Idioms: when they help and when they hurt

"It was raining cats and dogs, so I was over the moon to stay home, because studying is a piece of cake for me." Three idioms in one sentence. Many students think this is how you get band 7 or 8. It isn't. To the examiner, this often sounds forced and memorised. But used well, idiomatic language really can help your score.

Why this matters

The band 7 description for Lexical Resource mentions using "some less common and idiomatic vocabulary". Band 8 says using idiomatic items "skilfully". The key word is skill. Idioms must fit the situation naturally. Forced idioms can do more harm than good.

What "idiomatic" really means

Idiomatic language isn't just famous old sayings. It's the natural way native speakers put words together. This includes:

Phrasal verbs: grow up, come across, put off, catch up with, end up
Natural expressions: "it's not really my thing", "to be fair", "a bit of a"
Common idioms: "the best of both worlds", "in the long run", "make ends meet"

Most of the time, phrasal verbs and natural expressions help you more than dramatic idioms.

Idioms to avoid (or use very carefully)

These are so common in IELTS books that examiners hear them all day. They often sound memorised.

"raining cats and dogs"
"a piece of cake"
"over the moon"
"once in a blue moon" (in every answer)
"every cloud has a silver lining"

They're not wrong. They're just overused and often used in the wrong context.

Natural expressions that work well

Expression	Meaning	Example
not really my thing	I don't enjoy it much	"Cricket isn't really my thing, to be honest."
the best of both worlds	the benefits of two things	"Living near Dhaka gives me the best of both worlds."
in the long run	over a long time	"It's expensive now, but it saves money in the long run."
make ends meet	have just enough money	"Many families struggle to make ends meet."
a steep learning curve	difficult to learn at first	"My first job was a steep learning curve."
keep an eye on	watch carefully	"I have to keep an eye on my little brother."
at the end of the day	in the end, what matters is	"At the end of the day, it's your choice."

Useful phrasal verbs for Speaking

grow up: "I grew up in Khulna."
come across: "I came across this book by accident."
put off: "I keep putting off my driving lessons."
end up: "I planned to study medicine, but I ended up doing engineering."
look up to: "I really look up to my older sister."
catch up with: "I catch up with my school friends during Eid."

Three rules for idioms

Only use it if you'd say it in real life. If it feels strange to say, it'll sound strange.
Use the exact form. "It's a piece of cakes" or "over the moons" shows you don't really know it.
Match the situation. "Over the moon" is for real happiness, not for "I was over the moon that the bus came."

Try it yourself

Choose the best expression for each sentence.

"I didn't plan to become a teacher. I just ______ doing it." (ended up / looked up to)
"Studying abroad is expensive, but it's worth it ______." (in the long run / once in a blue moon)
"Dancing isn't ______. I'm too shy." (really my thing / a piece of cake)

Show the answers

1. ended up 2. in the long run 3. really my thing

Honest note

You can get a strong score without a single "famous" idiom. Two or three natural expressions and phrasal verbs, used correctly, are enough to show the examiner you know how English really works.

Your task today

Choose five phrasal verbs from this lesson. Write one true sentence about your life with each one. Say them out loud.