Dog Idioms Practice Test (A2-B2) — Vocabulary Exercises with Answers

⏱ Time: 10:00 📝 Questions: 20 📊 Level: A2, B1, B2 📚 Type: Vocabulary ⭐ XP: up to +22 (on pass)
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Practise Dog Idioms with 20 exercises at Level A2-B2. Each question comes with a clear explanation to reinforce the words you know and introduce the ones you don't. Just 10 minutes per attempt — perfect for daily practice.

⏱ You have 10:00 to answer 20 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  20
Q1 20

Question 1: It's raining cats and ___.

Question 1 options
'It's raining cats and dogs' is a common idiom meaning it is raining very heavily. 'Birds,' 'fish,' and 'mice' do not complete this fixed expression.
Q2 20

Question 2: What does the idiom 'a dog's life' mean?

Question 2 options
'A dog's life' means a miserable, unhappy existence. It does not mean a busy life, an exciting life, or an easy life.
Q3 20

Question 3: The idiom 'let sleeping dogs lie' means you should leave a situation alone to avoid problems.

Question 3 options
True. 'Let sleeping dogs lie' advises not to disturb a stable situation, because doing so could cause unnecessary trouble.
Q4 20

Question 4: My new car is really old. I think I bought a ___.

Question 4 options
'A dog' is informal slang for something of poor quality. 'Puppy,' 'bone,' and 'leash' are dog-related but do not carry this idiomatic meaning.
Q5 20

Question 5: Which word is closest in meaning to the idiom 'dog-tired'?

Question 5 options
'Dog-tired' means extremely exhausted. 'Thrilled' means excited, 'confused' means puzzled, and 'irritated' means annoyed — none match the meaning of extreme fatigue.
Q6 20

Question 6: Every dog has its ___. (idiom meaning everyone gets a chance to succeed)

Question 6 options
'Every dog has its day' is a fixed idiom meaning everyone will have a moment of success or good fortune at some point.
Q7 20

Question 7: In a ___ world, businesses compete fiercely against each other.

Question 7 options
'Dog-eat-dog' describes a situation of ruthless competition. 'Dog-and-pony,' 'hot-dog,' and 'top-dog' do not describe a competitive environment in this way.
Q8 20

Question 8: What does 'the tail wagging the dog' mean?

Question 8 options
'The tail wagging the dog' describes a situation where a small or unimportant part controls the whole. It does not mean happiness, good luck, or physical exercise.
Q9 20

Question 9: Match each dog idiom to its meaning.

Question 9 options
underdog
top dog
dogsbody
puppy love
immature romantic feelings of young people
a person expected to lose
the most important person in a group
a person who does boring, low-level tasks

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

'Underdog' means a person expected to lose. 'Top dog' means the most important person. 'Dogsbody' means a person who does boring tasks. 'Puppy love' means young, immature romantic feelings.
Q10 20

Question 10: She has been ___ him for weeks, following him everywhere he goes.

Question 10 options
'Hounding' means persistently pursuing or bothering someone, fitting the context of following someone everywhere. 'Barking,' 'fetching,' and 'herding' are dog-related verbs but do not carry this idiomatic meaning of relentless pursuit of a person.
Q11 20

Question 11: The politician's speech was just a ___ show to impress the voters.

Question 11 options
'Dog and pony show' is an idiom meaning an elaborate but often insincere presentation designed to impress. 'Dog-eat-dog,' 'hot dog,' and 'guard dog' do not fit this context.
Q12 20

Question 12: The idiom 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' means elderly people are wiser than young people.

Question 12 options
False. The idiom means it is difficult to make someone change long-established habits or learn new ways. It is not about wisdom.
Q13 20

Question 13: After the scandal, the CEO was sent to the ___.

Question 13 options
'Doghouse' completes the idiom 'in the doghouse,' meaning in trouble or disgrace. 'Kennel,' 'pound,' and 'den' are real places for dogs but are not part of this idiom.
Q14 20

Question 14: Which word is closest in meaning to the idiom 'dogged' as in 'dogged determination'?

Question 14 options
'Dogged' means stubbornly persistent and tenacious. 'Casual' means relaxed, 'timid' means shy, and 'reckless' means careless — none convey the same persistent quality.
Q15 20

Question 15: His bark is worse than his ___. (idiom meaning someone seems more threatening than they really are)

Question 15 options
'His bark is worse than his bite' is a fixed expression meaning someone's angry words are more frightening than their actual actions.
Q16 20

Question 16: The detective ___ the suspect through several cities before making an arrest.

Question 16 options
'Dogged' as a verb means to follow someone closely and persistently. 'Collared,' 'muzzled,' and 'leashed' are dog-related words but do not idiomatically mean to pursue someone relentlessly across locations.
Q17 20

Question 17: The manager decided to call off the dogs and stop pressuring the sales team so aggressively.

Question 17 options
'Call off the dogs' means to stop attacking, criticizing, or putting pressure on someone. It does not mean to celebrate, to begin an investigation, or to increase monitoring.
Q18 20

Question 18: After years of working as a ___ in the office, she finally got promoted to a senior position.

Question 18 options
'Dogsbody' is British informal for a person who does menial, boring tasks. 'Watchdog' means a person or group that monitors others, 'lapdog' means a submissive follower, and 'bulldog' does not carry this workplace meaning.
Q19 20

Question 19: The new regulation is a complete ___; it will never be enforced by the authorities.

Question 19 options
'Dog's dinner' (British idiom) means something that is a mess or done very badly, fitting a regulation that will fail. 'Dog's breakfast' is similar but 'dog's dinner' is the standard phrasing here. 'Dogfight' means a fierce struggle, and 'dog watch' is a nautical term.
Q20 20

Question 20: A 'lapdog' in idiomatic usage refers to a person who obediently follows a more powerful person's orders.

Question 20 options
True. In figurative language, a 'lapdog' describes someone who is excessively obedient or submissive to another person in authority.