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Looking for a quick word game while we build our bigger experience? You’re in the right place. This 20‑question language quiz mixes vocabulary, idiom origins, grammar, and spelling—short, snappy, and a little devious. Grab a pen or open your notes app, record your answers (A/B/C/D), and then check the answer key at the bottom.
How to play:
• 20 questions, multiple choice unless noted
• 1 point each (bonus questions marked)
• Score yourself and share your result in the comments!
Round 1: Vocabulary Sparks (Q1–Q5)
1) Which word best replaces “very tired”?
A) Tiring B) Fatigued C) Tiringly D) Fatigue
2) “Laconic” most nearly means…
A) Full of praise B) Brief to the point of bluntness C) Musical D) Difficult to read
3) Pick the real word that means “confused or perplexed.”
A) Flustrated B) Discombobulated C) Confuzzled D) Bamboomled
4) A “panacea” is a…
A) Cure‑all B) Mythical bird C) Harsh criticism D) Desert wind
5) Choose the most precise synonym for “start.”
A) Initiate B) Do C) Thing D) Utilize
Round 1: Vocabulary Sparks (Q1–Q5)
Reveal Answers
1) B — Fatigued
2) B — Brief to the point of bluntness
3) B — Discombobulated
4) A — Cure-all
5) A — Initiate
Round 2: Idiom Origins (Q6–Q10)
6) The phrase “spill the beans” is commonly traced to…
A) Medieval markets
B) Ancient Greek secret voting with beans
C) Roman theater traditions
D) A 19th‑century cookbook mishap
7) “Let the cat out of the bag” originally warned against…
A) Letting pets roam
B) Buying a pig in a poke (market scam)
C) Witchcraft trials
D) Shipboard superstition
8) “Saved by the bell” first referred to…
A) Boxing rounds
B) Victorian safety coffins
C) Medieval church bells
D) School dismissal bells
9) “Bite the bullet” likely comes from…
A) Knights chewing lead in battle
B) Pre‑anesthesia battlefield surgery
C) Roman military rations
D) Telegraph code
10) The word “villain” evolved from a term for a…
A) City magistrate
B) Traveling thief
C) Low‑ranking farm laborer (villein)
D) Castle guard
Round 2: Idiom Origins (Q6–Q10)
Reveal Answers
6) B — Ancient Greek secret voting with beans
7) B — Buying a pig in a poke (market scam)
8) B — Victorian safety coffins
9) B — Pre-anesthesia battlefield surgery
10) C — Low-ranking farm laborer (villein)
Round 3: Grammar & Usage (Q11–Q15)
11) Choose the sentence with correct comma usage:
A) I brought apples bananas, and pears.
B) I brought apples, bananas and pears.
C) I brought, apples, bananas, and pears.
D) I brought apples, bananas, and pears.
12) Pick the correctly punctuated semicolon sentence:
A) We were late; because the traffic was terrible.
B) We were late; the traffic was terrible.
C) We were late, the traffic was terrible.
D) We were late: the traffic was terrible.
13) Which is always two words as a verb?
A) Login B) Log in C) Setup D) Backup
14) Choose the sentence that avoids a double negative:
A) I don’t need no help.
B) I can’t hardly wait.
C) I don’t need any help.
D) I ain’t got none.
15) Identify the passive voice:
A) The committee approved the plan.
B) The plan was approved by the committee.
C) The committee will approve the plan.
D) Approve the plan, please.
Round 3: Grammar & Usage (Q11–Q15)
Reveal Answers
11) D — I brought apples, bananas, and pears.
12) B — We were late; the traffic was terrible.
13) B — Log in
14) C — I don’t need any help.
15) B — The plan was approved by the committee.
Round 4: Spelling, Silent Letters & Oddities (Q16–Q20)
16) Which spelling is correct?
A) Acommodate B) Accommodate C) Accomodate D) Acomodate
17) In “knight,” the silent letters preserve older sounds from…
A) Old English/Germanic roots
B) Greek drama
C) Arabic loanwords
D) Modern slang
18) Which word keeps a silent b from Latin re‑spelling?
A) Thumb B) Doubt C) Lamb D) Bomb
19) What’s the least used letter in modern English?
A) Q B) X C) Z D) J
20) Choose the sentence that correctly uses “fewer/less.”
A) There are less people here tonight.
B) I drank fewer water at lunch.
C) We had fewer delays this week.
D) This recipe uses fewer sugar.
Round 4: Spelling, Silent Letters & Oddities (Q16–Q20)
Reveal Answers
16) B — Accommodate
17) A — Old English/Germanic roots
18) B — Doubt
19) C — Z
20) C — We had fewer delays this week.
Bonus Round (Up to +3 pts)
B1) Pick the contronym (a word that can mean its own opposite):
A) Sanction B) Banana C) Purple D) Whisper
B2) Identify the mondegreen (misheard lyric):
A) “Hold me closer, Tony Danza.”
B) “Take me home, country roads.”
C) “Here comes the sun.”
D) “Don’t stop believin’.”
B3) Which phrase is Shakespearean in origin?
A) Break the ice
B) In one fell swoop
C) Let the cat out of the bag
D) Bite the bullet
Bonus Round (B1–B3)
Reveal Answers
B1) A — Sanction (approve or penalize)
B2) A — “Hold me closer, Tony Danza.”
B3) B — In one fell swoop
How to Score
- Core rounds: 20 points total (1 point each)
- Bonus: +3 possible
- Bragging rights scale:
- 18–23: Word Wizard 🧙
- 14–17: Lexicon Pro 📚
- 10–13: Clever Communicator ✍️
- 0–9: Budding Word Sleuth 🕵️
