Common Idioms List

Trọn bộ tài liệu IELTS 0 - 7.5+: https://bit.ly/tuhocieltsonline

Set 1

Common Idioms Definitions

It cost me an arm and a leg to take my Very expensive

trip to Australia.

I was over the moon when he asked Extremely pleased or happy

me to marry him.

You are taking your IELTS test next Doing or starting something too
week?? Aren’t you jumping the gun. early
You’ve only just started studying.

He comes round to see me once in a Happening very rarely

blue moon.

He’s got a chip on his shoulder. Feeling inferior or having a

grievance about something

I reckon getting a band 7 in IELTS will Very easy

be a piece of cake! I’m very good at
English.
The money sent by comic relief to help A very small part of something
poverty in Africa is just a drop in the much bigger
ocean. They need far more than this.

Getting a low score the first time I took Something positive that isn’t
IELTS was a blessing in disguise. It recognized until later
forced me to study extremely hard so I
got a much better score the next time.

We have to actually do something about It’s better to actually do

global warming. Actions speak louder something rather than just
than words. talking about it

I bumped into Jenny in town the other Meeting someone you would
day. It's a small world. not have expected to

Set 2
Trọn bộ tài liệu IELTS 0 - 7.5+: https://bit.ly/tuhocieltsonline

Common Idioms Definitions

Oh well, I got 5.5 in IELTS again. Back When an attempt to do

to the drawing board! something fails and it's time to
start all over again using
different methods

I hate my job so much I can’t bare
going to work, but if I quit I don’t think I
can get another job. I’m really stuck /
Having two very bad choices.
(note: stuck/caught can be
omitted)
caught between a rock and a hard
place.

I have to bite my tongue so I don’t say Wanting to say something but

what I really think of him! stopping yourself.

Come on, cut to the chase. We Leave out all the unnecessary
haven’t got all day! details and just get to the point

Are you putting all of your savings into Putting all of ones resources
that company? Don’t put all your eggs into one possibility
in one basket.

Try not to worry about it. Every cloud Believing that every bad
has a silver lining. situation has a positive side /
eventually leads to something
good

It was difficult when I moved to another To become comfortable in what

country but I eventually found my feet. you are doing

My parents are very fixed in their Not wanting to change from the
ways. They won’t start using the normal ways of doing things
internet.

I think he got up on the wrong side of To refer to someone who is

the bed this morning. He is in a having a bad day
terrible mood.
My mother will always go the extra Doing much more than is
mile to help people. required when doing something

Set 3
Trọn bộ tài liệu IELTS 0 - 7.5+: https://bit.ly/tuhocieltsonline

Common Idioms Definitions

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. Say exactly the right thing
That’s the reason he didn’t get the job.

Today’s going so badly. If it’s not one When everything seems to be

thing, it’s the other. going wrong

I just said it in the heat of the moment. Saying or doing something

I was angry. I know I shouldn’t have. suddenly without thinking about
it

Keep an eye on him. I think he may Watch someone or something

cheat in the exam. carefully

Have you heard? John down the road Died

has kicked the bucket.

I don’t want to argue with him again. It’s Avoid a conflict

better to let sleeping dogs lie.
I told him what gift you have bought him Tell someone something that
for his birthday. Sorry, I didn’t mean to you were not supposed to
let the cat out of the bag.

Don’t tell her what you really think of Hurt or upset someone who is
her if she’s helping you with your helping you
English! Don’t bite the hand that feeds
you.

I’m not sure which party he is going to Not making a firm decision
vote for. He’s sitting on the fence. between different choices

Everything she does is very over the Excessive

top. She can’t just have a few drinks –
se has to get really drunk.

Set 4
Trọn bộ tài liệu IELTS 0 - 7.5+: https://bit.ly/tuhocieltsonline

Common Idioms Definitions

Let’s keep studying for IELTS. Practice Continuously doing something

makes perfect. to improve

Don’t get upset about what he said. Joking around

He’s just pulling your leg.

Sorry but I think I’ll take a rain check To decline an offer that you will
on that. take up later
As a rule of thumb, I don’t study at Principal that is strictly adhered
weekends. I spend the time with my / kept to
family.

I can smell a rat. He said he has a PhD To sense that something is not
but he can’t even remember which right
university he studied at.

She’s the spitting image of her mother. To look exactly like someone
else

The ball's in your court now. What are Telling someone it's now their
you going to do? turn to make a decision

Unfortunately I think he’ll be studying for For a very long time

IELTS until the cows come home. His
English is very poor.

It was all tongue-in-cheek. He didn’t Something said in humour

really mean what he said. rather than seriously

She’s feeling under the weather today Unwell

so she won’t be going to work.

Set 5
Trọn bộ tài liệu IELTS 0 - 7.5+: https://bit.ly/tuhocieltsonline

Common Idioms Definitions

We've had some big disagreements Things from the past that are
over the years, but it’s all water under not important anymore
the bridge now. We get on fine.

