Common English Idioms used for IELTS Speaking Exam

If you want to acquire 7 Band Score in IELTS Speaking Test, then along with high vocabulary and grammatical skills it is also important to use idiomatic language to leave a strong impression. This article is all about common idioms that can be used in IELTS speaking exam.

Idioms and phrases are used to describe things, feelings, and ideas with the combination of few words. Each country has a different set of phrases with special meanings. The idiomatic language is used in our daily communication and also it is preferred to use in IELTS speaking exam. To use them it is important to understand their meaning and usage first.

What is an Idiom?

An idiom is a phrase or expression having non-literal meaning - the meaning cannot be directly understood by reading each word.

For example, if you are very happy because you got a band 8 in your Speaking test, you might say: "I was on cloud nine when I saw my results". If we look at the literal meaning of these words, we think about being on clouds! However, the idiomatic meaning of this phrase is extremely happy - "I was extremely happy when I saw my result."

Idioms are used so often in very natural way by native speakers that we are unaware that people are using it. Often idioms get unnoticed in daily life. Learn to use them correctly.

Idioms On Happiness

Idiom	Meaning	Sentence
On cloud nine	Extremely happy when something wonderful happens.	She's been on cloud nine since she found out she is pregnant.
Like a dog with two tails	To look and be very happy.	Was he pleased? He was like a dog with two tails.
Full of the joys of spring	When you are energetic, cheerful and happy.	James must have had some good news, he's full of the joys of spring today.
Happy as Larry	When you are as happy as Larry, you are, of course, very happy. But who is Larry? No one is certain but it is believed that 'Larry' refers to an Australian boxer called Larry Foley (1878 - 1917) who after receiving a large payment after winning a fight was described in a newspaper as being 'happy'. Somehow this description stuck and is now used all these years later.	My daughter was as happy as Larry with her birthday present.
On top of the world	You are on top of the world when you feel wonderful.	I've been feeling on top of the world since I started doing yoga every morning.
Over the moon	This idiom isn't used so much these days because it is considered a cliché (an overused, unoriginal expression), but it means to be delighted.	The team captain said he was over the moon with their win.
In seventh heaven	Bliss; to be so happy it feels like you are in heaven.	I was in seventh heaven when I landed my dream job.

Idiom On Sadness

Idiom	Meaning	Sentence
Down in the mouth	To look unhappy	She seems to be down in the mouth. Maybe she failed her exams.
Down in the dumps	It is not used to describe a person’s appearance, but rather a person’s mood or the way they feel.	Nina seems to be down in the dumps because she broke up with her boyfriend recently.
Reduce to tears	To make someone cry or to be so unhappy, you begin to cry.	My boss reduced me to tears with his constant criticism today.
Lump in your throat	Feeling in our throat that means we are about to cry.	His speech was so emotional that I lumped my throat.
Feeling blue/to have the blues	Colour blue is associated with depression, a bad mood, and sadness.	She has the blues today. I was feeling blue yesterday.
Face like a wet weekend	Used in the situation where weather disappoints you- it’s overcast, cold, or continuously raining, and this makes the person sad or depressed.	Billy, your face is like a wet weekend. What’s wrong?

Idiom On Colors

black and blue	bruised and beaten	We found the poor guy black and blue near the train tracks.
black and white	straight forward, very clear	The rules we gave the kids were black and white. No answering the phone or the door.
black out	faint	I always black out at the sight of blood.
black sheep	the odd or bad member of the group	My oldest brother was the black sheep in our family. He dropped out of school at fifteen.
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth	born into a rich family	Keiko hasn't worked a day in her life. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
catch red handed	catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegal	The kids were caught red handed stealing chocolate bars.
golden opportunity	the perfect chance	The models' conference was a golden opportunity for me to sell my beauty products.
green with envy	very jealous	I am green with envy over Julio's new wardrobe.
have the blues	be sad or depressed	I always have the blues during the winter time.
in the dark	unaware	Antoine left his wife in the dark about their honeymoon destination until they got to the airport.
in the red	in debt	When we were in the red we almost had to sell the house.
red tape	official or bureaucratic tasks	There is still some red tape to deal with in terms of the inheritance.
red eye	an airplane flight that takes off after midnight	I caught the red eye so that I would see the sunrise over the mountains.
roll out the red carpet	treat someone like royalty	When relatives come to town my grandmother rolls out the red carpet.
rose coloured glasses	unrealistic view	Paula imagines Hollywood with rose coloured glasses.
see red	be very angry	I saw red when that guy grabbed my sister's purse.
true colours	real self	Suzanne doesn't show her true colours when we have guests over.
white lie	an innocent lie to protect another person's feelings	We told Grandma that her cake was delicious, which was actually a white lie.
with flying colours	with distinction	I passed my road test with flying colours.

