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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Finish the Phrase Quiz: Test Your Idiom Smarts

Quick, free guess the phrase quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Rosalyn FloryUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration showing phrase fragments letters and pencils on sky blue background for finish the phrase quiz

This finish the phrase quiz helps you complete common sayings and idioms fast. Tackle bite-size prompts, sharpen recall, and pick up new expressions as you play, then test your speed. For a gentler start, try finish the saying, or switch things up with a catchphrase quiz.

Finish the phrase: 'A penny for your ____.'
thoughts
change
opinions
time
The idiom 'A penny for your thoughts' is used to ask someone what they are thinking. It dates back to the 16th century and is still commonly used today. The phrase expresses curiosity about another's musings. For more on this idiom, see .
Finish the phrase: 'Break the ____.'
glass
water
silence
ice
The phrase 'Break the ice' means to initiate conversation in a tense or unfamiliar situation. It originates from the practice of ships breaking ice to navigate waterways. It's widely used to describe easing social interactions. Learn more at .
Finish the phrase: 'Actions speak louder than ____.'
words
deeds
promises
thoughts
The proverb 'Actions speak louder than words' highlights that what people do has a stronger impact than what they say. It emphasizes the value of following through on promises. This saying dates back to the 17th century. For deeper insight, visit .
Finish the phrase: 'Don't count your ____ before they hatch.'
eggs
chickens
goose eggs
ducks
The idiom 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch' warns against assuming success before it happens. It cautions against premature optimism. The phrase has been in use since the 16th century. More details at .
Finish the phrase: 'Barking up the wrong ____.'
alley
dog
road
tree
The idiom 'Barking up the wrong tree' means pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action. It originates from hunting dogs barking at the base of a tree where the prey isn't present. It's common in both British and American English. See for more.
Finish the phrase: 'Burning the midnight ____.'
oil
paper
candle
light
To 'burn the midnight oil' means to work late into the night. It refers to the time when oil lamps were the main source of light. The phrase emphasizes diligence and effort after hours. You can read more at .
Finish the phrase: 'Let the cat out of the ____.'
house
room
hat
bag
The saying 'Let the cat out of the bag' means to reveal a secret, usually inadvertently. It may have originated from dishonest merchants who replaced pigs with cats in a bag. The idiom dates back to at least the 18th century. For more context, visit .
Finish the phrase: 'Hit the nail on the ____.'
spot
top
mark
head
To 'hit the nail on the head' means to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem. The phrase draws from carpentry where accuracy is crucial. It's used to commend precise insight. Learn more at .
Finish the phrase: 'Throw in the ____.'
napkin
cloth
sponge
towel
The boxing term 'Throw in the towel' means to admit defeat or surrender. In boxing, a trainer throws a towel into the ring to stop the fight. It's now used broadly to signal giving up. More info at .
Finish the phrase: 'Fly by the seat of your ____.'
pantsuit
skirt
chair
pants
'Fly by the seat of your pants' means to improvise or proceed without a plan. The phrase comes from early aviation when pilots relied on feel rather than instruments. It highlights adaptability in uncertain situations. For further reading, see .
Finish the phrase: 'Steal someone's ____ thunder.'
applause
thunder
spotlight
lightning
To 'steal someone's thunder' means to take credit for someone else's idea or achievement. The term originated in the 18th century when playwright John Dennis accused another of using his thunder effect. It now refers to upstaging someone. Learn more at .
Finish the phrase: 'Close but no ____.'
prize
cigar
dime
deal
The idiom 'Close but no cigar' means coming close to success but not achieving it. It originated in 19th-century fairground games where cigars were prizes. The phrase underscores narrow misses. For more, see .
Finish the phrase: 'Burn the candle at both ____.'
ends
tips
sides
edges
To 'burn the candle at both ends' means to overwork oneself by doing too much, especially both early and late. It evokes the image of a candle burning twice as fast if lit at both ends. The phrase dates to the 17th century. See .
Finish the phrase: 'Throw caution to the ____.'
stars
fire
waves
wind
The phrase 'Throw caution to the wind' means to act recklessly or without concern for risk. It conjures the image of discarding carefulness into the air. The saying has been in use since the mid-18th century. More information at .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand common idioms -

    After completing the quiz, you'll be able to recognize and decode widely used idiomatic expressions in everyday language.

  2. Apply pattern recognition techniques -

    You will learn to identify key letter sequences and word patterns to efficiently unscramble and solve phrase puzzle trivia.

  3. Expand your vocabulary -

    Engage with a diverse range of expressions to enhance your word bank and improve phrase recall in future challenges.

  4. Boost cognitive speed -

    Sharpen your mental processing under time pressure, improving quick”thinking skills for fast-paced finish the phrase trivia.

  5. Sharpen problem-solving strategies -

    Develop systematic approaches to deconstruct and reconstruct jumbled letters in the guess the phrase quiz.

  6. Analyze context clues -

    Learn to infer overall meaning from partial words and hints, making it easier to complete common phrase quiz challenges.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Study Idiom Origins -

    Understanding the historical context of common expressions can make it easier to finish the phrase trivia quiz; for instance, "spill the beans" traces back to ancient Greek voting practices (Oxford English Dictionary). Reviewing origin notes on authoritative sites like Cambridge Dictionary helps you predict missing words and boosts recall during a phrase guessing trivia challenge.

  2. Master Common Phrase Patterns -

    Many idioms follow formulaic structures such as "X and Y" (e.g., "bread and butter") or "break X" (e.g., "break the ice"), so familiarize yourself with these templates (Purdue OWL idiom list). Recognizing these patterns during a common phrase quiz reduces search time and increases accuracy when you need to guess the phrase quiz.

  3. Employ Anagram Chunking Strategies -

    Break jumbled letters into smaller groups of 3 - 4 characters and rearrange them mentally, a technique supported by research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. Chunking reduces cognitive load and speeds up problem-solving in finish the phrase trivia and phrase puzzle trivia formats.

  4. Use Letter-Frequency and Word-Shape Cues -

    Focus on high-frequency letters like E, A, and T and note the unique silhouettes of longer words, drawing on findings from the University of Minnesota's Word Recognition Lab. Spotting likely letter pairs (e.g., TH, ER) helps narrow down options quickly during an idiom challenge under time pressure.

  5. Practice with Timed Rounds and Reflect -

    Simulate quiz conditions with online tools and set a countdown to mirror the finish the phrase trivia experience; studies from the American Psychological Association highlight that timed practice improves retrieval speed. After each round, analyze missed phrases to reinforce memory and refine strategies for future phrase guessing trivia sessions.

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