly

   a
   the

   NO ARTICLE

10. It rings _________________ bell. = It reminds me of something.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a
1. I've gained a lot of weight in the past three months. I have to get back in
_________________ shape soon!

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

2. When something is certain, you can say it's "_________________ safe bet".

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

3. She didn't let him come too close. = She kept him at _________________
arm's length.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

4. When you're "at _________________ odds" with someone, it means you don't
agree with that person (about something).

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

5. Don't let yourself be seen/heard too much. = Keep _________________ low

profile.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a
 6. My business is on _________________ up and up. = My business is doing well
(becoming successful).

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

7. Hey, I'm not made of _________________ money! ( = I'm not so rich that I
can buy anything I want)

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

8. To "turn _________________ blind eye" to something means to ignore it.

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

9. Our noisy neighbors really put _________________ damper on our vacation. (

= they ruined it, made it less enjoyable, etc.)

   the

   NO ARTICLE

   a

10. Don't keep me in _________________ dark. I want to know what's going on!

   the

   NO ARTICLE

   a
1. She's the one who calls _________________ shots ( = makes the important
decisions) around here.

   the

   NO ARTICLE

   a

2. We have to get _________________ move on. = We have to go quickly.

   the
   a

   NO ARTICLE

3. The atmosphere at the meeting was very tense, so John decided to break
_________________ ice by telling a joke.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

4. Ever since Mary lost her job, she has been finding it difficult to make
_________________ ends meet. ( = to pay the bills ,etc.)

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

5. "I'll take _________________ rain check" basically means that you can't do
something right now, but you'd like to do it at some point in the future.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

6. To "set _________________ record straight" means to clarify something.

   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE

7. P1: Did you pay for dinner? P2: No, Jim picked up _________________ tab.

   the

   NO ARTICLE

   a

8. Don't take his reaction too seriously. He's just letting off _________________
steam. ( = He's getting rid of pent-up energy or strong emotion.)

   the

   NO ARTICLE
    a

9. That should do _________________ trick! = That should work!

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

10. We had _________________ fun! = We enjoyed ourselves!

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE
1. He'd travel to Australia at the drop of _________________ hat.

   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE

2. I've done all I could. _________________ ball's in your court now.

   The

   A

   NO ARTICLE

3. I don't do this often. = I do this once in _________________ blue moon.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

4. To make _________________ long story short, he lost his job.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

5. He wanted to show her that he wasn't interested, so he kept her at

_________________ bay.

   the

   a
   NO ARTICLE

6. I feel a bit under _________________ weather. I think I'm coming down with
something.

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

7. P1: Do you know the answer? P2: Piece of _________________ cake! Everyone
knows the answer to that.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

8. He has done a lot of mean things in the past, but this really takes
_________________ cake.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

9. He led the police on _________________ wild goose chase.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

10. This was _________________ bitter pill to swallow. = This was hard to accept.

   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE

1. You have to carve out _________________ niche for your business.

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

2. He struggled to come to _________________ grips with recent events in his life.

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

3. Did he ask you to marry him? = Did he pop _________________ question?

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

4. It's not very complicated. = It's not _________________ rocket science.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the

5. Their business relationship is on _________________ mend. ( = improving)

   the

   a

   NO ARTICLE

6. You have to play by _________________ rules if you want others to respect you.

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

7. She thought there were a legitimate business, but they took her for
_________________ ride.

   a

   NO ARTICLE

   the

8. They told this to me in _________________ strict confidence.

   NO ARTICLE

   a

   the
9. He did it secretly. = He did it on _________________ sly.

   NO ARTICLE

   the

   a

10. He was playing for _________________ time. = He was procrastinating.

   a

   the

   NO ARTICLE