Idioms
Idioms can help your lexical resource score when they are natural and relevant. Do not force too many idioms into one answer. Practise choosing one idiom that fits the topic.
Over the moon
To be extremely pleased or happy.
I was over the moon when I passed my speaking test.
Once in a blue moon
Happens very rarely.
A student will get a 9 in the IELTS writing test once in a blue moon.
A piece of cake
Very easy.
Getting a band 6 in the speaking test will be a piece of cake.
A drop in the ocean
A very small part of something much bigger.
Just learning idioms is a drop in the ocean when it comes to preparing for the speaking test.
Actions speak louder than words
It is better to actually do something than just talk about it.
Lots of people have great business ideas but do nothing about them.
Back to the drawing board
When you attempt to do something but fail and have to try again.
I got 4.5 in reading! Oh well, back to the drawing board.
Put all your eggs in one basket
Put all your money or effort into one thing.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. You should apply to lots of different universities.
The in thing
Something fashionable.
The new phone is really the in thing at the moment.
The real McCoy
Genuine or not fake.
I do not think her new handbag is the real McCoy.
Off the top of my head
Saying something without thinking first.
Off the top of my head, I'd say about 2 or 3.
Run of the mill
Average or ordinary.
Apple phones are very run of the mill these days.
Soulmate
Someone you trust very deeply.
My husband is not just my lover, he is my soulmate.
Down in the dumps
Sad.
I was really down in the dumps after my dog died.
Found my feet
Became comfortable doing something.
Moving to a new city was difficult, but I soon found my feet.
Set in their ways
Not wanting to change.
My parents are quite traditional and set in their ways.
Go the extra mile
Do much more than required.
I decided to go the extra mile and move to England to perfect my English.
A hot potato
A controversial topic.
Immigration policy is always a hot potato during election season.
Miss the boat
Miss an opportunity.
I sent my application late and I think I missed the boat.
Costs an arm and a leg
Really expensive.
Those shoes must have cost an arm and a leg.
Sit on the fence
To be undecided.
I have not made up my mind, so I will sit on the fence.
Break a leg
A way to wish someone good luck.
Break a leg in your speaking test.
Under the weather
Feeling slightly ill.
I was under the weather, so I could not attend class.
Make a living
Earn money to support oneself.
Being a teacher is how she makes a living.
Make ends meet
Earn enough money to live on.
I got my first job to help my family make ends meet.
Call it a day/call it a night
To stop working.
We had been studying for six hours straight, so we decided to call it a day.
Be cut out (for/to be)
To have the skills or ability.
She loves children, so I think she's really cut out to be a teacher.
Wet behind the ears
Inexperienced or naive.
Do not give him such a complex project; he is still wet behind the ears.
Put all one's eggs in one basket
To risk everything on a single venture.
She applied to ten universities because she didn't want to put all her eggs in one basket.
Beat the clock
Complete something before a deadline.
The team beat the clock and submitted the report before midnight.
Burn the candle at both ends
Work extremely hard while sleeping little.
He has been burning the candle at both ends for his exams.
Back to the drawing board
To start over because something did not work as planned.
The proposal was rejected by the client, so it was back to the drawing board.
Learn the ropes
To learn the basics of a job.
It took her about a month to learn the ropes at her new company.
Keep your nose to the grindstone
Work hard for a long period.
If you keep your nose to the grindstone, the results will show.
Hunt for bargains
Look for good deals.
She spent the afternoon hunting for bargains at the market.
Go window-shopping
Look at shop displays without buying.
We had no money, so we just went window-shopping.
Cost an arm and a leg
Very expensive.
That new laptop costs an arm and a leg, so I will wait for a sale.
Take back
To return an item.
The shoes didn't fit properly, so she took them back to the store.
Pour money down the drain
To waste money.
Buying a car you never use is just pouring money down the drain.
Fit like a glove
Fit perfectly.
He tried on the suit and it fit like a glove.
Let one's hair down
Relax and enjoy oneself.
After weeks of hard work, she finally let her hair down.
Give someone a lift
Offer someone a ride.
It was raining, so my colleague gave me a lift home.
Hit the road
Start a journey.
We need to hit the road by six.
At the crack of dawn
Very early in the morning.
The farmers were in the fields at the crack of dawn.
Off the beaten track
Remote or isolated.
They chose a village off the beaten track for their holiday.
Live out of a suitcase
Travel frequently.
As a flight attendant, she has been living out of a suitcase.
Have itchy feet
Want to travel.
After two years in the same city, he started getting itchy feet.
Down in the dumps
Sad or depressed.
She has been down in the dumps since she failed her driving test.
Sit on the fence
To be indecisive.
You can't sit on the fence forever, you need to make a decision.
Feel like two cents
To feel embarrassed.
