If you’re preparing for the IELTS Speaking test, integrating idiomatic expressions into your responses can significantly boost your score—especially in the Lexical Resource criterion. However, using idioms correctly and naturally is key. Below is a comprehensive and categorized list of 100 idioms, complete with clear definitions and example sentences. These idioms are grouped according to common IELTS topics to help you incorporate them smoothly into your answers.
Education & Learning
Hit the books – To study hard.
I have to hit the books tonight; my exam is tomorrow.
Learn the ropes – To learn how to do a particular job or activity.
I’ve just started the job, so I’m still learning the ropes.
Pass with flying colors – To pass something with a very high score or success.
She passed her IELTS exam with flying colors.
Burn the midnight oil – To study or work late into the night.
I burned the midnight oil to finish my research paper.
Put your thinking cap on – To think seriously about something.
We need to put our thinking caps on for this group project.
Work & Career
Climb the corporate ladder – To advance in one’s career through promotions.
He’s ambitious and wants to climb the corporate ladder quickly.
Pull your weight – To do your fair share of the work.
In team projects, it’s important to pull your weight.
Behind the scenes – Working secretly or out of public view.
She’s the one working behind the scenes to keep things running.
By the book – According to the rules or the law.
He does everything by the book, which makes him reliable.
Think outside the box – To think creatively or in an unconventional way.
Creative jobs require you to think outside the box.
Personality & Emotions
Down to earth – Practical, realistic, and humble.
Despite his success, he’s very down to earth.
A go-getter – An ambitious person who works hard to achieve goals.
She’s a real go-getter and always takes initiative.
Cold feet – Nervousness before a major event.
I got cold feet before my first big presentation.
Over the moon – Extremely happy.
I was over the moon when I got my IELTS results.
Worn out – Extremely tired or exhausted.
After the long journey, I felt completely worn out.
Travel & Culture
Off the beaten track – In a place not often visited or away from tourist routes.
I prefer places that are off the beaten track.
Travel light – To travel with very little luggage.
I like to travel light to avoid extra baggage.
Hit the road – To begin a journey.
We hit the road early to beat the traffic.
In the same boat – In the same situation, usually a difficult one.
All tourists were in the same boat during the delay.
Call it a day – To stop working for the day.
After walking for hours, we decided to call it a day.
Communication
Get the point across – To clearly express an idea or opinion.
It’s hard to get the point across in a noisy room.
Speak your mind – To say what you really think, even if it’s unpopular.
She always speaks her mind, even if it’s unpopular.
Break the ice – To initiate conversation in a social setting.
Telling a joke is a good way to break the ice.
Be on the same wavelength – To share similar thoughts and ideas.
We’re on the same wavelength about the project.
Get something off your chest – To express something that has been bothering you.
I had to get it off my chest and tell the truth.
Opinions & Decisions
Sit on the fence – To avoid making a decision or choosing a side.
He sat on the fence during the debate and didn’t choose a side.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt – To choose to believe someone, even if you’re not sure.
I gave her the benefit of the doubt.
Play it by ear – To decide what to do as a situation develops.
Let’s play it by ear and decide based on the weather.
Go the extra mile – To do more than what is expected.
She always goes the extra mile for her students.
Jump to conclusions – To make a decision without knowing all the facts.
Don’t jump to conclusions without the facts.
Time & Routine
Around the clock – Continuously, all day and night.
Doctors work around the clock in emergencies.
Once in a blue moon – Very rarely.
I go to the cinema once in a blue moon.
Call it a day – To stop an activity, especially work, for the day.
Let’s call it a day and finish tomorrow.
Behind the times – Old-fashioned or not modern.
That shop is a bit behind the times.
In the nick of time – Just in time; at the last possible moment.
He arrived in the nick of time for the interview.
Home & Family
Like two peas in a pod
Meaning: Very similar or close in appearance or behavior.
Example: My sister and I are like two peas in a pod.
Get along with
Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.
