Skip to main content
DigiTransact Mastermind
English•Idioms, Proverbs & Figures of Speech

Common Idioms & Their Meanings

Junior High 8 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
Start practice

What common idioms & their meanings means

You learn everyday idioms and how to use them in the right situation. This helps you understand spoken and written English, and makes your own speech and writing clearer and more natural.

What you will practise

  • Match common idioms to their correct meanings.
  • Choose the right idiom for a short sentence.
  • Spot idioms used in everyday conversations.
  • Avoid taking idioms word for word.
  • Use simple context clues to work out meanings.

Before you start

You should already be able to read short sentences and understand basic vocabulary. It also helps if you can use context to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

“To let the cat out of the bag” means:

  • To buy a pet
  • To reveal a secret
  • To make a mess
  • To run away
Answer: To reveal a secret

Working: This idiom means to disclose something that was meant to be hidden.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Taking the words literally instead of understanding the hidden meaning.
  • Choosing an idiom that sounds familiar but does not fit the sentence.
  • Mixing idioms with proverbs or figures of speech.
  • Ignoring the context, which can change the correct meaning.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 7 to 9 syllabusBECE

This topic usually appears in Junior High School English language work on vocabulary and figurative language. It supports BECE preparation by building your understanding of how idioms are used in comprehension and expression.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other Idioms, Proverbs & Figures of Speech skills in English, at the same point in the course.

Other English topics

Letters and SoundsEarly Reading and WritingSHS English and LiteratureAcademic and Professional WritingGrammarVocabulary

Related study guides

Exam Guides
IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE: Which English Test Should You Take in 2026?

Planning to study or work abroad? IELTS, TOEFL and PTE Academic all prove your English — but they di…

8 min read
Parenting & Learning
How Parents Can Support Their Child’s Learning at Home (Without Being a Teacher)

You do not need to remember quadratic equations to help your child succeed. Here is how any parent c…

8 min read

Exams that assess common idioms & their meanings

Junior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the English topics that appear on it.

BECEBECE practice questionsFree BECE practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.WASSCEWASSCE practice questionsListed as a related subject on the WASSCE practice page.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

Written by
DigiTransact Mastermind editorial team
Human review
Not yet. Subject-specialist review is scheduled; this page will say so once it has happened. See which content receives human review.
Last updated

Spotted a mistake on this page? Report a content correction and we will check it against the source. You can also read our editorial policy and how we use AI and where it falls short.

All English skills

Practise common idioms & their meanings

8 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

Start practice