Work Idioms

After the success of last week's love idioms exercise, I decided to write another idioms lesson for you based on expressions that contain the verb 'to work'.

I have written the meanings of the expressions at the top and then created some sentences that include the idioms. Can you work out which idiom belongs to each sentence?

Work like a charm - if something works like a charm, then it has exactly the effect that you wanted it to.
Work your fingers to the bone - if you work your fingers to the bone, you do an extremely difficult job
Work yourself up - if you work yourself up, you become very upset about something.
Work up a sweat - if you work up a sweat, you put a lot of effort into something.
A nasty piece of work - if someone is a nasty piece of work, they are not very nice.
Things will work out - if things work out, a problem becomes resolved.
Put a spanner in the works - if you put a spanner in the works, you do something that stops another thing from succeeding.

By Caroline

• 1. Dont worry about the argument. I'm sure ___
  
  It'll work like a charm.
  things will work out.
  spanner will be put in the works.
  
  
• 2. I don't like that girl that my daughter has become friends with. I think she's ___
  
  worked up.
  a nasty piece of work.
  working her fingers to the bone.
  
  
• 3. When I'm sick, I make a drink with honey, lemon and chilli powder. It ___
  
  works you up.
  works like a charm.
  works up a sweat.
  
  
• 4. It was all fine until Chris ___ by telling us that he had forgotten to book the coaches.
  
  worked things out
  worked his fingers to the bone
  put a spanner in the works
  
  
• 5. I ___ at my last job so I can't believe that they made me redundant and not my lazy colleague.
  
  worked like a charm
  worked my fingers to the bone
  Was a nasty piece of work
  
  
• 6. I really ___ at the gym. I haven't been for ages, but I felt so much better afterwards.
  
  worked things out
  worked up a sweat
  put a spanner in the works
  
  
• 7. I know you are very upset but you mustn't ___ about it. Everything will be fine.
  
  work things out
  work yourself up
  work your fingers to the bone