IELTS Idioms Master Plan: Part 2 (The Final 45 for Band 8+)
Welcome back, dedicated language learner! You’ve mastered the first 55 idioms from our Part 1 Guide, and now you’re ready to complete your toolkit. This second part is designed to give you that extra edge, focusing on idioms for more complex, abstract, and globally-relevant IELTS topics like the environment, technology, and health.
Remember the golden rule: natural and appropriate use is everything. These 45 idioms will help you sound more sophisticated and articulate when discussing a wider range of subjects.
Let’s dive into the final set!
Part 1: The Advanced IELTS Idiom List (56-100)
Topic: Environment & Nature
- On its last legs: Near the end of its life or usefulness.
- Sentence: “Many species are on their last legs due to habitat destruction and climate change.”
- A drop in the ocean (Also in Part 1, but vital for this topic): A very small part of something much bigger.
- Sentence: “While recycling is good, individual efforts are just a drop in the ocean compared to the systemic changes needed from corporations.”
- Go with the flow: To be relaxed and accept a situation without trying to change it.
- Sentence: “When it comes to natural weather patterns, we have to learn to go with the flow rather than constantly fighting against it.”
- Walk on air: To feel extremely happy.
- Sentence: “After the city announced the new park, the local residents were walking on air.”
- The tip of the iceberg: A small, visible part of a much larger, hidden problem.
- Sentence: “The plastic bottles we collect from the beach are just the tip of the iceberg; the problem of microplastics is far greater.”
- A breath of fresh air: Something new and refreshing.
- Sentence: “The new government’s commitment to renewable energy was a breath of fresh air for environmental activists.”
Topic: Technology & Progress
- A game-changer: An idea or event that completely changes the situation.
- Sentence: “The invention of the internet was a total game-changer for global communication.”
- At the touch of a button: Very easily and quickly.
- Sentence: “In the digital age, we can access vast amounts of information at the touch of a button.”
- Cutting-edge: The most advanced and recent.
- Sentence: “The company invests heavily in cutting-edge AI research.”
- Behind the times: Old-fashioned; not using the latest ideas or technology.
- Sentence: “Some traditional industries are behind the times and struggle to adapt to new digital tools.”
- Glued to the screen: To be so interested in something on a screen that you don’t want to stop watching or using it.
- Sentence: “A significant problem among young people is that they are often glued to their screens, which can affect their social skills.”
- Vanish into thin air: To disappear completely.
- Sentence: “With cloud storage, the fear of your important documents vanishing into thin air due to a hardware failure is greatly reduced.”
Topic: Health & Lifestyle
- Fit as a fiddle: To be in excellent health.
- Sentence: “My grandfather is 90 years old and still as fit as a fiddle; he walks five miles every day.”
- A clean bill of health: A report or confirmation that someone is healthy.
- Sentence: “After a thorough medical check-up, the doctor gave me a clean bill of health.”
- On the mend: Recovering from an illness or injury.
- Sentence: “I was off work with the flu last week, but I’m on the mend now.”
- Run-of-the-mill: Ordinary and not special.
- Sentence: “You don’t need a special diet; just avoid processed foods and stick to run-of-the-mill home-cooked meals.”
- Under the weather: Feeling slightly ill.
- Sentence: “I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I think I’ll stay home and rest.”
- Burn out: To become exhausted from overwork or stress.
- Sentence: “Many high-powered executives experience burnout and need to take extended breaks.”
Topic: Economics & Global Issues
- Tighten your belt: To spend less money because there is less available.
- Sentence: “During the economic recession, many families had to tighten their belts and cut down on non-essential expenses.”
- In the red: Losing money or in debt.
- Sentence: “The company has been in the red for the last three quarters and may have to declare bankruptcy.”
- A vicious circle: A situation in which one problem causes another, which then makes the first problem worse.
- Sentence: “Poverty and lack of education often form a vicious circle that is difficult to break.”
- Pay the price: To suffer the consequences of something.
- Sentence: “Future generations will pay the price if we don’t address climate change today.”
- The sky’s the limit: There is no upper limit or restriction.
- Sentence: “With your talent and determination, the sky’s the limit for your career.”
Topic: Abstract Concepts & Intensity
- Food for thought: Something that makes you think carefully.
- Sentence: “The documentary about the future of food provided a lot of food for thought.”
- Over the moon: To be extremely pleased or happy.
- Sentence: “She was over the moon when she received her IELTS results.”
- In a heartbeat: Without any hesitation; immediately.
- Sentence: “If I were offered my dream job abroad, I’d accept it in a heartbeat.”
- Out of the blue: Unexpectedly.
- Sentence: “I hadn’t heard from her in years, so her email came completely out of the blue.”
- Sit on the fence: To avoid making a decision or choice.
- Sentence: “You can’t sit on the fence on this issue; do you support the new policy or not?”
- A means to an end: Something you do to achieve a goal, not because you want to do it.
- Sentence: “For many, a university degree is just a means to an end—a way to get a better job.”
- The ins and outs: The detailed facts and specifics.
- Sentence: “I understand the proposal in general, but I need to know the ins and outs before I can agree.”
- A long shot: Something that has a very low probability of success.
