Halloween Idioms and Expressions Quiz: 10 Spooky English Phrases to Learn
Updated: Sep 10
Halloween is the perfect time to have a little fun with English! 👻 But did you know that many English idioms and expressions have spooky connections to ghosts, witches, skeletons, graves and the night?
In this Halloween English lesson, you'll learn 10 common Halloween idioms and expressions with simple explanations and conversational example sentences. Then, put your knowledge to the test with a fun Halloween Idioms and Expressions Quiz.
These expressions aren't only useful at Halloween. Many of them are used in everyday English conversations, movies, TV shows and stories throughout the year.
So, grab your imaginary broomstick and let's get started! 🧙♀️🎃
💡 Tip:
These idioms aren’t only for Halloween — you’ll hear them in movies, TV shows, and conversations all year round!
👻 10 Halloween Idioms and Expressions
1. 🦴 Have a Skeleton in the Cupboard / Closet
Meaning:
To have a secret, usually something embarrassing or unpleasant from your past.
Example:
“He seems really nice, but I bet he’s got a few skeletons in the closet!”
💡 Quick Check: Is this about a real skeleton? No! It's a secret that someone doesn't want other people to know about.
2. 👻 As White as a Ghost
Meaning: To look very pale, usually because of fear, shock or illness.
“When I told him about the surprise quiz, he went as white as a ghost!”
Try it:
What might make someone go as white as a ghost?
3. 🕷️ Give Someone the Creeps
Meaning:
To make someone feel uncomfortable, nervous or slightly frightened.
Example:
“That old mansion gives me the creeps every time I walk past it.”
Everyday English:
You can also say:
“That place really creeps me out.”
4. 👻 A Ghost Town
Meaning:
A place that is unusually quiet or empty because there are very few people there.
Example:
“The shopping mall was a ghost town after the storm. There was hardly anyone there.”
💡 Remember:
A ghost town doesn't necessarily have any ghosts!
5. 🪦 Dig Your Own Grave
Meaning:
To do something that causes your own problems or makes a bad situation worse.
Example:
“If you keep arguing with the manager, you’re just digging your own grave.”
Think about it:
What could someone do at work that might mean they're “digging their own grave”?
6. 🦉 Be a Night Owl
Meaning:
To be someone who likes staying up late or is more active at night.
Example:
“I’m definitely a night owl. I do my best work after everyone else is asleep!”
Opposite:
☀️ an early bird – someone who gets up early or is most active in the morning.
7. 🩸 Make Someone’s Blood Run Cold
Meaning:
To make someone feel extremely frightened.
Example:
“That creepy sound coming from the basement made my blood run cold!”
This expression is often used when something suddenly scares you.
8. 🧙♀️ A Witch Hunt
Meaning:
An unfair attempt to find and punish someone who is believed to be responsible for something.
Conversational example:
“It feels like a witch hunt. Everyone’s blaming Sarah for the project delays, but she’s not the only one responsible.”
⚠️ Language note: This is generally used for a situation in which someone is being unfairly targeted. It's not normally about an actual search for witches.
9. 🌙 In the Dead of Night
Meaning:
In the middle of the night, especially when it is very quiet and most people are asleep.
Example:
“We heard strange noises in the dead of night, and nobody could sleep afterwards!”
Useful variation:
“Someone knocked on the door in the dead of night.”
10. 🪞 A Dead Ringer
Meaning: Someone who looks extremely similar to another person.
Example:
“She’s a dead ringer for her older sister. I thought they were twins!”
💡 Despite the spooky word dead, this expression has nothing to do with ghosts!
🎃 Before You Take the Quiz...
How well do you remember the idioms?
