Water, milk, butter or cream? (a)

By Berni | March 30, 2017

Water, milk, butter or cream?

Try this exercise to learn new idioms

Perhaps you know other languages which use ‘water‘, ‘milk‘, ‘butter‘ or ‘cream‘ in similar ways?

For after the exercise:

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1. [Multiple choice]

It can be disastrous if the ….. of the medical profession leave their own countries for other jobs abroad.

Answers for Quiz [1].

  • 1. water
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream (correct)

2. [Multiple choice]

He’s in deep …… for applying for another job without telling his boss.

Answers for Quiz [2].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

3. [Multiple choice]

I think you were silly to turn that job down – but it’s no use crying over spilt ….

Answers for Quiz [3].

  • 1. water
  • 2. milk (correct)
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

4. [Multiple choice]

Their business is in trouble, but they are just about keeping their heads above …..

Answers for Quiz [4].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

5. [Multiple choice]

By the time the manager left he had ….. the company of several thousand pounds.

Answers for Quiz [5].

  • 1. watered
  • 2. milked (correct)
  • 3. buttered
  • 4. creamed

6. [Multiple choice]

They should never have privatised the railways. They just threw the baby out with the bath-….

Answers for Quiz [6].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

7. [Multiple choice]

His parents were against him going travelling – until he’d ….. them up a bit.

Answers for Quiz [7].

  • 1. watered
  • 2. milked
  • 3. buttered (correct)
  • 4. creamed

8. [Multiple choice]

My coffee is too strong – I need to …. it down.

Answers for Quiz [8].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

9. [Multiple choice]

Everyone knew who the whistle-blower was – but he just sat there, looking as if …. wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

Answers for Quiz [9].

  • 1. water
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter (correct)
  • 4. cream

10. [Multiple choice]

We argued a lot when I first started working here, but that‘s all …. under the bridge now.

Answers for Quiz [10].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

11. [Multiple choice]

He took to medical research like a duck to ….

Answers for Quiz [11].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

12. [Multiple choice]

She’s planning to become a full-time writer – but the office job is her bread and ….

Answers for Quiz [12].

  • 1. water
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter (correct)
  • 4. cream

13. [Multiple choice]

She was warned she was going to fail her exam – but it was just …. off a duck’s back.

Answers for Quiz [13].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

14. [Multiple choice]

She enjoys the bread-and-…. work in the classroom more than the management aspect of the job.

Answers for Quiz [14].

  • 1. water
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter (correct)
  • 4. cream

15. [Multiple choice]

He was never happy while he was working for the bank – he felt like a fish out of ….

Answers for Quiz [15].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

16. [Multiple choice]

The local music school has …. off many of the most able children.

Answers for Quiz [16].

  • 1. watered
  • 2. milked
  • 3. buttered
  • 4. creamed (correct)

17. [Multiple choice]

The MP has been in hot …. over his comments about the unemployed.

Answers for Quiz [17].

  • 1. water (correct)
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

18. [Multiple choice]

Once she’d …. down some of her most impractical suggestions the staff seemed more than willing to try them.

Answers for Quiz [18].

  • 1. watered (correct)
  • 2. milked
  • 3. buttered
  • 4. creamed

19. [Multiple choice]

The opposition party has promised a future of abundance and prosperity – a land of ….. and honey.

Answers for Quiz [19].

  • 1. water
  • 2. millk (correct)
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream

20. [Multiple choice]

Why don’t you come round for a typical English …. tea?

Answers for Quiz [20].

  • 1. water
  • 2. milk
  • 3. butter
  • 4. cream (correct)
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