Example
run in the family
Musical talent runs in the family; my grandfather played the violin.
"A family member you admire" is one of the most common Part 2 cards. Idioms about resemblance ("take after", "runs in the family") give you natural ways to connect the person to yourself.
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
be common among members of a family
Musical talent runs in the family; my grandfather played the violin.
Very natural and useful.
look or behave like an older relative
I take after my mother; we're both very organised.
A phrasal verb every native speaker uses. Excellent for Part 2.
a family member who is different or seen as a disappointment
My uncle was the black sheep of the family until he started his own business.
Natural, but use it kindly.
agree with someone
My father and I don't always see eye to eye about my career.
Natural and polite.
very similar
My twin cousins are like two peas in a pod.
Common and friendly.
your family
You can't refuse to help your own flesh and blood.
Natural, slightly emotional.
be the person in control in a home or group
In our house, my grandmother rules the roost.
Humorous and British.
deeply in love
My parents fell head over heels for each other at university.
Natural for relationship stories.
get married
My brother is tying the knot next spring.
Casual and common.
ask someone to marry you
He popped the question on the beach.
Casual and friendly.
someone very similar to their parent
My nephew loves fixing things; he's a chip off the old block.
Casual and a little dated, but still heard.
children are like their parents
She became a doctor like her mum; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Heavily used. "I take after my mother" is simpler and more natural.
family relationships are the strongest
In the end, blood is thicker than water.
A proverb that sounds rehearsed in an exam.
be the one who makes decisions in a relationship
Everyone knows who wears the trousers in that house.
Dated and based on gender stereotypes. Avoid.
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.
I'd like to talk about my grandmother on my mother's side. She raised five children while running a small tailoring business, and honestly she still rules the roost at family gatherings. People say I take after her, because we're both a bit stubborn and very organised. We don't always see eye to eye about modern life, especially phones at the dinner table, but I admire how hard she worked and how generous she is with everyone.
It is a phrasal verb with an idiomatic meaning, and it is one of the most useful expressions for family questions. Examiners reward natural phrasal verbs as part of Lexical Resource.
Proverbs often sound memorised, because people rarely say them in real conversation. Explain the idea in your own words instead.
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. On this page, be careful with "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", "blood is thicker than water", "wear the trousers": examiners hear them often or they sound dated.
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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