Choose the option that best expresses the meaning of the idiom "to bite off more than one can chew".

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of an everyday English idiom: "to bite off more than one can chew". Idioms are fixed expressions whose meanings cannot always be guessed from the literal meanings of individual words. Knowing common idioms is essential for fluent comprehension of newspapers, conversations, and competitive exam passages.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Idiom: "to bite off more than one can chew".
• Options describe various situations involving difficulty, greed, or unfairness.
• We must match the idiom to its standard figurative meaning.

Concept / Approach:
Literally, if a person bites off more food than they can chew comfortably, they will struggle to chew and swallow it. Figuratively, the idiom applies to tasks, responsibilities, or commitments that are larger or more complex than a person can reasonably manage. The focus is on overestimating one's capacity and then struggling.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the idiom's meaning from everyday usage: it describes situations where individuals accept more work or responsibility than they can handle. Step 2: Examine option A: "To take on a commitment that one cannot fulfill." This directly matches the idea of accepting a task larger than one's capacity. Step 3: Consider option B: "A task which has unexpectedly become very difficult." This focuses on the task itself changing, not on someone making a bad choice about how much to accept. Step 4: Look at option C: "A greedy person will always suffer." The idiom is not limited to greed; it applies to ambition or misjudgment in general. Step 5: Check option D: "To grab a share more than what is rightfully theirs." This is about unfairness, not about personal capacity to handle a task. Step 6: Therefore, option A best captures the accepted meaning of the idiom.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of typical sentences: "He bit off more than he could chew by agreeing to manage three big projects at once." This clearly shows over commitment. It does not necessarily mean he was greedy or unjust; rather, he misjudged his own ability and available time. That nuance is present in option A, which speaks of a commitment one cannot fulfill.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option B: Emphasises that the task unexpectedly became difficult, which is not the core of the idiom.
• Option C: Restricts the meaning to greed and punishment, which is not accurate.
• Option D: Talks about unfair grabbing of share, which relates more to cheating or injustice than to one's capacity.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners connect idioms too literally and choose options related to eating or greed. Others choose any option that mentions difficulty without thinking about who created the problem. Always remember that in this idiom the person creates a problem for themselves by accepting too much, rather than the problem coming from outside.

Final Answer:
The idiom "to bite off more than one can chew" means to take on a commitment that one cannot fulfill.