The problems are on the French Idioms worksheet. Try them on your own first, then compare with the answers below.
Quick answer: French idioms are fixed expressions whose meaning cannot be guessed from the separate words. This answer key corrects the 20 problems of the French 4 worksheet on French idioms, from meaning of a classic to café story: the final answer in bold, the rule behind it, and a model answer for each writing task.
Here is the answer key of the French 4 worksheet on French idioms. Try the worksheet first, then compare, and reread the lesson if a rule is unclear.
Level: French 4 (high school, ACTFL Intermediate Mid) · Standards: ACTFL Intermediate Mid, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational, WL 4.1 Language Comparisons
French idioms: the answers explained
Problem 1 Meaning of a classic
Answer: b. Avoir le cafard = to feel down; a cockroach is only the image.
Problem 2 Stood up at the movies
Answer: a posé. Passé composé with avoir.
Problem 3 Match the idiom
1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B. Avoir la pêche = full of energy; tomber dans les pommes = faint; donner sa langue au chat = give up guessing; mettre son grain de sel = butt in.
Problem 4 Word box
a) yeux b) chat c) cafard d) lapin.
Problem 5 True or false
a) False (it means to faint). b) True. c) False (it means to stand someone up).
Problem 6 Expensive sneakers
Ça coûte les yeux de la tête. Also acceptable: Cela coûte les yeux de la tête.
Problem 7 Fainting at the gym
Hugo est tombé dans les pommes pendant le cours de sport. Tomber takes être, so the participle agrees with the masculine subject.
Problem 8 Nosy brother
My brother always butts in on our conversations. (Accept: always sticks his two cents in.)
Problem 9 Jumping around
Answer: b, sauter du coq à l’âne, because Sacha changes topic constantly.
Problem 10 Fix the preposition
Samuel a posé un lapin à Maya. The person stood up is the indirect object, introduced by à, never de.
Problem 11 Sad evening
Léa a le cafard ce soir.
Problem 12 A cat in the throat
To have a frog in your throat; to be hoarse. Nothing to do with a cat.
Problem 13 Daydreamer
Answer: b. Être dans la lune = to have your head in the clouds.
Problem 14 Energy after sports
Après dix minutes de course, Inès a la pêche. Avoir is irregular: elle a.
Problem 15 Concert tickets
Les billets du concert coûtaient les yeux de la tête, alors Malik est resté à la maison. Imperfect for the description, passé composé for the action.
Problem 16 Text message
a) Nadia stood him up and he waited an hour. b) She says she fainted. c) Not literal: the idiom means to faint (the reply is probably an excuse, and Karim jokes with avoir la pêche: are you full of energy?).
Problem 17 Word order
Elle est tombée dans les pommes hier. (Also possible: Hier, elle est tombée dans les pommes.)
Problem 18 Rain in the past
Il pleuvait des cordes et nous avions le cafard.
Problem 19 Guided writing
Model: Hier, j’ai eu une journée horrible. Mon amie m’a posé un lapin à la cantine et j’avais le cafard. En maths, un élève a mis son grain de sel. Check: two idioms, one in the passé composé, correct agreement, verbs conjugated.
Problem 20 Café story
Mon ami m’a posé un lapin au café. J’avais le cafard, mais je ne suis pas tombé dans les pommes ! Note the negative ne … pas around the auxiliary.