IELTS Speaking: Flexible Idiom Phrases

Idioms play a crucial role in the IELTS exam, particularly in the Speaking and Writing sections. They help candidates sound more natural, demonstrate a strong grasp of English, and enhance their ability to express ideas effectively. However, idioms should be used appropriately and in context to avoid sounding unnatural or forced.

What Are IELTS Idiom Phrases?

Idioms are fixed expressions whose meanings cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words. For example, “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret, not literally dropping beans on the floor.

Why Are Idioms Important for IELTS?

1. Idioms Enhance Fluency and Coherence

One of the key IELTS scoring criteria is fluency and coherence. Fluency is about speaking smoothly without hesitation, while coherence ensures logical flow and connection of ideas.

Imagine answering an IELTS Speaking question about teamwork:

❌ Without idiom: "It is important to work together because teamwork helps in achieving goals."
✔ With idiom: "At the end of the day, teamwork makes the dream work."

The second sentence sounds more natural and expressive. The idiom "At the end of the day" smoothly introduces the main idea, making the response more cohesive.

2. Idioms Demonstrate Lexical Resource

Lexical resource (vocabulary variety) is another crucial IELTS scoring factor. A candidate who says "I was very happy" shows basic vocabulary, while someone who says "I was on cloud nine" demonstrates a richer range of expression.

This does not mean stuffing idioms into every sentence. Instead, using them strategically can showcase strong vocabulary and help achieve a higher band score.

3. Idioms Improve Expressiveness in Writing

IELTS Writing, especially Task 2, requires persuasive and well-structured responses. While idioms should be used sparingly in academic writing, some idiomatic expressions can add depth and clarity.

Example:

❌ Basic: "It is important to consider both advantages and disadvantages before making a decision."
✔ Improved: "Before making a decision, one must weigh the pros and cons."

The idiom "weigh the pros and cons" makes the statement more engaging while maintaining formal tone and clarity.

Essential IELTS Idioms by Topic

To use idioms effectively, you should categorize them based on common IELTS topics. Here’s a breakdown of useful idioms for different question types.

a) Idioms for Expressing Opinions (Useful for IELTS Speaking Part 3 & Writing Task 2)

"To my mind" – In my opinion
- To my mind, online education is the future of learning.
"Have a point" – To make a valid argument
- I think you have a point when you say that cities need more green spaces.
"Sit on the fence" – To be undecided
- When it comes to the pros and cons of social media, I sit on the fence.
"At the end of the day" – Ultimately, in conclusion
- At the end of the day, education is the key to success.

b) Idioms for Agreement & Disagreement (Useful for IELTS Speaking Part 3 & Writing Task 2)

"See eye to eye" – To completely agree
- My parents and I don’t always see eye to eye on career choices.
"At odds with" – To strongly disagree
- Many people are at odds with the government’s new policy.
"On the same page" – To have the same understanding
- Before signing the contract, we need to be on the same page about expectations.
"By and large" – Generally speaking
- By and large, technology has improved our lives.

c) Idioms for Success & Hard Work (Useful for IELTS Speaking Parts 1, 2 & 3, and Writing Task 2)

"Go the extra mile" – To put in extra effort
- To succeed in IELTS, you must go the extra mile by practicing daily.
"Burn the midnight oil" – To work late into the night
- Before my university exams, I burned the midnight oil to prepare.
"Climb the ladder" – To progress in one’s career
- She climbed the corporate ladder quickly due to her dedication.
"Hit the ground running" – To start something with energy and enthusiasm
- When I got my first job, I hit the ground running and impressed my boss.

d) Idioms for Challenges & Problems (Useful for IELTS Speaking Part 2 & Writing Task 2)

"A blessing in disguise" – A good outcome from a bad situation
- Losing my job was a blessing in disguise because I started my own business.
"Throw in at the deep end" – To be put in a difficult situation without preparation
- On my first day at work, I was thrown in at the deep end and had to manage everything.
"Bite off more than you can chew" – To take on too much responsibility
- I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to work and study at the same time.
"A tough nut to crack" – A difficult problem to solve
- Reducing traffic congestion is a tough nut to crack for many cities.

e) Idioms for Time & Change (Useful for IELTS Speaking Part 3 & Writing Task 2)

"Ahead of the curve" – To be innovative and ahead of others
- Companies that adopt AI early will stay ahead of the curve.
"The writing is on the wall" – Clear signs of a future problem
- With climate change worsening, the writing is on the wall for future generations.
"Turn over a new leaf" – To start fresh
- After moving to a new city, I turned over a new leaf and improved my lifestyle.
"A game-changer" – Something that brings significant change
- Electric cars are a game-changer in the automobile industry.

Top 50 IDIOMS

1-10: Common Everyday Idioms

No.	Idiom	Meaning	Example
1️⃣	Hit the nail on the head	To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem	She hit the nail on the head when she said the company’s lack of innovation was the real issue.
2️⃣	A blessing in disguise	Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good	Losing my job was a blessing in disguise because I found a better one.
3️⃣	Burn the midnight oil	To work late into the night	He burned the midnight oil to complete his research paper on time.
4️⃣	Let the cat out of the bag	To reveal a secret unintentionally	I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
5️⃣	Bite the bullet	To endure a painful or difficult situation	I didn’t want to take the exam, but I had to bite the bullet and do it.
6️⃣	Cost an arm and a leg	To be very expensive	The new iPhone costs an arm and a leg.
7️⃣	Call it a day	To stop working on something	After ten hours of work, we decided to call it a day.
8️⃣	Back to the drawing board	To start over after a failure	Our plan didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board.
9️⃣	Go the extra mile	To do more than what is required	If you want to impress your boss, go the extra mile in your projects.
1️⃣0️⃣	Sit on the fence	To be undecided	He sat on the fence and couldn’t decide which university to choose.

