Comprehensive Business Idiom Exercises

Workplace Communication & Teamwork

Exercise 1: Matching Idioms to Definitions

1. get to the point

2. beat around the bush

3. put someone in the picture

4. read between the lines

5. on the same wavelength

Success, Failure & Taking Action

Exercise 2: Word Order (Drag & Drop)

For each item, drag the words into the box to form a common business idiom.

1. (To do more than is required)

go the extra mile

2. (An apparent misfortune that eventually has good results)

a blessing in disguise

3. (To abandon an enterprise that is failing)

cut one's losses

4. (To be wasted or completely fail)

go down the drain

5. (To act spontaneously, without a fixed plan)

play it by ear

Management & Responsibility

Exercise 3: Fill in the Gaps (Scenario)

There was a major issue in the marketing department, but no one wanted to talk about it openly; it was the true (1)______. The CEO, who ultimately (2)______, was tired of managers who would (3)______ instead of taking responsibility. He told his senior manager, "I need you to (4)______ and find out who is blocking this project. I want to be (5)______ on all communications."

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.