Idioms On Memories

Idiom	Meaning	Sentence
Refresh someone’s memory	Remind someone of something	I had to refresh her memory about what happened two years ago.
If (my) memory serves me correctly	If I remember (something) properly.	If memory serves me correctly, we’ve already met before.
Jog someone’s memory	to remind someone about something they have forgotten.	I tried to jog Jackson’s memory about our childhood antics.
Commit something to memory	To study something carefully so that you can remember it exactly.	I always commit to memory all my patients’ names.
Trip down memory lane	when people remember or talk about things that happened in the past.	Every Christmas is a trip down memory lane for the family when our parents take out the photo albums.
Bear in mind	It means they want you to remember something important.	You must bear in mind that the cost of living is higher in New York.

Idioms On Health

Idiom	Meaning	Sentence
Alive And Kicking	In good health despite health problems	I had coronary bypass surgery last winter, but I’m alive and kicking!
As fit as a fiddle	To be healthy and physically fit	My grandfather is ninety years old but he is as fit as a fiddle.
Back on one’s feet	Physically healthy again	My mother is back on her feet after being sick for two weeks.
Go Under the Knife	Undergo surgery	I’m going under the knife next month to try to solve my knee problems. Hope it helps!
Have one foot in the grave	To be near death (usually because of old age or illness)	My uncle is very sick and has one foot in the grave.
Run in the family	To be a common family characteristic	The serious illness runs in the family of my friend.
Snake Oil	Medicine of unproven value; fraudulent medicine	The Internet is full of people who sell snake oil that won’t help you at all with your medical problems.
Under the weather	Not feeling well	My boss has been under the weather all week and has not come to work during that time.

Idioms On Student Life

Idiom	Meaning	Sentence
To be a bookworm	Someone who reads a lot.	He's always reading. He's a real bookworm.
To be a copycat	Someone who does or says exactly the same as someone else.	She always copies my work, she's such a copycat.
To learn the ropes	To learn how to do a job.	She's new here and is still learning the ropes.
To learn your lesson	To suffer a bad experience and know not to do it again	I got very drunk once and was really sick. I won't do it again, I learnt my lesson.
To live and learn	Said when you hear or discover something which is surprising:	I never knew that she was married. Oh well, you live and learn.
To teach someone a lesson	To do something to someone, usually to punish them.	I hit him hard on the nose. That taught him a lesson.
The three Rs	Used to refer to the basic areas of education: reading, writing and arithmetic.	Some children are leaving school without even the basic three Rs.
The University of Life	People who never went on to higher education often say this.	I studied at the University of Life.
With flying colours	If you do something such as pass an exam with flying colours, you do it very successfully.	She got into the university of her choice, because she passed all her exams with flying colours.

Idioms On Anxiety/Stress

Idiom	Meaning	Sentence
Afraid of one’s own shadow	Very nervous or easily frightened	I’ve never seen anyone so easily scared – she’s afraid of her own shadow.
Make your blood run cold	It shocks or scares you a lot	The look in the prisoner’s eyes made my blood run cold.
Bundle of nerves	Nervous, tense or worried	My son is doing his driving test today. Needless to say he’s a bundle of nerves!
Have butterflies in your stomach	You are feeling very nervous	At the beginning of an exam, I always have butterflies in my stomach.
Get your fingers burnt	Result of an unsuccessful action	He got his fingers so badly burnt in the last elections that he decided to withdraw from politics.
Have one’s heart in one’s mouth	Feels extremely anxious or nervous	Emma had her heart in her mouth when she saw her 2-year-old son standing in front of the open window.
Your heart misses a beat	Sudden feeling of fear or excitement	When the lights suddenly went out, her heart missed a beat.

Dr. Roma

Content Writer