Idioms for IELTS Speaking: 28 natural ones and how to use them
Quick answer
IELTS Speaking does not require idioms, and it publishes no list of them and no count per band. The public descriptors mention idiomatic language from band 7 upwards, together with a feel for style, and they mark word choices that do not fit. Use an idiom only when you are sure of its meaning, its grammar and its register, and when it fits your own answer. One idiom that fits is worth more than three dropped in.
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On this page
An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is not the sum of its words. “Under the weather” has nothing to do with the sky, and “a piece of cake” has nothing to do with food. Native speakers use them without noticing, which is why candidates feel they must too. This guide sets out what the descriptors say, separates idioms from what people confuse them with, gives 28 everyday idioms by job, names the ones to leave alone and explains how to use one. For the wider picture of Speaking vocabulary, see the guide to IELTS vocabulary for Speaking.
Key takeaways
- IELTS publishes no list of idioms and no count per band. You can reach a good Speaking score without a single idiom.
- Idiom, collocation, phrasal verb and slang are four different things.
- Use an idiom in your own answer, where it fits. One that fits beats three that do not.
- Keep idioms out of Writing: the Writing descriptors on this site warn against them in an essay.
What the band descriptors say about idioms
Vocabulary is marked under Lexical Resource, one of the four equally weighted Speaking criteria, according to IELTS.org (Speaking guidance last checked 17 September 2026). On this site’s Speaking descriptor explorer, idiomatic language first appears at band 7, where some less common and some idiomatic expressions turn up alongside a feel for style and for which words go together, with the odd slip allowed. At band 8 that language is handled skilfully, with only the occasional inaccuracy, and at band 9 it sounds natural and accurate throughout. At band 6 a word may be inappropriate while the meaning stays clear.
The same explorer lists traps: at band 8, idioms used because they were learnt where a plain word was more precise, and at band 9, phrases that read well on a page but that nobody says aloud. They describe idioms used for show, not a ban.
The answer on using slang in IELTS Speaking adds what IDP says: your accent or slang is not part of the evaluation criteria, and idiomatic language does not mean phrases and clichés you have memorised. IELTS publishes no list and no count per band.
Idiom, collocation, phrasal verb, slang
| Kind | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Idiom | A fixed expression whose meaning is not clear from the words | “once in a blue moon” |
| Collocation | Two or more words that habitually go together; the meaning is plain | “heavy traffic”, “make a decision” |
| Phrasal verb | A verb with a particle that gives it a new meaning | “put off”, “look into”, “get along with” |
| Slang | Informal vocabulary tied to a group, a place or a moment | a word only your friends use |
A collocation works in every register, so it is the safer first investment; the guide to collocations covers them. A phrasal verb is often the ordinary spoken choice: “put off” is more natural in conversation than “postpone”. Slang is the risky one, because an examiner may not know it.
28 everyday idioms by job
Each idiom below is in ordinary current use and suits a normal conversation. The examples are invented. Learn two or three from one group and make a sentence of your own for each.
Agreeing and disagreeing
| Idiom | Meaning | Example in a Speaking answer |
|---|---|---|
| on the same page | in agreement, understanding the same thing | “My flatmate and I are on the same page about keeping the place tidy.” |
| see eye to eye | agree completely | “My father and I don’t always see eye to eye on music.” |
| sit on the fence | refuse to take a side | “On this one I’m sitting on the fence, because both sides have a point.” |
Feelings
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| over the moon | extremely happy | “I was over the moon when I heard I had passed.” |
| under the weather | slightly ill or low | “I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, so I stayed in.” |
| on edge | nervous and tense | “I was on edge for the whole morning before the interview.” |
| in two minds | undecided | “I’m in two minds about moving to a bigger city.” |
| get cold feet | lose your nerve before doing something | “He nearly signed up for the marathon, then got cold feet.” |
Ease and difficulty
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a piece of cake | very easy | “The first exam was a piece of cake, but the second was harder.” |
| get the hang of | learn how to do something | “It took me a month to get the hang of the new software.” |
| out of my depth | in a situation too difficult for you | “In the first lecture I felt completely out of my depth.” |
| easier said than done | harder to do than to talk about | “Getting up at six is easier said than done.” |
| a steep learning curve | a lot to learn quickly | “My first job was a steep learning curve.” |
Time
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| once in a blue moon | very rarely | “I only go to the cinema once in a blue moon.” |
