Free time is in almost every Part 1 test. "Not my cup of tea" is a polite way to say what you dislike, and "recharge my batteries" explains why a hobby matters to you.
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.
12 idioms
relax and enjoy yourself
On Friday nights I like to let my hair down with friends.
Natural and friendly.
rest so you have energy again
Gardening helps me recharge my batteries after a long week.
Natural and useful.
spend time in a relaxed way
As a child I'd while away the hours drawing comics.
Natural, slightly literary.
not something I like (British)
Horror films are not really my cup of tea.
Polite and very natural. Usually used in the negative.
someone who watches a lot of TV and doesn't exercise
In winter I turn into a bit of a couch potato.
Casual and humorous.
be so busy you don't notice time passing
When I'm painting, I completely lose track of time.
Very natural.
be very keen on something
I've been hooked on chess since the pandemic.
Natural and casual.
sit down and relax
On Sunday afternoons I just put my feet up and read.
Natural British English.
someone who can do many different things
My uncle is a jack of all trades: he paints, fixes bikes and cooks.
Natural. The full saying adds "master of none".
stop liking something (British)
I used to love video games, but I've gone off them.
Natural British English.
try something
I'd love to have a go at surfing one day.
Natural and very common.
free time spent doing the same thing as your job (British)
Our chef cooking at home on his day off is a busman's holiday.
British and uncommon. Use only if it fits.
Part 1
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.
Mostly I bake. I took it up during lockdown and I've been hooked on it ever since. It's how I recharge my batteries after work; once I start, I lose track of time completely. I've tried a few team sports too, but to be honest they're not really my cup of tea. At weekends I'd rather put my feet up with a cake I've made.
Yes, especially in the negative: "not really my cup of tea". It is natural British English and a polite way to say you don't enjoy something.
One or two is plenty. Part 1 answers are short, so more than that makes the answer sound rehearsed.
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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