Learning English idioms can improve your fluency and help you express yourself in more interesting ways. Idioms are a part of natural language use, alongside phrasal verbs and collocations. If you’re taking IELTS, they’re essential to scoring a Band 7 or above in the Speaking test.
The challenge is that there are an estimated 25,000 English idioms in use. Many of these are specific to certain regions or social groups, so how do you know which ones to use?
Randomly memorising English idioms can easily backfire. You may end up using expressions that are outdated, uncommon, or sound unnatural, which could negatively affect your performance in the IELTS Speaking test
To make things easier, we’ve put together a list of some of the most commonly used English idioms and phrases. You’ll also find practical IELTS Speaking tips - including when to use idioms naturally and how to work them into real-life responses. Let’s get started!
The most common English idioms and phrases
1. To add insult to injury
This expression is used when something makes a bad situation even worse. It fits well with everyday experiences you might talk about in Speaking Part 1.
Question: “Do you like using public transportation?”
Answer: “Yes, I usually do, but last week I missed my bus by just a minute and, to add insult to injury, it started raining heavily right after, so I got completely soaked waiting for the next one.”
2. At the drop of a hat
When was the last time you immediately started an activity without planning it first? You might say you did it ‘at the drop of a hat’.
You can use this English idiom with a wide range of topics, whether you’re talking about yourself or others. For example:
‘People can’t expect to change their entire lifestyle at the drop of a hat. You’re more likely to stick to exercise routines if you start small and develop a strong routine.’
‘While travel has become more convenient, not everyone can go abroad at the drop of a hat. Most people have to book time off work.’
3. To bark up the wrong tree
‘Barking up the wrong tree’ means someone is looking for solutions to a problem in the wrong places. It’s great for talking about social issues:
'Drivers love to blame cyclists for traffic but they’re barking up the wrong tree. The real issue is the lack of cycle lanes.'
'If people think the tourists are to blame for overcrowding, they’re barking up the wrong tree. It’s the government’s responsibility to regulate things like hotels and flights.'
4. A blessing in disguise
When a situation seems bad but turns out to be good, you can use this English idiom. It works well for talking about personal experiences:
'I was upset when my family left our hometown but it was a blessing in disguise. Because my dad got a better job, he could pay for my private English lessons.'
5. To break the ice
Meeting people for the first time can be awkward. We use ‘to break the ice’ to talk about the things we do to get to know each other and feel relaxed.
As many Part 1 questions are about people you know, a speaking tip for IELTS is to prepare expressions for talking about when you met. For example:
'My best friend and I were roommates at university. I was a little shy but she broke the ice by telling me lots of jokes.'
6. By the skin of one’s teeth
When you only just succeed at something, you can say you did it ‘by the skin of your teeth’. You can use this expression to talk about small issues in your daily life or major achievements.
'The last bus leaves ten minutes after my shift finishes. Sometimes I only make it by the skin of my teeth.'
'I was one point off failing my driving theory test so I passed by the skin of my teeth.'
7. To call it a day
‘To call it a day’ simply means to agree to stop doing something. The expression works well for a range of IELTS topics from work and school to hobbies.
'I decided to call it a day after I’d been working at the company for two years with no promotion.'
'After I hurt my back playing football, I knew it was time to call it a day.'
8. To cut corners
People who cut corners don’t do the task properly to save time and money, but the end result isn’t usually very good.
Speaking tip for IELTS: You can use this English idiom to describe people you know who don’t always pay attention to detail or who take a more relaxed approach to work.
'My brother cuts corners in his English literature class - he always watches the film version instead of reading the books.'
Additionally, you can use it to talk about social issues in Part 2 and 3:
'You can’t cut corners when it comes to education - people need strong maths and literacy skills if they’re to thrive in the workplace.'
9. To get one’s act together
If someone should improve their behaviour or performance, you can say they need to ‘get their act together’.
It’s perfect for talking about times where you struggled:
'I kept getting Cs and Ds in English until I really got my act together and started studying more.'
10. To go the extra mile
Done something especially nice for a friend? Or worked harder to achieve something important? You can use this English idiom to talk about it in your IELTS Speaking test.
'My community went the extra mile and rebuilt all the houses that were destroyed in last year’s flood.'