I felt like two cents when I forgot my boss's name during the meeting.
Be the apple of one's eye
To be someone's favourite.
Their youngest daughter is the apple of their eye.
Pass with flying colours
Succeed exceptionally well.
She studied hard and passed her IELTS exam with flying colours.
Learn by heart
Memorise completely.
He learned the vocabulary list by heart before the test.
Rack one's brain
Think very hard.
I racked my brain trying to remember where my passport was.
No pain, no gain
Nothing is achieved easily.
Training twice a day is exhausting, but no pain, no gain.
Not do things by halves
To do something thoroughly.
When she planned the farewell party, she certainly didn't do things by halves.
Think outside the box
Think creatively.
The team was asked to think outside the box.
Brush up on
Review or practise.
Before the interview, she brushed up on company details.
Teacher's pet
Teacher's favourite student.
Everyone knew he was the teacher's pet because he always got extra praise.
Hit the books
Study hard.
Exams are next week, so it is time to hit the books.
Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth
Born into a wealthy family.
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has never had to worry about money.
Flesh and blood
Family relations.
No matter what he's done, he's still your flesh and blood.
Run in the family
Be a common family trait.
A talent for music seems to run in their family.
Black sheep
Family outcast.
Her brother is the black sheep of the family - he never keeps in touch.
Men make houses, women make homes
Traditional roles in a family.
My grandfather always believed that men make houses, women make homes.
Eat like a horse
To eat a lot.
My little brother eats like a horse but never puts on any weight.
Make one's mouth water
Look or smell delicious.
The smell of fresh bread made my mouth water.
Spoil one's appetite
To lose desire to eat.
Don't snack before dinner, you'll spoil your appetite.
Have one's cake and eat it too
To want two incompatible things.
He wants a high salary but refuses to work overtime, he can't have his cake and eat it too.
Take a rain check on something
To decline an invitation but suggest a later time.
I can't make it to dinner tonight, but can I take a rain check?
Ill at ease
Uncomfortable or anxious.
She felt ill at ease speaking in front of such a large audience.
Pull your socks up
To improve performance.
If he doesn't pull his socks up, he's going to fail the semester.
At death's door
Very ill, near death.
The patient was at death's door when he was finally brought to hospital.
Safe and sound
Unharmed.
After hours of worry, the children arrived home safe and sound.
Kick the bucket
To die.
He always joked that he wanted to travel the world before he kicked the bucket.
Fight for one's life
To struggle to survive.
The injured climber was flown to hospital, where he fought for his life.
Set alarm bells ringing
To cause concern.
The sudden drop in sales set alarm bells ringing for the management team.
Do wonders for something/somebody
To have a very good effect.
A short holiday can do wonders for your mental health.
Get back to nature
To reconnect with nature.
They went camping in the mountains to get back to nature.
A drop in the ocean
A very small amount.
The donation was generous, but it was just a drop in the ocean compared to what was needed.
A hot potato
A controversial issue.
Immigration policy is always a hot potato during election season.
None of one's business
Not someone's concern.
How much I earn is none of your business.
Plain sailing
Easy progress.
Once we fixed the issue, the rest was plain sailing.
Pressed for time
Short on time.
I cannot chat because I am pressed for time.
Better late than never
Better to do something late than not at all.
He forgot their anniversary but still bought flowers the next day - better late than never.
Tighten one's belt
To reduce spending.
With rising costs, many families have had to tighten their belts this year.
Save money for a rainy day
To save for future needs.
Instead of spending your bonus all at once, put some aside for a rainy day.
Dog-eat-dog world
A highly competitive environment.
Starting a small business is tough - it's a dog-eat-dog world out there.
An even playing field
Fair conditions for everyone.
Good education should give every child an even playing field in life.
It never rains but it pours
Problems tend to come all at once.
First my car broke down, then I lost my phone. It never rains but it pours.
A blessing in disguise
Something bad that turns out good.
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise.
Have a whale of a time
Enjoy oneself very much.
The children had a whale of a time at the park.
Fight like cat and dog
To argue constantly.
Those two fight like cat and dog, but they're actually very close friends.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
True friends help in difficult times.
He drove two hours to help me when my car broke down - a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Get on like a house on fire
Get along very well.
My new flatmates and I get on like a house on fire.
Birds of a feather flock together
Similar people tend to stick together.
All his friends share the same hobbies - birds of a feather flock together.
Know someone inside out
Know someone very well.
They have been friends for years, so she knows him inside out.
Go back a long way
Have known each other for a long time.
Those two go back a long way.
Talk man to man / Have a man-to-man chat
To have a serious, direct conversation.
His father sat him down for a man-to-man chat about responsibility.
GenZ's slangs you might see in internet, or in text exchanges
Reference link.
https://www.kittl.com/blogs/popular-gen-z-slang-words/