Idioms are an essential part of English language learning, particularly for those preparing for exams like the IELTS. These colorful expressions don’t always mean exactly what the words say, but they add richness to the language and help convey complex ideas in a more engaging way. For IELTS candidates, mastering idioms can not only improve your score but also make your speaking and writing more natural and fluent. In this article, we will explore 45 idioms that are useful for the IELTS exam, including their meanings and how to use them effectively. Let’s get started and boost your vocabulary for IELTS success!
Idioms for IELTS
1. A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.
In a Sentence: Missing the bus was a blessing in disguise because I had time to finish my homework before the exam.
Other Ways to Say: A hidden benefit, Unexpectedly good
2. Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation in a relaxed way.
In a Sentence: In the IELTS speaking section, it’s essential to break the ice with the examiner by discussing simple topics at first.
Other Ways to Say: Start a conversation, Make things less awkward
3. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To stay up late working or studying.
In a Sentence: I had to burn the midnight oil to finish my essay for the IELTS writing test.
Other Ways to Say: Stay up late working, Pull an all-nighter
4. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To describe something exactly right.
In a Sentence: You really hit the nail on the head when you explained the main points in your essay.
Other Ways to Say: Got it right, Nailed it
5. Hit the books
Meaning: To start studying seriously.
In a Sentence: I need to hit the books if I want to improve my IELTS band score.
Other Ways to Say: Study hard, Focus on homework
6. Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To follow something that’s popular or trendy.
In a Sentence: Many students are jumping on the bandwagon and using online IELTS preparation courses.
Other Ways to Say: Follow the trend, Join in
7. Keep your chin up
Meaning: Stay positive even when things are tough.
In a Sentence: If you don’t do well in your IELTS practice test, keep your chin up and keep working hard.
Other Ways to Say: Stay strong, Don’t give up
8. A penny for your thoughts
Meaning: A way of asking someone what they are thinking.
In a Sentence: The examiner asked, “A penny for your thoughts?” when I paused during my speaking test.
Other Ways to Say: What’s on your mind? Tell me what you’re thinking
9. Cold feet
Meaning: Feeling nervous or uncertain about something.
In a Sentence: I got cold feet before my IELTS speaking test but ended up doing well.
Other Ways to Say: Feel nervous, Have second thoughts
10. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Something very expensive.
In a Sentence: Preparing for the IELTS test with a private tutor can cost an arm and a leg.
Other Ways to Say: Super pricey, Costs a fortune
11. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret.
In a Sentence: I let the cat out of the bag about my IELTS exam date when I was talking to my friend.
Other Ways to Say: Spill the beans, Reveal a secret
12. Bite the bullet
Meaning: To do something difficult or unpleasant that you have to do.
In a Sentence: I had to bite the bullet and take a full practice IELTS test even though I felt unprepared.
Other Ways to Say: Face it, Get it over with
13. Make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning: To make a big deal out of something small.
In a Sentence: Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill; the speaking test isn’t as scary as it seems.
Other Ways to Say: Overreact, Blow things out of proportion
14. On cloud nine
Meaning: Extremely happy or excited.
In a Sentence: I was on cloud nine when I found out I had passed the IELTS with a high band score.
Other Ways to Say: Over the moon, Thrilled
15. Take a rain check
Meaning: To politely decline or postpone something.
In a Sentence: I’ll have to take a rain check on joining your study group; I have to focus on my IELTS preparation.
Other Ways to Say: Reschedule, Postpone
16. Throw in the towel
Meaning: To give up or admit defeat.
In a Sentence: Don’t throw in the towel just because you find writing task 2 difficult.
Other Ways to Say: Quit, Surrender
17. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on more than you can handle.
In a Sentence: I bit off more than I could chew when I signed up for multiple IELTS prep courses at the same time.
Other Ways to Say: Overcommit, Take on too much
18. Beat around the bush
Meaning: To avoid saying something directly.
In a Sentence: Stop beating around the bush and just tell me how I can improve my IELTS speaking score.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid the point, Be indirect
19. Keep an eye on
Meaning: To watch or monitor something carefully.
In a Sentence: Keep an eye on your time when you’re doing the IELTS reading section.
Other Ways to Say: Watch over, Look after
20. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your turn to make a decision or take action.
In a Sentence: I’ve given you the materials, now the ball is in your court to prepare for the IELTS exam.
Other Ways to Say: It’s up to you, Your move
21. Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: To joke or tease someone.
In a Sentence: Don’t worry about the test; I’m just pulling your leg!
Other Ways to Say: Joke around, Kid someone
22. Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: To avoid stirring up trouble or discussing old issues.
In a Sentence: If you’ve already completed your IELTS practice test, let sleeping dogs lie and don’t stress over every little mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Leave it alone, Don’t stir things up
23. Cold shoulder
Meaning: To deliberately ignore or be unfriendly towards someone.
In a Sentence: I felt like the examiner was giving me the cold shoulder when I started to speak hesitantly during the speaking test.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Snub
24. Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: To accomplish two tasks with a single action.
In a Sentence: By taking a full-length practice test, I killed two birds with one stone—I improved my reading skills and managed my test time better.
Other Ways to Say: Accomplish two things at once, Be efficient
25. Hit the ground running
Meaning: To start something quickly and with enthusiasm.
In a Sentence: I hit the ground running after deciding to prepare for the IELTS exam two months before the test date.
