What idioms do for your IELTS score

IELTS Speaking is marked on four criteria, and idioms count towards one of them: Lexical Resource, your range and control of vocabulary. In the public band descriptors on ielts.org, Band 8 describes a speaker who uses "less common and idiomatic vocabulary skilfully", and Band 9 one who uses "idiomatic language naturally and accurately".

The key words are skilfully, naturally and accurately. Examiners are not counting idioms. They are listening for whether you choose the right expression for the situation, in the right form, without it sounding rehearsed. One well-placed idiom does more than five forced ones. Idioms are also only part of Lexical Resource: precise everyday words and good collocations matter just as much.

Don't force them

Use an idiom only when it is the most natural way to say it. If you have to steer the answer towards your idiom, leave it out.
Match the size of the idiom to the situation. "Over the moon" about a free coffee sounds odd; "it made my day" fits.
Get the form exactly right. Idioms are fixed: "once in a blue moon", not "one time in a blue moon". A half-remembered idiom costs more than a plain word.
Skip the famous ones. Examiners hear "a piece of cake" and "raining cats and dogs" all day. Each page marks these as overused or avoid.
One per answer is plenty. Part 1 answers are short; two idioms in three sentences sounds memorised.
Never in Writing. Idioms and contractions belong in Speaking. Writing Task 2 needs formal, precise vocabulary.

Start here

The 20 most useful idioms for IELTS Speaking

These are natural, flexible and not over-taught, so they work across many questions without sounding rehearsed.

1. make someone's day
make someone very happy, often with something small
A neighbour left fresh mangoes at our door, and honestly it made my day.
More happiness and joy idioms
2. a pet hate
something that particularly annoys you (British; "pet peeve" in American English)
One of my pet hates is people who don't say thank you when you hold a door.
More anger and frustration idioms
3. drive someone up the wall
annoy someone very much
People talking loudly on the phone in the library drive me up the wall.
More anger and frustration idioms
4. snowed under
having too much work to deal with
I'm completely snowed under with assignments this month.
More stress and pressure idioms
5. let off steam
do something to release stress or energy
I go for a run after work to let off steam.
More stress and pressure idioms
6. splash out on
spend a lot of money on a treat (British)
For my parents' anniversary we splashed out on a meal at a fancy restaurant.
More money and spending idioms
7. make ends meet
earn just enough to pay for basic things
Many students work part-time just to make ends meet.
More money and spending idioms
8. learn the ropes
learn how to do a new job
My first month at the bank was all about learning the ropes.
More work and career idioms
9. brush up on
improve a skill you have partly forgotten
I need to brush up on my French before the trip.
More study and exams idioms
10. learn the hard way
learn something through a bad experience
I learned the hard way that you can't revise a whole subject in one night.
More study and exams idioms
11. in the nick of time
only just in time
We reached the gate in the nick of time, just as it was closing.
More time idioms
12. in the long run
over a long period in the future
Cooking at home saves money in the long run.
More time idioms
13. a wake-up call
an event that makes you realise you must change
Failing that exam was a wake-up call for me.
More failure and mistakes idioms
14. take after
look or behave like an older relative
I take after my mother; we're both very organised.
More family and relationships idioms
15. hit it off
like each other immediately
We hit it off on the first day of university.
More friends and people idioms
16. down to earth
practical, sensible and modest
Despite being famous, she's very down to earth.
More friends and people idioms
17. find your feet
become confident in a new situation
It took me a few months to find my feet at university.
More change and new experiences idioms
18. in two minds
unable to decide (British)
I was in two minds about studying abroad.
More decisions and choices idioms
19. the tip of the iceberg
a small visible part of a much bigger problem
Plastic bottles are just the tip of the iceberg.
More difficulty and problems idioms
20. not my cup of tea
not something I like (British)
Horror films are not really my cup of tea.
More hobbies and free time idioms

21 topics

Idioms by topic

Drop these

Idioms that sound dated or memorised

These are real English idioms, but in an exam they tend to sound old-fashioned, slangy or learned from a list. Each topic page suggests a more natural alternative.

Avoidthe best thing since sliced bread: Usually ironic. If you use it seriously, it sounds like a memorised cliché. Happiness and joy
Avoiddown in the mouth: Dated. Most young British speakers would not say it. Sadness and disappointment
Avoidhopping mad: Sounds dated or childish to many listeners. "Furious" is better. Anger and frustration
Avoidthink outside the box: A corporate cliché. "Come up with original ideas" sounds more natural. Work and career
Avoida piece of cake: Probably the most overused idiom in IELTS Speaking. "It was very straightforward" sounds better. Study and exams
Avoidreach for the stars: Poster language. It sounds memorised in an exam. Success and achievement
Avoidmy bad: Slang. Too casual for the exam; say "that was my mistake". Failure and mistakes
Avoidan apple a day keeps the doctor away: A children's saying. It sounds memorised in an adult answer. Health and illness
Avoidwear the trousers: Dated and based on gender stereotypes. Avoid. Family and relationships
Avoidbirds of a feather flock together: Sounds old-fashioned and memorised in an answer. Friends and people
Avoidraining cats and dogs: The textbook example of an idiom nobody under seventy says. "It was pouring" is natural. Weather
Avoidyou can't teach an old dog new tricks: A proverb and a stereotype. It sounds rehearsed. Change and new experiences
Avoidyou could have knocked me down with a feather: Long and old-fashioned. It sounds learned for the test. Surprise

Frequently asked questions

Do I need idioms to get Band 7 in IELTS Speaking?+

Idioms help, but they are not compulsory. The Band 7 descriptor for Lexical Resource mentions some less common and idiomatic vocabulary alongside flexibility and awareness of collocation. Accurate, precise everyday vocabulary matters more than a list of idioms.

Can I use idioms in IELTS Writing?+

No. Writing Task 2 is a formal essay and Task 1 is a factual report. Idioms and contractions make them sound too casual. Keep idioms for Speaking and use precise, neutral words in Writing.

Which idioms should I avoid in IELTS?+

Avoid dated idioms ("raining cats and dogs"), slang ("my bad") and the handful that examiners hear in almost every test, such as "a piece of cake" and "once in a blue moon". They are not wrong, but they sound memorised.

How many idioms should I use in the Speaking test?+

There is no target number. A few well-placed idioms across the whole test are enough. One per answer at most is a good rule, and only when it is the most natural way to say what you mean.

Are phrasal verbs the same as idioms?+

Not exactly, but many phrasal verbs have idiomatic meanings ("take after", "brush up on"). Examiners reward both when they are used naturally, so we include the most useful ones here.

More IELTS vocabulary and Speaking practice

Written by Fizza Butool Zaidi and Ali Zaidi. Every meaning, example and sample answer on these pages is our own. BandLadder is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council or IDP, and no list of idioms guarantees a band score.

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