As you work on your English, sooner or later you might come across some odd phrases that don’t make any sense in your language. See, how would you react if your friend told you to ‘break your leg’ before the day of your IELTS exam? Probably, you would think this person is only pretending to be your friend. Doing an exam with a broken leg in plaster isn’t really funny.
However, such groups of words in English have hidden meanings, and we call them ‘idioms’. As a rule, such meanings aren’t clear when reading the words literally. Good news, there’s no need to be scared when someone wishes you to ‘break your leg’ because they are actually wishing you good luck in English. Now you can see how confusing idioms can be! They can mean the total opposite of what they seem to mean.
Why are they helpful? Well, textbooks don’t usually teach you how to use idioms, but if you use them in conversations, it can show how skilled you are in English. Look at the public IELTS Speaking band descriptors. If you aim to score band 7 and more, you have to make use of idiomatic vocabulary.
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Although using idiomatic language is important in the IELTS speaking exam, it must sound natural. You have to be comfortable with it. So, be very careful with using idioms, and don’t use a lot of them. We have prepared 20 idioms for you to learn about and when they can be used. Think about how you can use these idioms to talk about yourself and which questions they could be used to answer.
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- TO BE LIKE CHALK AND CHEESE
If two people are like chalk and cheese, they are completely different from each other.
My brother and I are like chalk and cheese.
- DOWN TO EARTH
If someone is down to earth, they are practical, reasonable, and friendly.
The players like the coach because he’s down to earth and honest with them.
- THE BLACK SHEEP OF THE FAMILY
The member of the family who seems to get into trouble or has made bad choices.
She had different interests, and we stupidly thought of her as a black sheep of the family.
- OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
If the places is off the beaten track, it’s a quiet and unusual place, not known or popular with many people.
We wanted to find a camping site that was a little bit off the beaten track.
- TO LET YOUR HAIR DOWN
To be more relaxed than usual and enjoy yourself.
We always go to Ibiza. It’s the best place to let your hair down.
- A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME
If something is a whole new ball game, it’s a completely different situation, often one that is difficult or that you know little about.
We’d done a lot of climbing in Scotland but the Himalayas were a whole new ballgame.
- AS IF THERE WAS NO TOMORROW
If someone does something as if there was no tomorrow, they do it with no regard for the future consequences.
Americans at home continue to consume oil supplies as is there was no tomorrow.
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- GET (ONE’S) SKATES ON
Use this idiom when you want someone to hurry up.
Get your skates on, or we’ll be late!
- BELIEVE IT OR NOT
Use this phrase when you are saying something that is true but surprising.
Believe it or not, they got married after knowing each other only a week.
- OUT OF THE BLUE
If something happens out of the blue, it is completely unexpected.
One evening, Angela phoned me out of the blue and said she was in some kind of trouble.
- ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
This idiom is used to say that something happens not very often.
My sister lives in Alaska, so I only see her once in a blue moon.
- AT THE CRACK OF DAWN
It describes something that is happening very early in the morning, especially at the time when the sun first appears.
Farmers are often away at the crack of dawn.
- TO BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS
We use this idiom to say that someone works or does other things from early in the morning until late at night and so get very little rest.
Back in the twenties, the Millay sisters were known in New York society for burning the candle at both ends.
- TO LAND (SOMETHING)
If someone lands something, they successfully acquire something, such as a job or piece of information.
The economy is still in terrible shape—I haven’t been able to land a job for months.
Tom landed a really juicy story about the senator’s ex-wife.
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- TO MAKE ENDS MEET
Use this idiom to describe the situation when someone has just enough money to pay for the things that they need.
It’s not easy to make ends meet with a big family, but somehow we manage.
- TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE
From what I know and understand from the information that I have.
To the best of my knowledge, the chemicals which were found are not dangerous.
- LIKE CLOCKWORK
Something that is like clockwork runs easily, automatically, and always in the same way.
The charity event was well organized and ran like clockwork.
- COME RAIN OR SHINE
When we use this idiom, we are saying to someone not matter what, rain or shine, regardless of the circumstances, it will be done.
Every morning at about 5am, come rain or shine, James leaves his home on his morning run.
- ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
We use this phrase when we consider all the parts or events of a situation.
It wasn’t the best game I’ve ever seen. But, all things considered, it wasn’t too bad either.
- AT THE BACK OF (ONE’S) MIND
If something is at the back of your mind, you are aware of it, though it is not the main thing you are thinking about.
Whenever I park in the city, the fear of being towed is always at the back of my mind.
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