SET 1

№ Common Idioms Definitions

1 It cost me an arm and a leg to take my trip to Australia. Very expensive

2 I was over the moon when he asked me to marry him. Extremely pleased or

happy

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

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

moon.

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

a grievance about
something

6 I reckon getting a band 7 in IELTS will be a piece of Very easy

cake! I’m very good at English.

7 The money sent by comic relief to help poverty in Africa A very small part of
is just a drop in the ocean. They need far more than something much bigger
this.

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

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

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

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

Idioms Practice - Test yourself on these first 10 phrases

N Common Idioms Definitions
1 Oh well, I got 5.5 in IELTS again. Back to the drawing When an attempt to do
board! something fails and it's
time to start all over again
using different methods

2 I hate my job so much I can’t bare going to work, but if I Having two very bad
quit I don’t think I can get another choices.

job. I’m really stuck / caught between a rock and a (note: stuck/caught can be
hard place. omitted)

3 I have to bite my tongue so I don’t say what I really think Wanting to say something
of him! but stopping yourself.

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

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

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

7 It was difficult when I moved to another country but I To become comfortable in

eventually found my feet. what you are doing

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

9 I think he got up on the wrong side of the bed this To refer to someone who
morning. He is in a terrible mood. is having a bad day

1 My mother will always go the extra mile to help people. Doing much more than is
0 required when doing
 something

Go to the Idiom practice exercise for these 10 words

Set 3
Common Idioms Definitions

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

Today’s going so badly. If it’s not one thing, When everything seems to be going
it’s the other. wrong

I just said it in the heat of the moment. I was Saying or doing something suddenly
angry. I know I shouldn’t have. without thinking about it

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

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 better Avoid a conflict
to let sleeping dogs lie.

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

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

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

Everything she does is very over the top. She Excessive

can’t just have a few drinks – she has to get

really drunk.

View these 10 idioms in use and practice them

 Set 4
Common Idioms Definitions

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

perfect. improve

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

just pulling your leg.

Sorry but I think I’ll take a rain check on that. To decline an offer that you will take up
later

As a rule of thumb, I don’t study at weekends. I Principal that is strictly adhered / kept
spend the time with my family. to

I can smell a rat. He said he has a PhD but he To sense that something is not right
can’t even remember which 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 you going Telling someone it's now their turn to
to do? 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 really mean Something said in humor rather than
what he said. seriously

She’s feeling under the weather today so she Unwell

won’t be going to work.

Go to idioms exercises for Set 4 words

 Set 5
Common Idioms Definitions

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

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

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

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

must hurry. something

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

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

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

So you have the IELTS test today?? Break a leg. Good luck

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

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

Hold your horses! We haven't won anything yet. Telling someone who is getting
ahead of themselves to wait / be
patient

Annoying or irritating somebody

She is driving me up the wall. She won't stop
talking.