Idioms are an important part of the English language, especially when you’re preparing for the IELTS exam. Using idioms in the right context can improve your performance in the Speaking and Writing sections, while also helping you understand informal expressions that may appear in Listening and Reading sections.
Here’s a comprehensive list of 200+ idioms to boost your IELTS vocabulary. Practice these idioms regularly to make them a natural part of your communication skills.
Idioms for IELTS Speaking
These idioms are commonly used in everyday conversations. They can help you sound more natural and fluent when speaking in the IELTS Speaking section.
Idiom
Meaning
Example
A piece of cake
Something very easy
The IELTS Speaking test was a piece of cake.
Break the ice
To initiate conversation in a social setting
I told a joke to break the ice at the party.
Hit the sack
Go to bed
I’m so tired; I think I’ll hit the sack early tonight.
A blessing in disguise
Something good that isn’t recognized at first
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise.
Burn the midnight oil
To work late into the night
She’s been burning the midnight oil to finish her project.
A dime a dozen
Something common and of no particular value
Reality shows are a dime a dozen nowadays.
Once in a blue moon
Rarely
We go out to eat once in a blue moon.
Under the weather
To feel unwell
I couldn’t attend the meeting because I was feeling under the weather.
Barking up the wrong tree
To make a wrong assumption
If you think I’m the one who broke it, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Bite the bullet
To do something unpleasant or difficult
He had to bite the bullet and face his fears.
Hit the nail on the head
To say exactly the right thing
You hit the nail on the head with your suggestion.
Let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret
She accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
The ball is in your court
It’s your responsibility to take action
I’ve done my part, now the ball is in your court.
Costs an arm and a leg
Very expensive
The new phone costs an arm and a leg.
Cross that bridge when you come to it
Deal with a problem when it arises
Let’s not worry about the problem now; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Call it a day
To stop working for the day
After a long meeting, we decided to call it a day.
Give someone the cold shoulder
To ignore someone
He gave me the cold shoulder at the party yesterday.
Keep your chin up
Stay positive
Even though you lost, keep your chin up!
On the ball
To be alert and prepared
He’s really on the ball and knows what’s going on.
Out of the blue
Unexpectedly
She showed up out of the blue after not speaking to me for years.
Pull someone’s leg
To joke or tease someone
Don’t worry, I’m just pulling your leg.
A slap on the wrist
A mild punishment
He only got a slap on the wrist for breaking the rules.
The last straw
The final problem in a series of problems
His rude remark was the last straw; I’ve had enough!
Spill the beans
To reveal a secret
She spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Sit on the fence
To be undecided
He’s sitting on the fence about whether to accept the job offer.
Jump the gun
To do something prematurely
Don’t jump the gun and start the project before planning properly.
Cut to the chase
To get to the point
Let’s cut to the chase and talk about what’s really important.
Bend over backwards
To make a great effort
She bent over backwards to help her friend move.
Burn bridges
To destroy relationships
Leaving the company without notice might burn bridges with your manager.
Go the extra mile
To make a special effort
He went the extra mile to ensure the success of the event.
In the same boat
In the same situation
We’re all in the same boat when it comes to preparing for exams.
By the skin of your teeth
Narrowly or barely
He passed the driving test by the skin of his teeth.
The elephant in the room
An obvious problem everyone is ignoring
We need to discuss the elephant in the room, which is our financial issues.
Once in a lifetime
Very rare opportunity
Traveling to Japan was a once in a lifetime experience for me.
Cry over spilled milk
To waste time worrying about something that’s already happened
There’s no use crying over spilled milk.
Be in hot water
To be in trouble
He’s in hot water after missing the project deadline.
A penny for your thoughts
Asking someone what they are thinking
You’ve been quiet for a while. A penny for your thoughts?
Get cold feet
To become nervous or afraid to do something
He got cold feet before his wedding.
Be on cloud nine
To be extremely happy
She’s been on cloud nine since she got the job offer.
Go down in flames
To fail spectacularly
His business went down in flames after just one year.
