"An important decision you made" is a frequent Part 2 card. Show the process: you were "in two minds", you "weighed up the pros and cons", then you "went with your gut".
The labels tell you how each one lands with a listener. Natural idioms are safe in any Speaking part. Informal ones suit relaxed Part 1 and Part 2 answers. Overused ones are correct but examiners hear them constantly, so use them once at most. Avoid means dated, slang or a cliché that sounds memorised. None of these belong in Writing Task 2.
14 idioms
avoid choosing a side
I'm sitting on the fence about that; both sides have a point.
Useful in Part 3, but give an opinion afterwards.
consider the advantages and disadvantages
I weighed up the pros and cons before accepting the offer.
Natural and clear.
wait until the next day before deciding
I always sleep on big decisions.
Natural and common.
a difficult decision
Choosing between the two universities was a tough call.
Natural and casual.
unable to decide (British)
I was in two minds about studying abroad.
Natural British English.
follow your instinct
In the end, I went with my gut and chose the smaller college.
Natural and lively.
having so many good options it is hard to choose (British)
In Bangkok you're spoilt for choice when it comes to street food.
Natural British English.
act too early
I jumped the gun and booked flights before my visa arrived.
Natural for mistake stories too.
deal with a problem only when it happens
I'm not sure about jobs after graduation; I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Natural and useful for future questions.
the less bad of two bad options
Taking the night bus was the lesser of two evils.
Natural, works in Part 3.
do something that makes it impossible to go back
I left on good terms; I didn't want to burn my bridges.
Natural for work decisions.
decide as things happen, without a plan
We didn't book anything; we just played it by ear.
Natural for travel and weekends.
a very easy decision
Free accommodation with the job? It was a no-brainer.
Casual but very common.
start to doubt a decision
The night before I left, I had second thoughts.
Natural and common.
Part 2
Here is a sample answer we wrote to show how a few of these idioms fit into natural speech. Notice that it uses only a handful, spread out, with plain English around them.
The biggest decision I've made was choosing between a scholarship in another city and a cheaper course at home. For weeks I was in two minds. I made a list and weighed up the pros and cons, and my parents told me to sleep on it before replying. In the end I went with my gut and took the scholarship. I did have second thoughts on my first lonely weekend, but looking back, it was the right choice.
Saying both sides have a point is fine, but always give your own view after that. Examiners want to hear you develop an opinion, not avoid one.
Tell it as a process: the choice, your doubts ("in two minds"), how you decided ("weighed up the pros and cons") and the result. The idioms give the story its stages.
No. Idioms belong in Speaking. Writing Task 2 is a formal essay, so idioms and contractions make it sound too casual. Use precise, neutral vocabulary there instead.
One or two, only where they fit what you want to say. Forced idioms sound memorised and can lower your score.
Keep going
More idiom themes:
Practise them on real questions:
Written by Fizza Butool Zaidi and Ali Zaidi. Lexical Resource is one of the four Speaking criteria in the public IELTS scoring guide on ielts.org. BandLadder is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council or IDP, and no list of idioms guarantees a band score.
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