Common Idioms for IELTS Topic Donkey Work

Collegedunia Team

Dec 10, 2021

An idiom is a phrase or expression in which meaning cannot be directly understood by reading each word. For IELTS speaking candidates must learn how to use them accurately, so they don't sound unnatural. There are thousands of idioms and phrasal verbs used every day when we express ourselves.

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It is very important to consider the context of to whom or what the idiom is pointed towards. This particular IELTS speaking idiom ‘Donkey Work’ consists of different exercises so that the candidates understand the accurate usage of this idiom in a conversation.

Common Idioms for IELTS Topic Donkey Work

Meaning: the boring or laborious part of a job

Example: Whenever we get a group project I am the only one who does all the donkey work

“I don’t like to do donkey work, so I am gonna go to the movies”.

Exercise:

Choose the suitable idiom to complete the sentence below.

  1. “Why do I have to do all _______________ while you get to do the interesting stuff?“
  1. fight like cat and dog
  2. down at heel
  3. the donkey work
  4. bone of contention

Answer: C

Explanation: 1. The idiom Donkey work means to do something that is very boring and hard work.

Read More IELTS Idioms Samples

  1. Describe a part-time job that you have done. Try to use this idiom in your speech. You should say:

– What the job was

– Where you did this job

– What you had to do for this job

And explain why you liked it or didn’t like it

Answer: I worked as a parking attendant when I was in college. I wanted to earn some money so I had to do that job. I used to stand for like 4 hours straight and I felt like I was doing donkey work. I did it for about a week and then left the Job.

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A few More Similar Idioms for IELTS Speaking

  • Fight Like Cat And Dog

Meaning: to fight or argue a lot or in a very forceful and angry way

Example:

  1. As kids, we used to fight like cats and dogs.
  2. Whenever Paris and Hailey meet they always fight like cat and dog.

Exercise:

Choose the suitable idiom to complete the sentence below.

  1. “Mandy believes it is domestic bliss but Paul says he’s free to see other women and they _________________“
  1. fight like cat and dog
  2. down at heel
  3. dressed to kill
  4. runs in the family

Answer: A

Explanation: The idiom used in the above sentence means to have arguments all the time.

  1. Describe an accident that you have seen. Try to use this idiom in your speech. You should say:

– When it happened

– What it was

– What you did

And explain how it happened

Answer: We were at a club for my friend’s birthday party. We were all dancing and enjoying ourselves and then suddenly we heard a lot of loud noise. A group of people behind our table started fighting like cats and dogs. I was shocked to see them fighting like that.

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  • Blue Sky Thinking

Meaning: Thinking that is not limited to commonly accepted norms or beliefs.

Example:

  1. Jose has a lot of blue-sky thinking that has helped him to be a successful designer.
  2. You need just one blue-sky thinking that could change the whole game.

Exercise:

Choose the suitable idiom to complete the sentence below.

  1. “Management is going away for a weekend of ______________ about the company’s future.”
  1. blue-sky thinking
  2. down at heel
  3. dressed to kill
  4. runs in the family

Answer: A

Explanation: The idiom used above refers to thinking of ideas that do not yet have practical uses. So the company is taking off to think of something new for the company’s progress.

  1. Describe a creative person that you know. Try to use this idiom in your speech. You should say:

– Who he or she is

– What he or she do

– How you know him or her

And explain why you think he or she is a creative person

Answer: My friend is an interior designer and we met in college. Her designs were always very impressive. She has the ability to change a boring and unattractive place into something very beautiful and unique. She has blue-sky thinking which makes her designs very unusual and attractive.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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