A drop in the ocean
A small part of something much bigger
The money he donated was just a drop in the ocean compared to what was needed.
Hit the road
To leave or start a journey
It’s time to hit the road and start our vacation.
Blow off steam
To release anger or stress
I go for a run to blow off steam after a stressful day.
Kill two birds with one stone
To achieve two things with one action
By studying on the train, I can kill two birds with one stone.
On thin ice
In a risky or precarious situation
He’s on thin ice with his boss after coming late to work again.
The icing on the cake
Something that makes a good situation even better
Getting a promotion was the icing on the cake after a successful year.
Take with a grain of salt
To not take something too seriously
You should take his advice with a grain of salt.
A fish out of water
To feel uncomfortable in a situation
He felt like a fish out of water at the formal dinner.
Back to square one
To start over from the beginning
The project failed, so we’re back to square one.
Steal someone’s thunder
To take attention away from someone else’s achievement
She stole my thunder by announcing her promotion at my party.
Walk on eggshells
To be very careful in dealing with someone
He has been walking on eggshells around his boss lately.
Idioms for IELTS Writing
For IELTS Writing, you need to express ideas more formally and clearly. These idioms are helpful for discussing complex topics or giving a structured argument.
Idiom
Meaning
Example
A blessing in disguise
Something good that isn’t recognized initially
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise as it led me to a better career.
Actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
Actions speak louder than words, so the government must implement policies to support their promises.
Add fuel to the fire
To worsen an already bad situation
Ignoring climate change will only add fuel to the fire.
At the drop of a hat
Immediately, without hesitation
In today’s fast-paced world, people often move jobs at the drop of a hat.
Back to the drawing board
To start over from the beginning
The plan didn’t work out, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Barking up the wrong tree
To make a wrong assumption
Blaming teachers for low exam results is barking up the wrong tree.
Beat around the bush
To avoid talking about the main issue
The government needs to stop beating around the bush and address unemployment directly.
Behind the times
Out of date
Some educational methods are behind the times and need to be modernized.
Bite the bullet
To do something difficult or unpleasant
It’s time for the government to bite the bullet and tackle the housing crisis.
Burn the midnight oil
To work late into the night
Students often burn the midnight oil before exams to improve their scores.
By and large
Generally, for the most part
By and large, technology has improved our quality of life.
Call it a day
To stop doing something for the day
After analyzing the data, the research team decided to call it a day.
Cut corners
To do something in a cheap or easy way
Cutting corners in construction leads to unsafe buildings.
Face the music
To confront the consequences
The company must face the music after their environmental violations were revealed.
Far cry from
Very different from
The current education system is a far cry from what is needed in the digital age.
Few and far between
Scarce, rare
Job opportunities in rural areas are few and far between.
Food for thought
Something to think seriously about
The increasing pollution levels provide food for thought for policy makers.
Get the ball rolling
To start something
It’s time for international organizations to get the ball rolling on climate change action.
Go hand in hand
To be closely related
Economic development and environmental protection must go hand in hand.
Go the extra mile
To make a special effort
Teachers often go the extra mile to ensure their students succeed.
Hit the nail on the head
To describe a situation accurately
The essay hit the nail on the head when discussing the causes of inequality.
In the long run
Over a long period of time
In the long run, investing in renewable energy will save money.
In the same boat
In the same difficult situation
Developing countries are in the same boat when it comes to climate change.
Jump on the bandwagon
To follow a trend
Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon of sustainability to improve their image.
Keep an eye on
To monitor closely
Governments need to keep an eye on inflation to avoid economic instability.
Learn the ropes
To learn how to do something properly
New employees need time to learn the ropes before they can contribute effectively.
Make ends meet
To earn just enough to survive
Many people are struggling to make ends meet due to rising living costs.
Miss the boat
To miss an opportunity
The government missed the boat by not investing in renewable energy earlier.
On the same page
To be in agreement
Governments need to be on the same page to tackle global issues like climate change.
On the fence
To be undecided
Many voters are still on the fence about which candidate to support.