You've met the expressions, seen them in context, and learned their meanings. Now it's time to see how much you really remember! Don't worry if you don't get everything right. Learning idioms takes practice. 👻
Halloween Idioms and Expressions Quiz
Part 1: Multiple Choice Questions
Choose the correct meaning for each Halloween-related idiom or expression:
To have a skeleton in the closet
a) To keep something hidden in a closet
b) To hide a secret from others
c) To clean out old things you don’t need
To be as white as a ghost
a) To be really scared
b) To look very pale, usually from fear or shock
c) To see a ghost for the first time
To give someone the creeps
a) To make someone uncomfortable or scared
b) To play a joke on someone
c) To dress up in a scary costume
A ghost town
a) A place where ghosts live
b) A town where all the shops are haunted
c) A place with very few people, almost empty
To dig your own grave
a) To prepare for Halloween by making a fake grave
b) To do something that will cause your own failure or problems
c) To help someone else with a difficult task
To be a night owl
a) To dress up as an owl for Halloween
b) To be someone who stays up late or is active at night
c) To be scared of going outside at night
To make someone’s blood run cold
a) To shock or terrify someone
b) To give someone a cold drink
c) To make someone feel uncomfortable with a cold breeze
A witch hunt
a) To search for witches on Halloween night
b) To unfairly target or blame someone
c) To look for magical potions
the dead of night
a) To be out in a graveyard
b) To be active when no one else is awake, very late at night
c) To feel scared in the middle of the night
a dead ringer
a) To look exactly like someone else
b) To wear a skeleton costume for Halloween
c) To call someone from a haunted house
🔑Answer Key
b) To hide a secret from others
b) To look very pale, usually from fear or shock
a) To make someone uncomfortable or scared
c) A place with very few people, almost empty
b) To do something that will cause your own failure or problems
b) To be someone who stays up late or is active at night
a) To shock or terrify someone
b) To unfairly target or blame someone
b) To be active when no one else is awake, very late at night
a) To look exactly like someone else
Prefer learning English through video?
👻Watch the Halloween Idioms and Expressions Quiz and test yourself as you learn. Pause the video before each answer and see how many you can get right!
💬 Discussion Questions
Are you a night owl or an early bird?
What kinds of places give you the creeps?
Have you ever visited a ghost town?
What kind of situation might make someone's blood run cold?
Why do you think people enjoy scary stories and horror movies?
Have you ever met someone who was a dead ringer for another person?
Do you think people sometimes create problems by digging their own grave?
Which Halloween idiom would you most like to use in a conversation?
⭐ Speaking Challenge
Choose 3 idioms and create a short conversation with a partner.
For example:
A: Why are you still awake?
B: I'm a night owl!
A: You'd better be careful. You're going to dig your own grave if you're tired at work tomorrow!
🧠 Idiom Learning Tip
💡 Don't Memorise Idioms Alone!
Instead of memorising:
ghost town = empty place
learn the whole phrase in context:
“The shopping centre was like a ghost town.”
Then try creating your own sentence.
This helps you remember not only the meaning but also
how the idiom is naturally used.
📌 Quick Review
Idiom | Simple Meaning |
🦴 skeleton in the closet | a hidden secret |
👻 as white as a ghost | very pale |
🕷️ give someone the creeps | make someone uncomfortable/scared |
👻 ghost town | an unusually empty place |
🪦 dig your own grave | cause your own problems |
🦉 night owl | someone who stays up late |
🩸 make someone's blood run cold | frighten someone |
🧙♀️ witch hunt | unfairly target someone |
🌙 dead of night | the middle of the night |
🪞 dead ringer | someone who looks very similar |
🎬 Quick Quiz Challenge:
Can you guess the meaning before the answer appears? Try our Halloween Idioms Shorts and see how many you can get right!
🎃 How Spooky Is Your English?
You've learned 10 Halloween idioms — now it's your turn to use them!
✏️ Choose your favourite idiom and write a sentence in the
comments below ⬇️
And if you enjoyed this Halloween English lesson, check out more English stories, vocabulary quizzes and grammar lessons to keep building your everyday English.
Happy Halloween — and happy learning! 🎃👻
🎃 Frequently Asked Questions About Halloween Idioms and Expressions
👻 What are Halloween idioms?
Halloween idioms are English expressions connected with spooky ideas such as ghosts, witches, skeletons, graves and the night. Some are especially fun to use around Halloween, while others are common expressions used throughout the year.
For example, “give someone the creeps” means to make someone feel uncomfortable or slightly scared.
🕷️ Are Halloween idioms only used at Halloween?
No! Many Halloween-themed idioms are actually used all year round.
For example:
“That old building gives me the creeps.”
“I'm a real night owl.”
“The shopping centre was like a ghost town.”
You might hear these expressions in everyday conversations, films, TV shows and books—not just at Halloween.
🦴 What does “have a skeleton in the closet” mean?
To have a skeleton in the closet means to have a secret, usually something embarrassing or unpleasant from your past that you don't want other people to know about.