Example: I get along well with my parents.
Run in the family
Meaning: A common trait or characteristic shared by family members.
Example: Artistic talent runs in the family.
Home away from home
Meaning: A place where you feel as comfortable as you do in your own home.
Example: My university dorm feels like a home away from home.
Birds of a feather flock together
Meaning: People with similar interests or characteristics tend to associate with each other.
Example: My friends and I all love books—birds of a feather.
Technology & Media
Cutting-edge
Meaning: Highly advanced and innovative.
Example: This smartphone has cutting-edge features.
Blow out of proportion
Meaning: To exaggerate the importance or seriousness of something.
Example: The media blew the story out of proportion.
Go viral
Meaning: To spread quickly and widely on the internet.
Example: Her video went viral overnight.
Ahead of the curve
Meaning: More advanced or innovative than others.
Example: That company is ahead of the curve in innovation.
Push someone’s buttons
Meaning: To deliberately provoke or annoy someone.
Example: Ads online really push my buttons sometimes.
Environment & Nature
A drop in the ocean
Meaning: A very small amount compared to what is needed or expected.
Example: Recycling is just a drop in the ocean, but it helps.
Weather the storm
Meaning: To survive a difficult situation.
Example: We must weather the storm of climate change.
Green thumb
Meaning: A natural talent for gardening.
Example: My mother has a green thumb and grows beautiful plants.
Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick.
Example: I didn’t go hiking because I felt under the weather.
In hot water
Meaning: In trouble or facing difficulties, especially for doing something wrong.
Example: He got in hot water for littering in the park.
Numbers & Money
Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Very expensive.
Example: That designer bag cost an arm and a leg.
Make ends meet
Meaning: To have just enough money to pay for basic needs.
Example: It’s hard to make ends meet with rising prices.
Nest egg
Meaning: Money saved for the future or emergencies.
Example: I’ve saved a small nest egg for emergencies.
On a shoestring
Meaning: Using a very small amount of money.
Example: They travelled Europe on a shoestring.
Pay through the nose
Meaning: To pay much more than something is worth.
Example: We paid through the nose for those concert tickets.
Intelligence & Skill
A piece of cake
Meaning: Very easy to do.
Example: The speaking test was a piece of cake.
Know something inside out
Meaning: To know something very thoroughly.
Example: I know the IELTS test format inside out.
Sharp as a tack
Meaning: Very intelligent and quick-witted.
Example: My grandfather is still sharp as a tack at 80.
Have a knack for
Meaning: To have a natural talent or ability for something.
Example: She has a knack for learning languages.
Jack of all trades
Meaning: A person who can do many different kinds of work.
Example: He’s a jack of all trades and can fix anything.
Social & Lifestyle
Social butterfly
Meaning: A very outgoing person who enjoys socializing.
Example: She’s a social butterfly who loves meeting people.
Keep someone in the loop
Meaning: To keep someone informed about what’s going on.
Example: Please keep me in the loop about the updates.
Rub elbows with
Meaning: To associate or socialize with someone, often important or famous.
Example: He rubbed elbows with celebrities at the event.
Blow off steam
Meaning: To release stress or pent-up energy.
Example: I go jogging to blow off steam after work.
Get the ball rolling
Meaning: To start something, especially a project or process.
Example: Let’s get the ball rolling on this project.
General Idioms for Versatile Use
Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
Example: You hit the nail on the head with that answer.
Bite the bullet
Meaning: To do something difficult or unpleasant that you’ve been avoiding.
Example: I finally bit the bullet and booked the test.
The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your turn to take action or make a decision.
Example: I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court.
Cut to the chase
Meaning: To get to the point without wasting time.
Example: Let’s cut to the chase and talk about your score.
Get out of hand
Meaning: To become uncontrollable.
Example: The situation got out of hand quickly.
More Idioms for High Band Speaking
Out of the blue
Meaning: Suddenly and unexpectedly.
Example: He called me out of the blue after 10 years.