Other Ways to Say: Get started quickly, Dive in
26. Go the extra mile
Meaning: To put in more effort than what’s required.
In a Sentence: She went the extra mile to improve her vocabulary by reading books and listening to podcasts in English.
Other Ways to Say: Do more than expected, Put in extra effort
27. Jump through hoops
Meaning: To face a series of difficult challenges.
In a Sentence: Preparing for the IELTS exam felt like jumping through hoops, but it was worth it when I got a good score.
Other Ways to Say: Go through challenges, Endure obstacles
28. A shot in the dark
Meaning: A guess made without having enough information.
In a Sentence: I made a shot in the dark when answering the writing question because I wasn’t sure about the topic.
Other Ways to Say: A wild guess, Take a chance
29. In the nick of time
Meaning: Just in time; at the last possible moment.
In a Sentence: I finished my IELTS writing task in the nick of time and handed it in just before the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Just on time, At the last minute
30. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or unwell.
In a Sentence: I had to reschedule my IELTS speaking test because I was feeling under the weather that day.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling sick, Not feeling well
31. Under your belt
Meaning: To have something accomplished or achieved.
In a Sentence: After taking several mock tests, I now have a few IELTS practice exams under my belt.
Other Ways to Say: Accomplished, Achieved
32. A dime a dozen
Meaning: Something that is very common and easy to find.
In a Sentence: There are a dime a dozen IELTS preparation books available at the bookstore, so choose one that fits your learning style.
Other Ways to Say: Common, Easy to find
33. Read between the lines
Meaning: To understand the hidden meaning or message.
In a Sentence: The examiner didn’t say much, but I could read between the lines and understand what they were looking for in my speaking responses.
Other Ways to Say: Interpret the meaning, Understand the hidden message
34. Not playing with a full deck
Meaning: Someone who seems confused or not thinking clearly.
In a Sentence: I felt like I wasn’t playing with a full deck during my speaking test because I was nervous.
Other Ways to Say: Not thinking clearly, Confused
35. By the book
Meaning: To follow the rules exactly.
In a Sentence: The IELTS examiners assess your responses by the book, so make sure you follow the exam instructions precisely.
Other Ways to Say: According to the rules, Exactly as required
36. Throw someone under the bus
Meaning: To betray someone or make them look bad to avoid blame.
In a Sentence: Don’t throw your classmates under the bus by blaming them for your mistakes during group work.
Other Ways to Say: Betray, Discredit someone
37. All ears
Meaning: Listening intently or eagerly.
In a Sentence: The IELTS examiner was all ears as I explained my opinion about the topic.
Other Ways to Say: Fully listening, Eager to hear
38. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your turn to make a decision or take action.
In a Sentence: I’ve shared all my tips for IELTS preparation, now the ball is in your court to start studying.
Other Ways to Say: Your turn, Up to you
39. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: To start over after a failure.
In a Sentence: After receiving a lower score than expected on my practice test, it was back to the drawing board for me.
Other Ways to Say: Start over, Reevaluate
40. On the ball
Meaning: Alert, quick to respond.
In a Sentence: You have to be on the ball during the IELTS listening section because the audio plays only once.
Other Ways to Say: Alert, Quick-witted
41. In hot water
Meaning: In trouble or facing a difficult situation.
In a Sentence: If you don’t complete your practice tests, you might find yourself in hot water when it’s time for the real IELTS exam.
Other Ways to Say: In trouble, Facing difficulties
42. A taste of your own medicine
Meaning: When someone gets treated the way they treated others.
In a Sentence: The teacher gave him a taste of his own medicine by asking him difficult questions during the test.
Other Ways to Say: Payback, Karma
43. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
In a Sentence: Once in a blue moon, you’ll find an IELTS candidate who gets a perfect band score.
Other Ways to Say: Rarely, Very seldom
44. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: Barely succeeding or avoiding failure.
In a Sentence: I passed my IELTS exam by the skin of my teeth, just one mark above the passing score.
Other Ways to Say: Barely, Just enough
45. The early bird catches the worm
Meaning: Those who start early have the advantage.
In a Sentence: If you start studying for IELTS early, the early bird catches the worm, and you’ll be better prepared.
Other Ways to Say: Start early, Get ahead of the competition
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- I passed the IELTS exam _______ the skin of my teeth.
- You should study for IELTS as soon as possible, because the _______ bird catches the worm.
- I barely managed to complete my essay, but I finished _______ the nick of time.
- By following the instructions carefully, I was able to stay _______ the ball during the exam.
- Don’t make a _______ out of a molehill—one mistake won’t ruin your IELTS score.
- If you don’t start practicing, you might find yourself in _______ water during the test.
- After missing the deadline, I had to go _______ the drawing board and start my assignment again.
- The exam wasn’t as hard as I thought; it was a _______ of cake.
- I didn’t study, and now I’m _______ cold feet about my performance on the exam.
- During the speaking section, the examiner was _______ ears as I shared my opinion.
Answers:
skin, early, in, on, mountain, hot, back, piece, having, all
Conclusion
Mastering idioms not only adds flair to your language skills but also helps you sound more fluent and natural in both speaking and writing sections of the IELTS exam. These idioms can make your conversation with examiners more interesting and engaging, giving you an extra edge. Practice these idioms regularly, and soon they will become a part of your daily speech. With hard work and perseverance, you’ll be able to navigate the IELTS exam confidently and with ease. Keep practicing, and best of luck with your IELTS journey!