Out of the blue
Unexpectedly
The decision to cut funding came out of the blue, surprising many organizations.
Out of the question
Impossible or not allowed
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions without international cooperation is out of the question.
Play devil’s advocate
To argue the opposite side for the sake of argument
To play devil’s advocate, one might argue that economic growth should take priority over environmental concerns.
Put the cart before the horse
To do things in the wrong order
Building more roads without improving public transport is putting the cart before the horse.
Read between the lines
To understand the hidden meaning
It’s important to read between the lines when interpreting political statements.
Run-of-the-mill
Ordinary, not special
The proposal was run-of-the-mill and failed to impress the committee.
See eye to eye
To agree fully
The two countries finally saw eye to eye on trade policies.
Set the record straight
To correct a misunderstanding
The company issued a statement to set the record straight about its environmental impact.
Shoot for the stars
To aim for something extremely ambitious
Countries need to shoot for the stars in terms of reducing carbon emissions.
Sit on the fence
To be undecided
The government is sitting on the fence regarding new labor laws.
Sleep on it
To take time to think about something
I’ll sleep on it and make a decision in the morning.
Steer clear of
To avoid something
Investors should steer clear of industries with high environmental risks.
Take the bull by the horns
To confront a problem head-on
The government needs to take the bull by the horns and address the housing shortage.
The ball is in your court
It’s your responsibility to act next
Now that you have all the information, the ball is in your court.
The tip of the iceberg
A small part of a larger problem
The recent data breach is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cybersecurity issues.
Throw in the towel
To give up
The company threw in the towel after failing to meet its financial targets.
Time flies
Time passes quickly
Time flies when preparing for the IELTS exam, so start early.
Turn a blind eye
To ignore something intentionally
Governments often turn a blind eye to environmental violations by large corporations.
Under the weather
To feel unwell
Many employees took the day off because they were feeling under the weather.
Up in the air
Uncertain
The outcome of the election is still up in the air.
Water under the bridge
Something that is in the past and no longer important
The disagreement is water under the bridge now.
Work against the clock
To be in a hurry to meet a deadline
We are working against the clock to finish the project on time.
Your guess is as good as mine
To have no idea
As to when the pandemic will end, your guess is as good as mine.
Idioms for IELTS Listening
In IELTS Listening, it is common to hear idioms that are part of everyday language. Being familiar with these will help you understand spoken English more effectively.
Idiom
Meaning
Example
A piece of cake
Something very easy
The test was a piece of cake; I finished it in no time.
Break the ice
To initiate conversation in a social setting
To break the ice, she started talking about the weather.
Hit the nail on the head
To describe something accurately
You’ve hit the nail on the head by identifying the problem.
On cloud nine
Extremely happy
She was on cloud nine after winning the competition.
Once in a blue moon
Very rarely
I see him only once in a blue moon.
A blessing in disguise
Something good that seems bad at first
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise as it led to better opportunities.
Under the weather
Feeling sick
I didn’t go to work today because I was feeling under the weather.
Let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret unintentionally
She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Call it a day
To stop working for the day
Let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow.
All ears
Eager to listen
I’m all ears; tell me what happened!
Back to square one
To start something over again
After the plan failed, we were back to square one.
Bend over backwards
To go out of your way to help someone
She bent over backwards to make sure the guests felt comfortable.
Bite off more than you can chew
To take on more responsibility than you can manage
He bit off more than he could chew when he agreed to complete the project alone.
Break the bank
To cost a lot of money
Buying that car would break the bank, so I’ll pass.
Burn the midnight oil
To work late into the night
He’s been burning the midnight oil to finish the project.
By the skin of your teeth
Barely making it
He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.
Come rain or shine
No matter what happens
I’ll be there, come rain or shine.
Cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive
The new smartphone costs an arm and a leg.
Cry over spilt milk
To complain about something that cannot be undone
There’s no use crying over spilt milk; just move on.
Cut corners
To do something cheaply or hastily
Don’t cut corners when preparing for the exam.
Drive someone up the wall
To annoy someone
His constant humming drives me up the wall.
