IELTS idioms

Idioms for IELTS Speaking: difficulty and problems

This page gives you 14 idioms about difficulty and problems for IELTS Speaking, each with its meaning, an example you could say in Part 1, 2 or 3, and a note on whether it sounds natural or is best avoided. They describe hard tasks, tricky situations and the hope of things getting better.

Example

between a rock and a hard place

I was between a rock and a hard place: lose the deposit or miss the exam.

See all 14
  • 14 idioms
  • 13 natural choices
  • Speaking only
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How to use difficulty and problems idioms

These idioms are some of the most flexible for Part 3, where you discuss social problems. "The tip of the iceberg" and "an uphill battle" let you show a problem is bigger or harder than it looks.

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

Difficulty and problems idioms with examples

  • between a rock and a hard place

    Natural in Speaking

    facing two equally bad choices

    I was between a rock and a hard place: lose the deposit or miss the exam.

    Natural for dilemmas.

  • in hot water

    Natural in Speaking

    in trouble

    I was in hot water with my landlord for having a party.

    Natural and light.

  • an uphill battle

    Natural in Speaking

    a long, difficult struggle

    Getting people to recycle has been an uphill battle.

    Strong in Part 3.

  • a tall order

    Natural in Speaking

    something very difficult to achieve

    Finishing the whole project in a week is a tall order.

    Natural and polite.

  • the tip of the iceberg

    Natural in Speaking

    a small visible part of a much bigger problem

    Plastic bottles are just the tip of the iceberg.

    Excellent for Part 3.

  • in the same boat

    Natural in Speaking

    in the same difficult situation as others

    Everyone in my class was in the same boat.

    Natural and common.

  • get to the bottom of

    Natural in Speaking

    find the real cause of something

    The engineer finally got to the bottom of the problem.

    Natural.

  • open a can of worms

    Natural in Speaking

    start something that causes many new problems

    Changing the rules opened a can of worms.

    Natural and vivid.

  • easier said than done

    Natural in Speaking

    harder to do than to say

    Saving money is easier said than done.

    Natural but common. Fine once.

  • bite the bullet

    Natural in Speaking

    do something unpleasant that you have been avoiding

    I finally bit the bullet and went to the dentist.

    Natural.

  • light at the end of the tunnel

    Natural in Speaking

    signs that a difficult period will end

    After months of renovation, we can see light at the end of the tunnel.

    Natural.

  • jump through hoops

    Natural in Speaking

    complete many complicated steps to get something

    We had to jump through hoops to get the visa.

    Natural, especially for bureaucracy.

  • not out of the woods yet

    Natural in Speaking

    still not free from danger or difficulty

    Sales are improving, but we're not out of the woods yet.

    Natural.

  • a blessing in disguise

    Overused: once at most

    something that seemed bad but turned out well

    Missing that flight was a blessing in disguise.

    One of the most common idioms in IELTS stories. Use with care.

Part 3

Use it in an answer

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.

IELTS Speaking Part 3Why is it difficult to reduce pollution in big cities?

I think the visible smog is only the tip of the iceberg. The real problem is that cities were built around cars, so persuading people to switch to public transport is an uphill battle when buses are slow and crowded. Governments are also between a rock and a hard place: strict rules on vehicles protect health but hurt small businesses. So it's easier said than done, although cities that have invested in metro lines show there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Frequently asked questions

Which problem idioms work best in Part 3?+

"The tip of the iceberg", "an uphill battle" and "between a rock and a hard place" describe social problems precisely, which is exactly what Part 3 asks for.

Is "a blessing in disguise" overused?+

It is very common in IELTS answers. If your story really has a surprising good result, explain it in your own words or use the idiom once without leaning on it.

Can I use these difficulty and problems idioms in IELTS Writing?+

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.

How many idioms should I use in one Speaking answer?+

One or two, only where they fit what you want to say. Forced idioms sound memorised and can lower your score. On this page, be careful with "a blessing in disguise": examiners hear them often or they sound dated.

Keep going

Related pages

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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