Face the music
Meaning: To accept the consequences of your actions.
Example: It’s time to face the music and admit my mistake.
Bend over backwards
Meaning: To try very hard to help someone.
Example: They bent over backwards to help us.
Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
Example: Don’t cry over spilled milk—just move on.
Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To reveal a secret, often by mistake.
Example: He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise.
Idioms for Future Planning & Goals
Plan ahead
Meaning: To prepare in advance.
Example: If you want to succeed, you have to plan ahead.
In the pipeline
Meaning: Being developed or planned.
Example: A promotion might be in the pipeline for me.
Make a long story short
Meaning: To summarize something briefly.
Example: To make a long story short, I got the job.
The sky’s the limit
Meaning: There is no limit to what someone can achieve.
Example: With hard work, the sky’s the limit.
Back to the drawing board
Meaning: To start over because the current plan failed.
Example: Our plan failed, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Idioms for Luck & Chance
Touch wood
Meaning: Said to avoid bad luck after talking about good luck.
Example: I’ve never been late for class, touch wood.
Break a leg
Meaning: A way to wish someone good luck.
Example: Break a leg on your IELTS test tomorrow.
A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something that seems bad at first but ends up being good.
Example: Failing that exam was a blessing in disguise.
Cross your fingers
Meaning: To hope for a good outcome.
Example: I’m crossing my fingers for a Band 8.
Third time’s a charm
Meaning: The third attempt will likely succeed after two failures.
Example: I finally passed—third time’s a charm.
Critical Thinking & Debate
Food for thought
Meaning: Something that makes you think seriously.
Example: That documentary gave me food for thought.
Devil’s advocate
Meaning: A person who argues against a point for the sake of debate.
Example: Let me play devil’s advocate for a moment.
Split hairs
Meaning: To argue about small, unimportant details.
Example: There’s no need to split hairs over minor details.
Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To start doing something because it’s trendy or popular.
Example: Everyone’s jumping on the fitness bandwagon.
Throw in the towel
Meaning: To give up or stop trying.
Example: I won’t throw in the towel after one setback.
Progress & Success
Make great strides
Meaning: To make significant progress or improvement.
Example: She’s made great strides in improving her writing.
Take the bull by the horns
Meaning: To tackle a difficult situation with courage and determination.
Example: I took the bull by the horns and booked my exam.
On cloud nine
Meaning: Extremely happy or joyful.
Example: I was on cloud nine after the results.
Steer clear of
Meaning: To avoid something or someone.
Example: Try to steer clear of slang in formal writing.
Learn the hard way
Meaning: To learn something through a difficult experience or mistake.
Example: I learned the hard way to manage my time.
Bonus Idioms (Useful Everywhere)
Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: To make a bad situation even worse.
Example: His comments just added fuel to the fire.
Go with the flow
Meaning: To be relaxed and accept things as they happen.
Example: I prefer to go with the flow on holiday.
Not my cup of tea
Meaning: Something that someone does not like or prefer.
Example: Camping is not really my cup of tea.
A storm in a teacup
Meaning: A small problem that has been exaggerated.
Example: That argument was a storm in a teacup.
Spill the beans
Meaning: To reveal a secret.
Example: She spilled the beans about the secret trip.
Idiomatic expressions are a powerful tool for demonstrating a wide range of vocabulary and natural language use in the IELTS Speaking test. However, they must be used appropriately, in the right context, and with accurate pronunciation and intonation. The 100 idioms provided in this guide are thematically organized to help you incorporate them seamlessly into your responses across a variety of IELTS topics.
As you continue preparing, remember that fluency and coherence are just as important as lexical resource. Do not force idioms into your speech—use them when they genuinely enhance your message. With consistent practice, these expressions will become a natural part of your spoken English, helping you achieve a higher band score and communicate with more confidence and clarity.
Stay committed, speak naturally, and let your personality shine through your words. Your journey to IELTS success starts one phrase at a time.
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