Face the music
To confront the consequences of one’s actions
He had to face the music after his mistake was revealed.
Go the extra mile
To do more than what is required
She always goes the extra mile to help her students succeed.
Hit the books
To study hard
It’s time to hit the books if you want to pass your exams.
In the nick of time
Just in time
We arrived in the nick of time for the movie.
Jump on the bandwagon
To follow a popular trend
He jumped on the bandwagon and started investing in cryptocurrencies.
Keep an eye on
To watch or monitor something closely
Can you keep an eye on my bag while I’m away?
Let sleeping dogs lie
To avoid stirring up trouble
Let’s not bring up the argument again; let sleeping dogs lie.
On the ball
To be alert and quick to respond
You need to be on the ball during the presentation.
Out of the blue
Something unexpected
The news came out of the blue, surprising everyone.
Pull someone’s leg
To joke with someone
Don’t take him seriously; he’s just pulling your leg.
Rain on someone’s parade
To spoil someone’s plans
She didn’t want to rain on his parade, but the party was canceled.
See eye to eye
To agree with someone
They rarely see eye to eye on important decisions.
Take it with a grain of salt
To not take something too seriously
Take his advice with a grain of salt; he tends to exaggerate.
The ball is in your court
It’s your responsibility to act next
I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court.
Through thick and thin
To support someone in all situations
She has stood by him through thick and thin.
Turn a blind eye
To ignore something intentionally
The manager turned a blind eye to the employee’s mistakes.
Up in the air
Uncertain
Our vacation plans are still up in the air.
Water under the bridge
Something in the past that is no longer important
The argument is water under the bridge now.
When pigs fly
Something that will never happen
He’ll apologize when pigs fly!
Wild goose chase
A futile search
They sent us on a wild goose chase looking for a nonexistent address.
Bark up the wrong tree
To make a wrong assumption
If you think I’m to blame, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Burn bridges
To destroy relationships through actions
Be careful not to burn bridges when leaving your job.
Caught between a rock and a hard place
To be faced with two difficult choices
She was caught between a rock and a hard place when choosing between two job offers.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Don’t assume something will happen before it does
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch; wait for the final results.
Every cloud has a silver lining
There is something good in every bad situation
Though the project failed, every cloud has a silver lining, and we learned valuable lessons.
Fish out of water
To feel out of place
He felt like a fish out of water during his first day at the new office.
Get out of hand
To become uncontrollable
The situation got out of hand after the protest turned violent.
In hot water
To be in trouble
He found himself in hot water after missing the deadline.
It takes two to tango
Both parties involved in a situation are responsible
The argument got worse because it takes two to tango.
Let the chips fall where they may
To let things happen as they will
I’ve made my decision, and now I’ll let the chips fall where they may.
Make a long story short
To summarize
To make a long story short, they decided to cancel the project.
Idioms for IELTS Reading
In IELTS Reading, idioms may appear in different passages, especially those dealing with social and cultural topics. Understanding these will help you interpret the meaning more accurately.
Idiom
Meaning
Example
A blessing in disguise
Something good that seems bad at first
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise; it led to a better opportunity.
A drop in the ocean
A very small part of something much bigger
His efforts were just a drop in the ocean compared to what was needed.
A far cry from
Very different from
This new car is a far cry from the old one I used to drive.
Actions speak louder than words
What someone does is more important than what they say
He keeps promising to help, but actions speak louder than words.
Add fuel to the fire
To make a bad situation worse
His comments only added fuel to the fire during the argument.
All in the same boat
In the same difficult situation
We’re all in the same boat, so let’s work together.
At the drop of a hat
Without any hesitation; immediately
She’s always ready to help at the drop of a hat.
Back to the drawing board
To start something again from the beginning
The plan didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Barking up the wrong tree
To make a wrong assumption
If you think I’m to blame, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Beat around the bush
To avoid talking about what’s important
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s wrong.
Better late than never
It’s better to do something late than not at all
He finally apologized, better late than never.
