About this Study Set
This study set covers Language Arts through
42 practice questions.
This reviewer covers common idiomatic expressions, correct grammar, and spelling for the 2026 Civil Service Exam, offering practice questions and answers to help candidates prepare. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.
Questions & Answers
Browse all 42 questions from the
2026 Civil Service Exam of the Philippines Reviewer: Idioms, Grammar, and Spelling study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
What does the idiom "beat around the bush" mean?
-
A
To avoid the main topic
-
B
To attack someone with a weapon
-
C
To be very busy
-
D
To make a quick decision
2
What is the meaning of the idiom "a piece of cake"?
-
A
Something very expensive
-
B
Something very difficult
-
C
Something very easy
-
D
A literal piece of cake
3
Which sentence correctly uses the idiom "bite the bullet"?
-
A
The soldier bit the bullet to test if it was real.
-
B
He decided to bite the bullet and face the consequences.
-
C
She bit the bullet to avoid tasting the medicine.
-
D
The dog bit the bullet and ran away.
4
What does the idiom "costs an arm and a leg" mean?
-
A
Requires physical sacrifice
-
B
Is very expensive
-
C
Is very cheap
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D
Is easy to obtain
5
What does it mean to "pull someone's leg"?
-
A
To physically grab someone's leg
-
B
To tease or trick someone
-
C
To help someone up
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D
To break a promise
6
Which idiom means "to stop using a habit or addiction"?
-
A
Kick the bucket
-
B
Bite the dust
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C
Break a leg
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D
Turn over a new leaf
7
What does the idiom "the ball is in your court" mean?
-
A
You have made a mistake
-
B
It is your turn to act or decide
-
C
The situation is out of your control
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D
You have won the game
8
What does the phrase "under the weather" mean?
-
A
Standing in the rain
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B
Feeling unwell or sick
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C
Being exposed to bad luck
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D
Experiencing extreme heat
9
The expression "to hit the nail on the head" means...
-
A
To cause pain or injury
-
B
To be exactly right
-
C
To make a mistake
-
D
To finish a task quickly
10
What does the idiom "to cut corners" mean?
-
A
To drive carelessly around bends in the road
-
B
To do something in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way, often by omitting steps
-
C
To take a shortcut
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D
To make a mistake
11
Which sentence uses the correct form of the verb?
-
A
Each of the students have completed his assignment.
-
B
Each of the students has completed his assignment.
-
C
Each of the students has completed their assignment.
-
D
Each of the students have completed their assignment.
12
Which sentence contains a pronoun error?
-
A
Either James or Robert will bring his notebook.
-
B
Neither of the boys has forgotten his keys.
-
C
Each of the girls brought her lunch.
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D
All of the students finished their projects.
13
Which sentence has correct subject-verb agreement?
-
A
The group of employees were working late.
-
B
The group of employees was working late.
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C
The groups of employees were working late.
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D
The group of employees is working late.
14
Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?
-
A
After reviewing the documents, the lawyer, decided to file a motion.
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B
After reviewing the documents the lawyer decided to file a motion.
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C
After reviewing the documents, the lawyer decided to file a motion.
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D
After reviewing the documents the lawyer, decided to file a motion.
15
Identify the sentence with the correct use of modifiers.
-
A
Walking down the street, the building impressed me.
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B
The building impressed me walking down the street.
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C
I was impressed by the building, walking down the street.
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D
Walking down the street, I was impressed by the building.
16
Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?
-
A
The manager likes reading reports, writing emails, and to make phone calls.
-
B
The manager likes to read reports, to write emails, and making phone calls.
-
C
The manager likes reading reports, writing emails, and making phone calls.
-
D
The manager likes reading reports, to write emails, and making phone calls.
17
Which sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense?
-
A
The meeting had started after he had arrived.
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B
The meeting started after he arrived.
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C
The meeting had started after he arrived.
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D
The meeting started after he had arrived.
18
Which of the following sentences contains a double negative?
-
A
I don't have no money.
-
B
I don't have any money.
-
C
I have no money.
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D
I have money.
19
Which word is spelled correctly?
-
A
Accomodate
-
B
Acommodate
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C
Accommodate
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D
Acomodate
20
Which of the following words is misspelled?
-
A
Necessary
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B
Occasion
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C
Perseverance
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D
Conscience
21
Identify the correctly spelled word.
-
A
Aquaintence
-
B
Acquaintance
-
C
Aquaintance
-
D
Acqwaintence
22
Which word is spelled correctly?
-
A
Concencus
-
B
Consensus
-
C
Concensus
-
D
Concentus
23
Identify the misspelled word.
-
A
Government
-
B
Guarantee
-
C
Grievance
-
D
Grammar
24
Which of the following words is correctly spelled?
-
A
Embarrasment
-
B
Embarassment
-
C
Embarrassment
-
D
Embarasment
25
Identify the correctly spelled word.
-
A
Indispensible
-
B
Indispensible
-
C
Indispensable
-
D
Indespensible
26
Which word is spelled incorrectly?
-
A
Receive
-
B
Believe
-
C
Achieve
-
D
Deceive
27
Select the correctly spelled word.
-
A
Superceed
-
B
Supercede
-
C
Supersede
-
D
Superceede
28
Which word is spelled correctly?
-
A
Maintenence
-
B
Maintanence
-
C
Maintenance
-
D
Maintainence
29
Which of the following words contains a spelling error?
-
A
Correspondence
-
B
Curiosity
-
C
Conscientious
-
D
Conscientious
30
Choose the sentence with the correct use of the conditional.
-
A
If I would have known about the meeting, I would have attended.
-
B
If I had known about the meeting, I would have attended.
-
C
Had I known about the meeting, I would attend.
-
D
If I knew about the meeting, I would have attended.
31
SENTENCE PAIR: "It's no use crying over ___ milk."
-
A
spilled
-
B
old
-
C
sour
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D
warm
32
Correct the double negative: "I don't have no money."
-
A
I don't have any money.
-
B
I have no money.
-
C
I haven't got money.
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D
I have not got any money.
33
ANALOGY: "Cool as a ___"
-
A
ice
-
B
cucumber
-
C
stone
-
D
frog
34
Which plural form is INCORRECT?
-
A
Criteria
-
B
Phenomena
-
C
Data
-
D
Indices
35
To "burn the midnight oil" means to:
-
A
Waste energy
-
B
Work late into the night
-
C
Use oil for lighting
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D
Be very tired
36
CONDITIONAL: "If I ___ president, I would help the poor."
37
Complete: "The elephant in the ___"
-
A
room
-
B
house
-
C
corner
-
D
hall
38
WORD ORDER: "Hardly ___ arrived when it started raining."
-
A
I had
-
B
had I
-
C
I have
-
D
have I
39
If something is "a dime a dozen," it is:
-
A
Rare
-
B
Common
-
C
Expensive
-
D
Valuable
40
Complete: "Curiosity killed the ___"
-
A
cat
-
B
dog
-
C
mouse
-
D
rat
41
AGREEMENT: "Neither of the options ___ good."
42
To "bite the bullet" means to:
-
A
Get hurt
-
B
Face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage
-
C
Eat something unpleasant
-
D
Break a tooth
