70+ Common Idioms for IELTS Speaking: Meaning & Examples

What Are Idioms in IELTS?

Idioms for IELTS are phrases or expressions whose meaning does not exactly match what the words suggest. These are used in everyday communication in English to enhance vocabulary and fluency. For example, “break a leg” does not mean to break the leg of someone. This idiom means wishing someone good luck.

You have understood the meaning of the idiom very well. However, during your speaking test, the examiner assesses your ability to use idioms. Therefore, for IELTS, idioms are crucial to know.

List of 50+ Best Idioms for IELTS Speaking

For a good command of English, learning common idioms is a good step. However, there is a wide range of idioms to express our ideas and feelings. So, in the following information, you can find the top 50 idioms that may also boost your IELTS vocabulary for the speaking section.

1. Kill two birds with one stone

2. Time flies

3. Better late than never

4. On the ball

5. It’s about time

6. In the nick of time

7. The early bird catches the worm

8. Time is money

9. In the long run

10. Jump for joy

11. On cloud nine

12. Feel on top of the world

13. Butterflies in your stomach

14. In seventh heaven

15. Cry over spilled milk

16. Hit the nail on the head

17. Heart of gold

18. Cost an arm and a leg

19. Kick the bucket

20. Let the cat out of the bag

21. A shoulder to cry on

22. Blood is thicker than water

23. Best of both worlds

24. Bury the hatchet

25. A chip off the old block

26. Birds of a feather flock together

27. Caught between two stools

28. Close-knit community

29. Out of the blue

30. Diamond in the rough

31. All bark and no bite

32. A wolf in sheep’s clothing

33. Food for thought

34. Go the extra mile

35. Put your two cents in

36. A matter of opinion

37. Penny for your thoughts

38. Take with a grain of salt

39. In my humble opinion

40. Can’t judge a book by its cover

41. See eye to eye

42. A penny saved is a penny earned

43. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

44. Call it a day

45. Break a leg

46. Cross your fingers

47. Back to the drawing board

48. Bite off more than you can chew

49. Caught red-handed

50. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

Also read: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Questions

Most Common Idioms for IELTS Speaking Along with Meaning & Examples

There are some general idioms for speaking section that you can use in your daily life communication. In the following table, you can find the top 20 idioms along with their meaning and examples so you can improve your IELTS speaking section band scores.

Idioms	Meaning	Example Sentence
Once in a blue moon	Very rarely	We go out for dinner once in a blue moon.
Piece of cake	Very easy	The test was a piece of cake.
Bite the bullet	To face something unpleasant bravely	I decided to bite the bullet and visit the dentist.
Blessing in disguise	Something that seems bad but turns out good	Losing that job was a blessing in disguise—it led me to a better opportunity.
An arm and a leg	Very expensive	That phone costs an arm and a leg.
Ball in your court	It's your decision or responsibility now	I've done my part, now the ball is in your court.
Beat around the bush	Avoid saying something directly	Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.
Break a leg	Good luck (especially before a performance)	Break a leg at your audition today!
Burn the midnight oil	Work late into the night	She burned the midnight oil to finish the project.
Down to Earth	Practical and humble	Despite his fame, he's really down to Earth.
Hit the nail on the head	Say or do something exactly right	You hit the nail on the head with your analysis.
Over the Moon	Extremely happy	She was over the moon when she got the job.
Throw in the towel	To give up	After several failed attempts, he threw in the towel.
Barking up the wrong tree	Pursuing the wrong course of action	If you think I broke the vase, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Be on cloud nine	Very happy	He’s been on cloud nine since the wedding.
Break the ice	To start a conversation in a social setting	He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.
Cry over spilt milk	Worry about something that can't be undone	It’s no use crying over spilt milk—just move on.
Keep an eye on	Watch something or someone carefully	Please keep an eye on the kids while I’m out.
To talk through your hat	Talk nonsense or about something you don’t understand	He was talking through his hat about economics.
A dime a dozen	Very common	Fast food restaurants are a dime a dozen in this city.

How to Use Idioms for IELTS?

You have explored many types of idioms to use in IELTS speaking. But do you know what the strategies are that you must follow when you take this test? If not, then it is time to move further and find tips to effectively use idioms in the IELTS test.