Example:
“Everyone has a few skeletons in the closet.”
In British English, you may also see “a skeleton in the cupboard.”
👻 What does “give someone the creeps” mean?
To give someone the creeps means to make someone feel uncomfortable, nervous or slightly frightened.
Example:
“That creepy old doll gives me the creeps.”
You can also say:
“That doll really creeps me out.”
🏚️ What is a “ghost town”?
A ghost town is a place that is unusually empty or has very few people.
It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with actual ghosts!
Example:
“The city centre was a ghost town on Sunday morning.”
🦉 What is a “night owl” in English?
A night owl is someone who enjoys staying up late or is more active at night.
Example:
“I'm a night owl. I usually do my best work late at night.”
The opposite is an early bird—someone who likes getting up early.
🪦 What does “dig your own grave” mean?
To dig your own grave means to do something that creates problems for yourself or makes a difficult situation worse.
Example:
“If you keep arguing with your boss, you're digging your own grave.”
It's usually used figuratively, not literally.
🩸 What does “make someone's blood run cold” mean?
If something makes your blood run cold, it makes you feel extremely frightened or shocked.
Example:
“The footsteps behind me made my blood run cold.”
It's a dramatic expression, so it's particularly useful when telling a spooky story!
🧙♀️ What does “witch hunt” mean?
A witch hunt is an unfair attempt to find someone to blame or punish, especially when that person may not actually be responsible.
Example:
“Everyone is blaming Sarah for the mistake. It feels like a witch hunt.”
Today, the expression is normally used figuratively, rather than to describe an actual search for witches.
🪞 What does “dead ringer” mean?
A dead ringer is someone who looks extremely similar to another person.
Example:
“She's a dead ringer for her mother.”
Despite the word “dead,” this expression isn't about ghosts or death!
🎃 How can I learn English idioms more effectively?
Don't try to memorise a long list of idioms by themselves. Instead:
Learn the meaning.
See the idiom in a real sentence.
Notice how native speakers use it.
Create your own sentence.
Use it in a conversation or story.
Review it later.
For example, don't just memorise:
ghost town = empty place
Try remembering:
“The shopping centre was like a ghost town.”
This makes the expression easier to recall when you need it.
📚 What level is this Halloween idioms quiz suitable for?
The lesson is suitable for A2–B1 ESL/EFL learners, although some of the idioms may be more challenging for lower-level learners.
Pre-intermediate learners can focus on matching idioms with meanings, while intermediate learners can practise using the expressions in conversations and creating their own sentences.
🎃 Can I use this Halloween idioms quiz in an ESL classroom?
Absolutely! The quiz can be used for individual study, pair work, small groups or whole-class activities.
For a fun classroom activity, put students into pairs and ask them to:
1. Guess the meaning → 2. Check the answer → 3. Create a sentence → 4. Share it with the class.
You can also use the downloadable worksheet to get students creating their own mini Halloween stories.
👻 Where can I practise these Halloween idioms?
You can practise the expressions with the Halloween Idioms and Expressions Quiz, the printable worksheet, and the accompanying video.
🎃 Ready for the challenge?
Try the quiz again and see if you can get 10/10!
🎃 Free Worksheet
Want more practice?
🎃Download the Free Halloween Idioms and Expressions Worksheet and practise these spooky phrases with matching, fill-in-the-blank and sentence-writing activities.
Find out more
👻 Halloween Vocabulary for English Learners
📖 Learn English Through Stories
🧠 Everyday English Idioms Quiz
📝 Free Halloween ESL Worksheets
Watch and Learn! For more ESL reading and listening practice video lessons, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Now that you’ve completed the Halloween Idioms and Expressions Quiz, you’ve got some frightfully good English phrases up your sleeve!
🕸️Idioms like “a skeleton in the closet” or “a ghost town” make your English sound more natural — and a lot more fun.
So whether you’re teaching, studying, or simply enjoying a spooky night in, try using one of these idioms in your next conversation.
You might just give your friends the creeps — in a good way! 😄
Over to You!
👉 Which Halloween idiom did you find the most interesting (or spooky)?
Share your answer in the comments below ⬇️ — let’s see who’s the biggest Halloween idiom master! 🧛♀️
Or download the printable Halloween Idioms Worksheet for classroom or self-study fun!
Continue learning English for Festivals & Holidays
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