| in the nick of time | just before it was too late | “The bus arrived in the nick of time.” |
| time flies | time seems to pass quickly | “Time flies when you’re with old friends.” |
| in no time | very quickly | “She finished the whole report in no time.” |
Work and study
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hit the books | start studying hard | “I need to hit the books this weekend.” |
| burn the midnight oil | work late into the night | “We burnt the midnight oil to finish the project.” |
| learn the ropes | learn how a job or place works | “It takes a few weeks to learn the ropes in a new office.” |
| get the ball rolling | start something | “Let’s get the ball rolling with a quick meeting.” |
| back to square one | back at the beginning | “The first design failed, so we were back to square one.” |
| bite off more than you can chew | take on too much | “I think I bit off more than I could chew with three courses.” |
People
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a people person | someone who enjoys company | “My sister is a real people person, so she loves her job in a hotel.” |
| get on like a house on fire | become very good friends very quickly | “They met at the airport and got on like a house on fire.” |
| the life and soul of the party | the most lively person at an event | “My cousin is always the life and soul of the party.” |
| a shoulder to cry on | someone who listens when you are upset | “When I had a bad week, my neighbour was a shoulder to cry on.” |
| the black sheep of the family | the one who is different from the rest | “My uncle was the black sheep of the family: he became a sailor.” |
Choose from these rather than learning all 28: six known and two used accurately beat thirty memorised.
Idioms to avoid
Old clichés. “It’s raining cats and dogs” is a textbook example that almost nobody says. Proverbs such as “the early bird catches the worm” belong here too: they read well on a page and nobody says them aloud.
Worn-out openers. “At the end of the day” and “think outside the box” are used so often that they show no flexibility.
Idioms in the wrong register. Some suit friends, not an assessed exchange with a stranger: “kick the bucket” for “die”. Others sound old-fashioned or regional. If you would hesitate to say it to a teacher you respect, leave it out.
Idioms with a fixed form. You cannot say “a piece of cakes” or “sitting at the fence”. If you are not sure of the exact form, use a plain word.
Idioms that overstate. “I was over the moon” about an ordinary Tuesday is exaggeration the examiner hears.
How to use an idiom naturally
- Start from your own answer. Decide what you want to say, and ask whether an idiom says it better than a plain phrase would. If not, do not add one.
- Learn it inside a sentence about your life. “Get the hang of” becomes “I’m still getting the hang of cooking for one.”
- Check it. Look it up in a learner’s dictionary for the meaning, the exact form and any note on register.
- Say it aloud, then use it once and move on. Repeating an idiom sounds fetched from a list.
Compare two answers to “Do you find it easy to learn new things?” First: “Yes, it’s a piece of cake, I’m over the moon when I learn something, time flies.” Three idioms, and nobody talks like that. Second: “Usually, yes. It takes me a while to get the hang of anything technical, but once I do, I enjoy it.” One idiom in a natural sentence shows more control.
Idioms and Writing
The Writing descriptors on this site name idiomatic phrases in an academic essay as a trap, because they read as out of place. In an essay a precise plain word beats a figure of speech: “a considerable increase” is better than “a huge jump”. Keep idioms for conversation. The guide to IELTS vocabulary for Writing covers the academic side.
What to do next
Pick one group, choose two idioms and write a sentence for each about something that really happened to you. Then answer three questions aloud and see whether either fits without being forced. If neither does, that is a fair result. The answer on whether Speaking is formal or informal helps you judge the register, and the vocabulary hub has pairs by topic for the plain vocabulary that does most of the work.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need idioms to get band 7 in IELTS Speaking?
The descriptors on this site mention some idiomatic language at band 7, next to less common words and a feel for style. They give no number and no list. Idioms are one way to show that feel, and a speaker with accurate collocations and flexible everyday words is also describing band 7 behaviour.
How many idioms should I use in the Speaking test?
There is no target. IELTS gives no count per band, and IDP says memorised phrases and clichés are not what idiomatic language means. One or two that suit what you are saying are plenty, and a test with none is not a failed test.
Are idioms and slang the same thing?
No. An idiom is a fixed expression that people of every age and region understand, such as "under the weather". Slang is informal vocabulary tied to a group or a moment. The descriptors mention idiomatic language and style, and they do not mention slang.
Can I use idioms in IELTS Writing?
Be careful. The Writing descriptors on this site name idiomatic phrases in an academic essay as a trap, because they read as out of place. Keep idioms for Speaking, and build precise vocabulary for the essay.
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