You are what you eat so it’s better to If you eat bad food, you’ll be
have a healthy diet. unhealthy, if you eat good food,
you’ll be healthy

You can’t judge a book by its cover. I The belief that outside
need to get to know him before I decide appearances do not reveal
what he is like. what someone or something is
really like

We're really working against the clock Not having enough time to do
now. We must hurry. something

Why are we bothering? We're flogging Attempting to continue with

a dead horse. Our online business is something that is finished /
making no money, so we should move over
on and do something else.

I bent over backwards to help him. I Doing all you can to help
hope he appreciates it. someone

So you have the IELTS test today?? Good luck

Break a leg.

Ok, I'm playing devil's advocate here, To put forward a side in an

but if marijuana is legalized, isn't it more argument that may not be your
likely young people will smoke it? own in order to show the
 counter-argument / ensure all
sides are discussed

Common Idioms Definitions

We've had some big disagreements Things from the past that are
over the years, but it’s all water under not important anymore
the bridge now. We get on fine.

You are what you eat so it’s better to If you eat bad food, you’ll be
have a healthy diet. unhealthy, if you eat good food,
you’ll be healthy

You can’t judge a book by its cover. I The belief that outside
need to get to know him before I decide appearances do not reveal
what he is like. what someone or something is
really like

We're really working against the clock Not having enough time to do
now. We must hurry. something

Why are we bothering? We're flogging Attempting to continue with

a dead horse. Our online business is something that is finished /
making no money, so we should move over
on and do something else.

I bent over backwards to help him. I Doing all you can to help
hope he appreciates it. someone

So you have the IELTS test today?? Good luck

Break a leg.
Ok, I'm playing devil's advocate here, To put forward a side in an
but if marijuana is legalized, isn't it more argument that may not be your
likely young people will smoke it? own in order to show the
counter-argument / ensure all
sides are discussed

Hold your horses! We haven't won Telling someone who is getting

anything yet. ahead of themselves to wait /
be patient

Annoying or irritating
She is driving me up the wall. She
somebody
won't stop talking.

21 Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking

Trọn bộ tài liệu IELTS 0 - 7.5+: https://bit.ly/tuhocieltsonline

1. Make it: arrive or get a result

Example:
Examiner: Do you have any expectation regarding your scholarship
application?
Candidate: I am not sure if I am good enough to actually get the
scholarship, but I expect to at least make it to the final round
2. Bone up on: to learn.
Example: I had to bone up on my English studies to push my IELTS score
to a 7 or higher.
3. Do away with: end/ terminate
Example: Personally, I think we should do away with school uniforms.
Students should wear what they like.
4. End up: become eventually
Example: I’m not sure what I will end up doing with my life. I can’t decide on
a career path.
5. Figure out: to learn the details of something, or discover how it works.
Example: I figured out how to fix the television.
6. Make do with: accept something less satisfactory because there’s no
alternative
Example:
Examiner: Can you tell me something memorable about one of your recent
outings?
Candidate: Sure! My friends and I went to a friend’s house last week.
Things were great, except that there was no coffee, so we had to make do
with tea.
7. Goof off: to waste time or avoid work
Example: I used to spend most of the school days goofing off with her
friends.
8. Make of: understand or have an opinion
Example: I’m not sure what to make of this question. Could you rephrase it
for me?
9. Worn out: exhaust/ tire
Example: I’m usually worn out by the end of the week because I’m studying
for IELTS and working as well.
10. Clam up: say nothing usually because you are embarrassed or nervous
Example: I clammed up when she asked me to answer the question.
11. Work out: calculate
Example: I need to work out whether I can afford to study abroad.
12. Catch up: to try to reach the same standard, stage, or level as others
after you have fallen behind them (like you’re chasing someone, or with
your studies)
Example: I fell behind after 1 week off from school and had to catch up.
13. Carry on: continue
Example: I’m going to carry on studying IELTS till I get the score I need –
I’m not giving up!
14. Come across: To meet or find (something or someone) by chance.
Example: On the halfway back home, I came across Tom, what a
coincidence!
15. Read up on: to study or learn by reading
Example: Before setting out to travel around the world, I read up on all the
places I planned to visit.
16. Sort out: to find a solution to (a problem, etc), esp to make clear or tidy.
Example: It took a long time to sort out the mess.
17. Zone out: fall asleep or lose concentration or consciousness.
Example: I just zoned out for a moment after such a long drive.
18. Put up with: endure
Example: After graduating, I had to put up with many months of unpaid
work before finally being given a permanent contract.
19. Come up with: to think of, develop, or find something
Example: They’ve tried their best to come up with a feasible solution to air
pollution.
20. Look back on: Think about something that happened in the past
Example: When I look back on my childhood, I’m amazed by the crazy
things we used to do
21. Call off: to stop or cancel
Example: They called off the football match because of the weather
forecast.