Idioms and old sayings

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Ari reads: "The math quiz was a piece of cake." What does a piece of cake mean?

   • very easy
   • a sweet treat
   • very hard
   • over quickly
2. 2.

   Bo reads: "Kira felt under the weather and stayed home." What does under the weather mean?

   • full of energy
   • in a bad mood
   • a little sick
   • out in the rain
3. 3.

   What does the adage "Practice makes perfect" mean, Jun?

   • one try is enough to do it well
   • working with others makes a job easier
   • practice is for people who are already perfect
   • doing something often makes you better at it
4. 4.

   What does the adage "Look before you leap" mean, Luz?

   • think before you act
   • check the ground before a jump
   • practice a thing until it is perfect
   • act fast before the chance is gone
5. 5.

   What does the adage "Many hands make light work" mean, Milo?

   • think before you start a job
   • a job is easier when many people help
   • a job goes faster when one person does it
   • hands feel lighter after work
6. 6.

   Is "break the ice" an idiom or an adage, Noah?

   • An adage: a saying about winter
   • An idiom: a phrase with a special meaning
   • An adage: an old saying with advice
   • Neither: it means to crack ice
7. 7.

   Is "spill the beans" an idiom or an adage, Ren?

   • An idiom: a phrase with a special meaning
   • An adage: a saying about cooking
   • An adage: an old saying with advice
   • Neither: it means to drop food
8. 8.

   On the fence. Intended meaning: ? Tala reads: "Ren was on the fence about joining the club." What is the intended meaning?

   • Ren was worried about trouble
   • Ren sat on a fence
   • Ren had decided to join
   • Ren could not decide
9. 9.

   Called it a day. Intended meaning: ? Zee reads: "Our talk was going nowhere, so we called it a day." What is the intended meaning?

   • we stopped for now
   • we started over
   • we kept going through the night
   • we named the day
10. 10.

    In hot water. Intended meaning: ? Esme reads: "Milo was in hot water for being late again." What is the intended meaning?

    • Milo was in a hot bath
    • Milo was in trouble
    • Milo was very busy
    • Milo was praised