Common Idioms for IELTS Speaking Rub Someone (Up) The Wrong Way

In English, phrasal verbs and idioms are commonly used. The IELTS Speaking section can be well prepared with the help of different kinds of idioms. Idioms come in different types, and candidates are able to understand in IELTS speaking conversations. This particular idiom Rub Someone (Up) The Wrong Way consists of different exercises so that the candidates understand the accurate usage of this idiom in a conversation.

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Topic: Common Idioms for IELTS Speaking - Rub Someone (Up) The Wrong Way

• Rub Someone (Up) The Wrong Way

Meaning: The idiom - rub someone (up) the wrong way means to be angry or annoyed/ to make somebody annoyed without any intention.

Synonyms: aggravate, annoy, bother

Examples:

1. Alice was trying to be helpful but her advice rubbed me up the wrong way.
2. My colleagues’ constant bickering rubbed me up the wrong way.
3. They met after 4 years and started to rub off on each other the wrong way.
4. The court’s decision on Peter’s case really rubbed him off the wrong way.
5. The loud noise made by the neighbors at night rubbed Kevin off the wrong way and he called the police.
6. The new school president’s remarks have caused a lot of turmoil and rubbed many people the wrong way.
7. Lucy never thinks before she speaks she has no filter and this is why she often rubs others the wrong way.
8. Tessa knows that her smoking rubs her husband the wrong way but she is very stubborn and is not ready to leave this bad habit.

Exercise 1:

Fill in the blank:

Chris has a habit of ……………… Whereas we can sometimes overlook his unintentional irksome behavior since we are all close friends, those who don’t know him well usually get downright offended.

1. biting people’s heads off
2. rubbing people the wrong way
3. cutting corners
4. running out of patience

Answer: 2

Explanation: The idiom used here explains Chris’s habit of unintentionally annoying people which gets people offended.

Option 1, biting people’s heads off this idiom means to yell or scream at someone suddenly. This does not match the information given so this is not correct.

Option 2, rubbing people the wrong way refers to making someone angry or annoyed, this fits the description provided perfectly. Hence this is the correct answer.

Option 3, cutting corners refers to doing something illegally, this idiom also does not fit the description given.

Option 4, running out of patience means getting annoyed while waiting for something, again this is not the correct answer.

By reading the question it was quite obvious that the missing idiom would be option 2, rubbing people the wrong way.

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