1. Understand the Meaning and Context- First of all, understand the true meaning of idioms to use in IELTS speaking. You can identify the meaning of idioms from examples and observe them to know the exact meaning. Moreover, if you are unsure about the usage, you can look for reliable sources and become familiar with the context.

2. Use Idioms Naturally- Another strategy to use idioms for speaking English is to choose idioms that naturally fit the topic and the context of the conversation. Sometimes, students just try to fit an irrelevant idiom off the topic, which may badly impact the examiner, so use them according to the topic.

3. Focus on Clarity and Accuracy- While taking the speaking section of IELTS idioms are crucial. Therefore, make sure your meaning is clear and your examiner understands what you are saying. Moreover, do not forget to focus on the accuracy and pronunciation of idioms to avoid sounding awkward.

4. Start with Common Idioms-This is natural that to learn good English, you want to master idioms and learn overall words. However, if you start focusing on common idioms, you will better understand how to use them.

Also read: IELTS Cue Cards 2025

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using Idioms

Many students make common mistakes while speaking idioms. Sometimes, test takers use them too much in their communication or use outdated idioms. However, these are some general mistakes that most of you make, so let’s move forward and look for them that you must avoid.

1. Overusing Idioms- This is True idioms can enhance your vocabulary and enhance your understanding of English, but overusing them is a silly mistake. Especially when you use idioms for IELTS speaking test, focus on using a variety of languages rather than relying on a few common idioms.

2. Using Idioms That You Don’t Understand- This happens with many students; they use idioms without understanding their meaning and context. However, this mistake can lead to incorrect usage and can confuse the examiner. So, try to use words you are comfortable with, ensuring clarity and natural flow in your responses.

3. Using Outdated & Informal Idioms- There are some outdated and informal idioms that you must try to avoid using. For example, raining cats and dogs, burning the midnight oil, and spilling the tea; try not to use complex, outdated, and informal idioms to make a good impression in front of the examiner.

4. Incorrect Prepositions- Some of the idioms include preposition words like count on, run into, and agree to. Most of the students use these idioms incorrectly and say count on, run into, and agree on. Misplacing the idioms for IELTS speaking test can change the meaning and confuse your examiner, so try to avoid this mistake.

Conclusion

To conclude, we have discussed about 70+ idioms for IELTS speaking in this blog. As you know, idioms can make your conversation more interesting and help to understand hidden meanings, you must use them in your daily conversation. Also, now you have a clear idea of how to utilize them in English, and by avoiding common mistakes, you can find the best way to use idioms. So, if you closely identified the IELTS pattern, this is the time to include idioms in your preparation and improve your English to get good band scores.

FAQs

1. Can Idioms be Used in IELTS Speaking?

Yes, idioms can be used in the IELTS speaking test, especially to achieve higher band scores. Using idioms correctly demonstrates a wider range of vocabulary and shows the examiner your understanding of different languages, so you must try to use them appropriately.

2. What Are the 5 Most Common Idioms?

There is a variety of idioms, and some of the five most common idioms are listed below.

1. Break a leg- This is used to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.

2. Cut someone some slack- This means to be less critical of someone, to give them a break.

3. A piece of cake- This describes something very easy to do.

4. Under the weather- This phrase means to feel slightly sick or unwell.

5. Let the cat out of the bag- This idiom means to accidentally reveal a secret.

3. How to Learn Idioms Easily?

Learning idioms easily involves contextual understanding, so you can start by focusing on common idioms and phrases. You can use the following tips to effectively use:

• Start with the Basics
• Understand the Context
• Practice and Repetition
• Embrace Real-Life Situations
• Be Patient and Consistent

4. Can I Use Slang in IELTS Speaking?

Yes, using slang in the IELTS Speaking test is generally acceptable, especially in Part 1. It can make your speech sound more natural and conversational, so use it appropriately and not overuse it.

5. What Is the Idiom 9 to 5?

The idiom 9 to 5 means a work schedule that is usually in an office setting where work begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. This is a common way to describe a standard workday and can also be used for the job that follows this schedule.