Bite the bullet
To face a difficult situation bravely
You’ll just have to bite the bullet and finish the job.
Break the ice
To initiate conversation in a social setting
She told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.
Burn the midnight oil
To work late into the night
He’s been burning the midnight oil preparing for his exams.
Caught between a rock and a hard place
To be faced with two difficult choices
She was caught between a rock and a hard place when deciding between two jobs.
Cross that bridge when you come to it
Deal with a problem if and when it happens
Don’t worry about the presentation now; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Cry over spilt milk
To complain about something that can’t be undone
There’s no use crying over spilt milk; it’s time to move on.
Curiosity killed the cat
Being too curious can lead to trouble
She found out too much, and as they say, curiosity killed the cat.
Cut to the chase
To get to the point without wasting time
Let’s cut to the chase—what’s the real issue here?
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Don’t assume success before it happens
She’s already planning her victory speech, but she shouldn’t count her chickens before they hatch.
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Don’t form an opinion based on appearance
He looks unfriendly, but don’t judge a book by its cover.
Every cloud has a silver lining
There is something good in every bad situation
After losing her job, she realized every cloud has a silver lining.
Far-fetched
Something that is hard to believe
His explanation sounded far-fetched to everyone in the room.
Go the extra mile
To do more than what is required
She always goes the extra mile for her clients.
Hit the nail on the head
To describe something exactly
You’ve hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the problem.
In the same boat
In the same difficult situation
We’re all in the same boat when it comes to meeting the deadline.
It’s a small world
Used when you encounter someone you know unexpectedly
I ran into an old friend in Paris; it’s a small world.
Jump on the bandwagon
To join others in doing something trendy
He jumped on the bandwagon and started investing in stocks.
Keep your chin up
To remain positive in a tough situation
Even though the situation is difficult, keep your chin up.
Kill two birds with one stone
To achieve two things with a single action
By taking this course, you can kill two birds with one stone—improve your skills and get a promotion.
Leave no stone unturned
To do everything possible to achieve something
We’ll leave no stone unturned in our search for the missing document.
Let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret unintentionally
She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Make a mountain out of a molehill
To exaggerate a minor issue
Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill; it’s just a small mistake.
Miss the boat
To miss an opportunity
He missed the boat when he didn’t apply for the job on time.
Once in a blue moon
Very rarely
I only see him once in a blue moon.
Out of the blue
Something unexpected
The news came out of the blue and shocked everyone.
Put all your eggs in one basket
To rely on one thing for success
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket—diversify your investments.
Read between the lines
To understand something that isn’t said directly
You need to read between the lines to understand the hidden message.
Run of the mill
Ordinary or average
The restaurant was just run of the mill, nothing special.
Save for a rainy day
To save money for a future need
It’s important to save for a rainy day in case of emergencies.
The ball is in your court
It’s your responsibility to take action next
I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court.
The best of both worlds
A situation where you can enjoy the advantages of two things
She has the best of both worlds, working part-time and spending time with her family.
The tip of the iceberg
A small part of a larger problem
The recent complaints are just the tip of the iceberg.
There’s no place like home
Home is the best place to be
After traveling for months, I realized there’s no place like home.
Throw in the towel
To give up
He threw in the towel after realizing he couldn’t win the race.
Turn a blind eye
To ignore something on purpose
The manager turned a blind eye to the employee’s mistakes.
Under the weather
Feeling sick
I didn’t go to work because I was feeling under the weather.
When pigs fly
Something that will never happen
He’ll apologize when pigs fly!
Wild goose chase
A futile search
They sent us on a wild goose chase looking for a nonexistent address.
With flying colors
To succeed brilliantly
She passed the exam with flying colors.
Your guess is as good as mine
To say that you don’t know
I don’t know what’s going on; your guess is as good as mine.
These idioms can be a powerful tool for improving your IELTS score, particularly in the Speaking and Writing sections, where showcasing a range of vocabulary and natural expressions can lead to higher band scores. Incorporate these idioms into your daily practice, and you’ll notice a boost in both your fluency and comprehension.
