Common Idioms for IELTS Speaking
It is essential to develop a better understanding of common idioms to score well in the IELTS examination. Idioms glorify the meaning of our thoughts and to achieve a better score one has to use uncommon vocabulary. This means using words that are used less but might not be a part of advanced English. This idiom is focused on the IELTS Speaking section. Candidates will find different types of questions as they do in the IELTS speaking section.
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For IELTS Speaking Part 4 and 5
- A Penny for Your Thoughts
Meaning: used to ask someone what they are pondering about.
Sentence: Hey Reema, so this is your new teacher, do you know anything about him, penny for your thoughts.
Also, Check:
- Against the clock
Meaning: before an appropriate time, or within the allotted time
Sentence: Siyara was racing against the clock, but she completed the test just before the gong.
- Lend an ear
Meaning: to hear to someone with understanding
Sentence: Ram is always one to lend an ear if anyone has problems.
- on cloud nine
Meaning: to be extremely happy and enthusiastic about something
Sentence: Was Karishma pleased about receiving this job?" "Pleased? She was on cloud nine!
- Bushed
Meaning: Very tired; exhausted
Sentence: I harvested the garden this morningtide, and now I’m bushed.
- hard feelings
Meaning: resentment towards someone that you have argued with
Sentence: So we're buddies again, are we? No hard feelings?
- hit the hay
Meaning: to go to bed in order to rest; wanting to rest
Sentence: I’ve got a hectic day tomorrow, so I think I’ll hit the hay.
- be sick to death of something/doing something
Meaning: to have had enough of something; to not be able to endure anymore; unwell; nauseatic; tiring
Sentence: I am sick to death and drained of hearing your complaints.
- (come) rain or shine
Meaning: something always happens or someone always appears doing something in spite of bad weather or difficult conditions.
Sentence: She runs six miles every morning, rain or shine.
- be all ears
Meaning: ready and eager to listen.
Sentence: If someone states that they are all ears, they determine that they are ready and eager to listen.
- in the nick of time
Meaning: Just on time
Sentence: The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.
- fresh/cleanout of something
Meaning: to eliminate unwanted things
Sentence: We spent the weekend cleaning out the garage.
- have/get mixed feelings about something
Meaning: feeling both pleased and not pleased about something at the same time
Sentence: I had mixed feelings about seeing him after 3 years.
- Give it one’s best shot
Meaning: Try or attempt
Sentence: I don't think it will run, but I guess you could give it a shot.
- In deep water
Meaning: In difficult situations or trouble
Sentence: I was starting to feel that I was getting into deep water.
- next to nothing
Meaning: A very small amount, barely more than nothing at all.
Sentence: Rajni ate next to nothing.
- To be up in arms about something
Meaning: to an armed rebellion
Sentence: In the town, the arms over the state's plan to allow business flights at the airbase.
- Put yourself in somebody’s shoes
Meaning: to understand from another's point of view
Sentence: How would understand, if you were standing in my shoes?
- At all costs
Meaning: despite the price to be given or the work needed.
Sentence: The Indian Govt. was anxious to avoid war at all costs.
- Explore all avenues
Meaning: find an answer to a given problem
Sentence: Explore all avenues to find a solution to a given problem or to achieve the desired outcome.
- On the ball
Meaning: responsive and reacts very quickly to a particular situation
Sentence: My assistant is really on the ball when it comes to responding to emails.
- Throw in the towel
Meaning: quit in defeat
Sentence: After losing the vote, he threw in the towel on his political career.
- Down to earth
Meaning: Grounded; sympathetic
Sentence: An example of down to earth is a person who thinks of the others before themselves.
- Full of beans
Meaning: lively; highly energetic
Sentence: The horses were young and full of beans.
- Get a head start
Meaning: To get an advantage
Sentence: If we start early, we can get a head start on the weekend traffic.
For IELTS Speaking Part 3
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up-market
Meaning: Comparatively expensive and meant to attract rich and prosperous customers
Sentence: An upmarket bar/restaurant that is completely pricey but also quite good in quality.
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cram
Meaning: trying to accomplish and got it a lot quicker than everyone else thought you would
Sentence: The scholars are all cramming to get enthusiastic for the tests.
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in high spirits
Meaning: very happy and joyful
Sentence: People had two drinks and were in high spirits.
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keep one’s chin up
Meaning: be brave and ready for everything
Sentence: Keep your chin up and tackle the problem that is coming towards you.
Sentence: Keep your chin up until things get better.
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read my/your/his mind
Meaning: guess what someone is contemplating
Sentence: I was astonished she knew what I was preparing like she could read my mind.
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get the ball rolling
Meaning: start preparing for something big
Sentence: Tina decided to set the ball rolling and got up to give the presentation.
Sentence: Yamin should get the ball rolling as soon as possible for the IELTS test.
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for ages
Meaning: a very long period
Sentence: I waited for ages but he never took me seriously.
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fill in for someone
Meaning: do someone’s job while he is gone; substitute for
Sentence: Billo is going to be filling in for me while I’m in the hospital.
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antsy
Meaning: getting restless
Sentence: The lads are getting antsy, we need to go someplace else before they get too boisterous.
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(as) easy as pie
Meaning: very simple
Sentence: For Thomas, getting a computer certificate was easy as pie, as he has a natural talent for it.
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under the weather
Meaning: sick; not well
Sentence: I marked that the dog was seeming a little under the weather.
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fingers-crossed
Meaning: to wish for luck for someone
Sentence: fingers crossed for your entrance exam.
Sentence: Riya was keeping her fingers crossed that she will be healthy again very soon.
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have a chin-wag
Meaning: having a long conversation
Sentence: We had a good chinwag over a cup of tea.
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chicken scratch (n)
Meaning: bad handwriting; handwriting which is crammed and unreadable
Sentence: The doctor’s prescription is an idiosyncratic chicken scratch.
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the wee hours
Meaning: after midnight
Sentence: Reta was up until the wee hours trying to finish his syllabus before the exam day.
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a blessing in a disguise
Meaning: something good happening to someone, after being suffered for long
Sentence: Losing him was a blessing in disguise really.
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all in the same boat
Meaning: in a difficult situation like others
Sentence: None of us is getting a well-paid job, so we’re all in the same boat.
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beating around the bush
Meaning: avoid the main topic and talking in a roundabout matter
Sentence: Stop beating about the bush and tell what actually happened.
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early bird
Meaning: anyone who gets up early in the morning
Sentence: I never miss the sunrise as I’m an early bird.
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a breath of fresh air
Meaning: new and refreshing
Sentence: Priyanka is a talented and beautiful singer, a breath of fresh air in an industry full of people trying to pull her down.
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keep an eye on
Meaning: to observe a situation
Sentence: Keep an eye on the milk, as it might get the boil anytime.
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keep your nose to the grindstone
Meaning: continuing with a good effort
Sentence: If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you will get a good score in your final results of the M.B.B.S exam.
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know something [it, this] inside out
Meaning: extremely familiar with
Sentence: I know him inside out, as he is my childhood friend.
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leave well enough alone
Meaning: to not try to replace something that is stable
Sentence: This replacement is not accurate, but let’s leave well enough alone.
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now and then
Meaning: on an irregular basis
Sentence: Every now and then I’m having an immeasurable plan of doing something.
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