Every language has its own unique way of describing things, ideas, or feelings. When we use words in combination, their meanings may not be clear to someone who is learning that language. Different cultures have special phrases with specific meanings in their own country. In English, we often use idioms and phrasal verbs to express ourselves. These expressions are commonly used in our everyday communication. So, it's important to understand what idioms are and how to use them. In the IELTS Speaking test, examiners pay attention to how well you can use idiomatic language, especially from band 7 and above.
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a special way of saying something that doesn't mean exactly what the words suggest. For example, when someone says, "I was over the moon when I saw my results," they don't mean they were literally above the moon. It actually means they were very happy about their results.We use idioms a lot in everyday conversations without even realising them because we grew up hearing them. But as a language learner, you need to learn how to use them correctly, so you don't sound strange. Another important thing to know is collocation, which means using words that naturally go together in a specific order when speaking. For instance, we say "fast food" instead of "fast food". When using idioms, choosing the right words and their order is essential. This is something examiners check in the IELTS Speaking test.
What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a special kind of verb that comes from combining a verb with an adverb or a preposition. When we create these phrasal verbs, they often have a meaning that you can't guess just by knowing the meanings of each word.For example, let's look at "pick up". When we put "pick" together with "up," it means "lift". We use this phrasal verb to ask someone to lift something we dropped on the ground. We can also use it to ask for a ride in a car, like saying, "Can you please pick me up on the way to school?"So, phrasal verbs are a way we add more colour to our language by using combinations of words with special meanings.
Commonly used idioms in our daily routine
Every day, we use thousands of idioms and phrasal verbs to express ourselves. Here are a few that are commonly used in our daily conversations.
IELTS idioms
IELTS Idioms | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Practice makes perfect | To continuously improve by practising | My teacher said that practice makes perfect, so I need to practise more. |
Break a leg | To wish someone good luck | I hope you do really well, break a leg! |
Driving me up the wall | Something that annoys you | Waiting for my results is really driving me up the wall. |
Better late than never | It's better to do something late than not to try it | I didn't know how to drive till I was 30, but better late than never. |
Blind as a bat | Can't see, bad eyesight | I'm as blind as a bat, I really need my reading glasses. |
Colourful idioms
Colourful Idioms | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Out of the blue | Something that happened unexpectedly | Yesterday, out of the blue, he asked me to marry him! |
In the red | To owe money, to not have money | Sorry, I can't afford it, I'm in the red. |
Give someone the green light | To give permission | I was given the green light to start this new project. |
A white lie | To tell a lie that is not very serious | I don't think you should get in trouble for telling a white lie. |
Green with envy | To be jealous/envious | She was green with envy when she saw my diamond ring. |
Student idioms
Student Idioms | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Day and night | Continually working without stopping | I was studying day and night for my IELTS test. |
Drop out | To leave without finishing | She dropped out of the course because it was too hard. |
Learn by heart | To memorise | I learned all my idioms by heart. |
Pass with flying colours | To pass a test with a high grade | I really hope I pass with flying colours. |
Bookworm | Someone who reads a lot | When I was younger, I was a bookworm, I just loved reading. |
Practice makes perfect
There are many idioms related to daily life that we have only just started to explore. Listen to how native speakers talk and pay attention to the idioms they use. Sometimes, you might not understand exactly what they mean but search for the correct meaning. That's the best way to learn about language.
Native speakers use idioms naturally, so you need to be careful not to use them too much. Make sure the idiom fits the topic you're talking about. Also, avoid using ones that are used too often and sound unnatural. You can find many idioms with a quick internet search. The best way to learn is by chatting with your friends and family or watching English movies and copying phrases that you hear. Also, learn phrasal verbs and which prepositions go with certain verbs.
Idioms make our conversations more interesting and help us understand hidden meanings. By learning more idioms and phrasal verbs, your vocabulary will grow, and it will improve your language skills. This will lead to a higher score on your IELTS Speaking test, so do your best! Good luck! Additionally, if you want to more about the IELTS test, you can visit your nearest IDP IELTS test centres.