IELTS Advice: what is an idiom?

Many students ask me about idioms: What are they? Should you use them? Do they help your score?

Meaning
My dictionary defines an idiom as "a group of words whose meaning is not deducible from the meaning of each individual word". This means that you cannot understand an idiom by analysing it word for word. For example, "it's a piece of cake" means "it's easy". Phrasal verbs are also idiomatic expressions (e.g. 'look up' can mean 'search in a dictionary').

Using idioms
English speakers use idioms all the time in conversation, but less so in formal/academic speaking and writing contexts. However, we often write things like "focus on an issue" or "the key to solving a problem" and here we are using 'focus' and 'key' in a figurative or idiomatic way.

Idioms in IELTS
You need to be really careful when using idioms in your IELTS test. Please don't learn lists of idioms; if you use them in the wrong way, your speech/writing will seem forced and unnatural. Also, remember that many idioms are informal or clichéd. So, what should you do? Read my top tip below.

My top tip
You can only be sure that you are using an idiom correctly if you have seen or heard it used in context. For example, if you've read about a musician who "built a following" or someone who "set up a business", you can use those phrases with confidence (and they might help your score!). If you've only seen the idiom on a list, don't use it!

Comments

[naheed]

Hi Simon,
always nice to see helpful tips on your blog.I have my test on 18th FEB,I need any useful tips for listenning test to get 7+ band .
THANKS

[Maya]

It is not necessary to travel to other places to learn other people's culture.We can learn from books,films and internet.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is true that one can learn a lot about other's culture through books,films and internet.However, I also believe that to explore and experience the culture in depth as native people do, we have to visit their place.

Hi Simon,

1. Does my introduction sounds appropriate?

2. Can we agree both ways...one para for supporting books,films and internet, another for supporting travel: going out there and living among locals and experiencing it in flesh gives us the better idea of culture.

3.Can you please mention main points for both paras or you could post your version of essay which would be helpful.Thanks!

[Anuar]

Hi, Simon!
I wanted to show that Turkey is on the second place in a category. Can I say something like "Turkey was on the second place in buying smth lagging behind/losing only US". I had no other ideas, but this one doesn't sound very well. Sorry for off-topic question.

[Simon]

Hi Naheed,

I suppose the main tip for listening is to be ready before the recording starts. Being ready means that you use the breaks to read and understand the questions before you hear the speakers. Try to underline some key words in the questions, and even try to predict what kind of answer to expect. Good luck!

...

Hi Maya,

Your introduction looks fine, and it does allow you to write a paragraph for each side.

I'll try to do a lesson about that question at some point, but maybe you could plan some ideas of your own. Try thinking in your own language - this helps you to focus on ideas rather than vocabulary and grammar.

...

Hi Anuar,

No, I never use things like 'second place, winning, losing, or behind' because it makes it seem like a competition between countries. Use things like 'the highest number of, the second largest proportion' etc. Look through my task 1 lessons and analyse how I do it.

[naheed]

Thanks Simon,
I'll try to do my best.

[Sakthi Ganesh]

Simon, Can I use idioms like "pain in the neck", "it was raining cats and dogs" in Academic speaking for part 2 and 3?

[Sana]

Hi Simon.

Can I use the idiom (to bring the curtain down) ? I use that a lot when I generally speak.
I mean as in my conclusion paragraph could I say the following ?

All in all, to conclude and bring the curtain down, taking exams to check a student's academic skills and knowledge has its own cons and pros. However, I strongly believe exams should be made less stressful and colleges and universites should adopt to other methods to test academic performance.

Is my conclusion paragraph correct ?

[Simon]

Hi Sana,

Don't use phrases like "bring the curtain down" - this is not an appropriate phrase for an academic essay. It's too cliched. See the lesson below for more explanation:

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2011/11/ielts-advice-avoid-proverbs-and-clichés.html