Common Idiom for IELTS Topic A Hot Potato

The IELTS Speaking test measures how well you can use idiomatic language. Idioms help the candidate to build vocabulary and help to improve the score. In order to answer IELTS speaking and reading sections, the candidates must learn different types of idioms. This particular idiom will help you understand its literal meaning and how you can use it in IELTS speaking. This article consists of various IELTS speaking idioms that will help the candidates to understand the correct usage of these idioms.

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Common Idiom for IELTS Topic A Hot Potato

Meaning: A subject which several people are talking about and which is frequently argued, a controversial situation that is awkward to deal with.

Example:

1. One should never discuss anyone’s religion, it can be a hot potato.
2. We all avoided discussing the topic of dispute between Kim and Khloe as it was still a hot potato.
3. Promotion for one managerial position between two employees became a hot potato in the office.

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A few more similar IELTS idioms:

• Jumping the gun

Meaning: to do something very early, especially without thinking, start something before preparing for it

Example:

1. The media jumped the gun and gave the false verdict of the celebrity’s divorce.
2. “I think you should not jump the gun so soon, you have just met him”.
3. He jumped the gun and booked my ticket for the Dubai trip without my confirmation.

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• Donkey’s Years

Meaning: a very long time

Example:

1. It seems that they have been together for donkey years.
2. Most of his friends have been in his life for around donkey years.
3. The whole city has been trying to be more efficient, cut out more waste, for donkey years but nothing has been achieved till now.

• Whole Nine Yards

Meaning: everything, all of something

Example:

1. For my mother, I can go the whole nine yards.
2. Jeffery has a toolkit with the whole nine yards.
3. The company is looking for someone who can go the whole nine yards for its success.

• At the drop of a dime

Meaning: something that can happen very fast without hesitation.

Example:

1. I have to reach the job otherwise my manager will kick me out at the drop of a dime.
2. Zakia is very talented. She can make your card at the drop of a dime.
3. I suggest that you should not exaggerate when you can not make it happen at the drop of a dime.

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Exercises:

Fill in the blanks to understand the usage of the idiom:

1. You better get all the missiles ready. We must be ready to attack ………..

Answer: at the drop of a dime

Explanation: In the above sentence the idiom is used to suggest that the attack could happen at any time so the missiles should be ready for that.

2. Suhail changes moods ……

Answer: at the drop of a dime

Explanation: In the above sentence the idiom is used to indicate that Suhail is very moody and can change his mood at any time.

.3. His dad fell ill. John rang the ambulance ..……

Answer: at the drop of a dime

Explanation: In the above sentence the idiom indicates that when his dad fell ill he instantly called the ambulance.