11-20: Business & Academic Idioms

No.	Idiom	Meaning	Example
1️⃣1️⃣	A penny for your thoughts	Asking someone to share their opinion	You seem deep in thought. A penny for your thoughts?
1️⃣2️⃣	Get the ball rolling	To start a project or process	Let’s get the ball rolling on the new marketing campaign.
1️⃣3️⃣	In the same boat	To be in the same difficult situation as someone else	We’re all in the same boat when it comes to final exams.
1️⃣4️⃣	The bottom line	The essential point or conclusion	The bottom line is that we need more funding to complete the project.
1️⃣5️⃣	Put all your eggs in one basket	To risk everything on one opportunity	You shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket when investing.
1️⃣6️⃣	Throw in the towel	To give up	After several failed attempts, he threw in the towel and quit the competition.
1️⃣7️⃣	Get cold feet	To become nervous about a decision	She got cold feet before her wedding and considered canceling it.
1️⃣8️⃣	Break the ice	To start a conversation in a social setting	He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.
1️⃣9️⃣	Think outside the box	To think creatively	We need to think outside the box to solve this problem.
2️⃣0️⃣	Under the weather	Feeling sick	I can’t come to work today; I’m feeling under the weather.

21-30: Time & Decision-Making Idioms

No.	Idiom	Meaning	Example
2️⃣1️⃣	At the eleventh hour	At the last possible moment	He finished his assignment at the eleventh hour.
2️⃣2️⃣	Play it by ear	To decide something as it happens rather than planning ahead	We don’t have a plan yet; let’s play it by ear.
2️⃣3️⃣	On the fence	Indecisive about something	I’m still on the fence about which laptop to buy.
2️⃣4️⃣	Take it with a grain of salt	To not take something too seriously	He exaggerates a lot, so take his stories with a grain of salt.
2️⃣5️⃣	Put your foot down	To be firm about a decision	She put her foot down and refused to work overtime without pay.
2️⃣6️⃣	Keep your chin up	Stay positive in a difficult situation	Even after failing the test, he kept his chin up and tried again.
2️⃣7️⃣	A tough nut to crack	A difficult problem or person	This puzzle is a tough nut to crack.
2️⃣8️⃣	Time flies	Time passes quickly	Time flies when you’re having fun.
2️⃣9️⃣	Jump on the bandwagon	To follow a trend	Many people jumped on the bandwagon and started using the new app.
3️⃣0️⃣	Put something on the back burner	To delay something	We had to put our vacation plans on the back burner due to work commitments.

31-40: Success & Failure Idioms

No.	Idiom	Meaning	Example
3️⃣1️⃣	A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	It’s better to have something certain than take a risk for more	He decided to sell his car for a fair price rather than gamble on finding a better deal—a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
3️⃣2️⃣	Don’t cry over spilled milk	Don’t be upset over something that cannot be changed	I know you lost the game, but don’t cry over spilled milk; we can try again next time.
3️⃣3️⃣	Every cloud has a silver lining	There is something good in every bad situation	Although she was upset about losing her job, every cloud has a silver lining, and she quickly found an even better opportunity.
3️⃣4️⃣	Rome wasn’t built in a day	Great things take time	Learning a new language is challenging—Rome wasn’t built in a day, so be patient.
3️⃣5️⃣	Throw caution to the wind	To take a risk	He decided to throw caution to the wind and start his own business, even though it was risky.
3️⃣6️⃣	Go back to square one	To start over	Our original plan didn’t work, so we’ll need to go back to square one and come up with something new.
3️⃣7️⃣	It’s not rocket science	It’s not difficult to understand	Setting up the new printer is easy—it’s not rocket science!
3️⃣8️⃣	Let sleeping dogs lie	Don’t disturb a situation that is currently peaceful	Don’t bring up their argument from last year—let sleeping dogs lie.
3️⃣9️⃣	Bite off more than you can chew	To take on more than you can handle	I think I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to organize the wedding and the party at the same time!
4️⃣0️⃣	The ball is in your court	It’s your decision now	I’ve done all I can to help you—the ball is in your court now.

41-50: Miscellaneous Idioms

No.	Idiom	Meaning	Example
4️⃣1️⃣	By the skin of one’s teeth	Just barely	He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth, barely getting the minimum required score.
4️⃣2️⃣	Curiosity killed the cat	Being too curious can lead to trouble	I know you’re wondering about her private life, but curiosity killed the cat. Leave it alone!
4️⃣3️⃣	Make ends meet	To survive financially	They’ve been struggling to make ends meet ever since the company downsized.
4️⃣4️⃣	Break a leg	Good luck	Good luck on your presentation! Break a leg out there!
4️⃣5️⃣	Up in the air	Uncertain	Our vacation plans are up in the air since we haven’t decided where to go yet.
4️⃣6️⃣	Throw someone under the bus	To betray someone	He threw his colleague under the bus to cover his own mistake during the meeting.
4️⃣7️⃣	Hitting the books	Studying hard	She’s been hitting the books all week in preparation for her final exams.
4️⃣8️⃣	Spill the beans	Reveal a secret	I accidentally spilled the beans about their surprise engagement party!
4️⃣9️⃣	Read between the lines	Understand a hidden meaning	The job offer seemed great, but read between the lines—the company’s financial health isn’t good.
5️⃣0️⃣	A storm in a teacup	A big fuss over a small issue	He was upset over a minor delay, but it was just a storm in a teacup—nothing to worry about.