- Sentence: “Getting into that top university is a long shot, but it’s still worth applying.”
- A turning point: A time when an important change happens.
- Sentence: “The invention of the smartphone was a turning point in modern society.”
- State-of-the-art: The most modern and advanced.
- Sentence: “The new science facility is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories.”
- Up in the air: Uncertain or undecided.
- Sentence: “Our travel plans are still up in the air because we haven’t received our visas yet.”
- When pigs fly: Something that will never happen.
- Sentence: “He says he’ll clean his room without being asked? Yeah, when pigs fly!”
- A worst-case scenario: The worst possible thing that could happen.
- Sentence: “We should have a backup plan in case of a worst-case scenario.”
- Ahead of the curve: More advanced than competitors.
- Sentence: “Their research into sustainable packaging has put them ahead of the curve.”
- Go back to the drawing board: To start planning something again because the first plan failed.
- Sentence: “The initial design was rejected, so we had to go back to the drawing board.”
- In the long run: At some time in the future; eventually.
- Sentence: “Studying might be difficult now, but it will benefit you in the long run.”
- A snowball effect: A situation where something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate.
- Sentence: “The small protest had a snowball effect, leading to a nationwide movement.”
- Pave the way for: To make it easier for something to happen.
- Sentence: “This new trade agreement will pave the way for greater economic cooperation.”
- A ripple effect: When an effect spreads and affects other people or things.
- Sentence: “The closure of the major factory had a ripple effect on all the small businesses in the town.”
- A different ball game: A situation that is completely different from the one you are used to.
- Sentence: “School English was one thing, but living in an English-speaking country is a different ball game altogether.”
- The elephant in the room: An obvious problem or difficult situation that people avoid talking about.
- Sentence: “The country’s massive national debt is the elephant in the room during every election debate.”
- Read between the lines: To understand a hidden meaning.
* Sentence: “His email was polite, but if you read between the lines, you could tell he was very disappointed.”
Part 2: Your Advanced Practice Workshop
These activities are designed to be more challenging, pushing you to use these idioms in complex, topic-specific contexts.
Activity 1: The Topic-Based Matching Game
Instructions: Match the idiom on the left with the most logical IELTS topic on the right.
| Idiom | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1. On its last legs | A. Technology |
| 2. A game-changer | B. Environment |
| 3. Tighten your belt | C. Health |
| 4. Fit as a fiddle | D. Global Issues |
| 5. The tip of the iceberg | E. Economics |
| 6. A vicious circle | F. Abstract Concepts |
| 7. Food for thought |
Answer Key: 1-B, 2-A, 3-E, 4-C, 5-B, 6-D, 7-F
Activity 2: Fill-in-the-Blanks (Advanced Context)
Instructions: Complete the paragraph with the correct idioms from the box.
(Idiom Box: the tip of the iceberg, a game-changer, paved the way for, a vicious circle, in the long run)
“The development of renewable energy technology has been a true (1) _______________ for the fight against climate change. However, the visible pollution we see is just (2) _______________. A more profound issue is the (3) _______________ of poverty and environmental degradation, where one exacerbates the other. Government subsidies for green energy have (4) _______________ widespread adoption, which, (5) _______________, will lead to a more sustainable planet.”
Answer Key:
- game-changer, 2. the tip of the iceberg, 3. vicious circle, 4. paved the way for, 5. in the long run
Activity 3: The Expert Paraphrasing Challenge
Instructions: Rewrite the following sentences, replacing the underlined phrase with a more sophisticated idiom from the list.
- The company’s new battery technology is the most advanced available.
- Paraphrase: The company’s new battery technology is state-of-the-art.
- His promotion was completely unexpected.
- Paraphrase: His promotion came out of the blue.
- We need to consider the worst possible outcome.
- Paraphrase: We need to plan for the worst-case scenario.
- Learning the basic grammar is just the first step; communicating naturally is completely different.
- Paraphrase: Learning basic grammar is one thing, but communicating naturally is a different ball game.
Activity 4: The 2-Minute Speech Generator (Advanced Topics)
This is where you truly become a Band 8+ speaker. Challenge yourself to use 3-4 of the new idioms in your response.
Sample Cue Card:
Describe an environmental problem in your country.
You should say:
- what the problem is
- what causes it
- what effects it has
and explain what you think should be done to solve it.
Sample Response (Idioms in bold):
“One pressing environmental issue in my country is air pollution, particularly in the capital. The smog we see is just the tip of the iceberg; the invisible particulate matter is even more dangerous. It’s a vicious circle—more cars lead to more pollution, which leads to health problems, which puts a strain on the economy. The government’s current efforts feel like a drop in the ocean. A real game-changer would be massive investment in public transport and renewable energy, even if it means people have to tighten their belts to fund it initially. In the long run, it’s the only sustainable solution.”
Your Turn! Try it with these advanced topics:
- Describe a major technological change in your life. (Possible idioms: a game-changer, at the touch of a button, a different ball game)
- Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision. (Possible idioms: a worst-case scenario, in a heartbeat, out of the blue)
- Talk about a global issue you are concerned about. (Possible idioms: pay the price, a vicious circle, pave the way for)
Your Final Mission: Become an Idiom Master
You now have a complete arsenal of 100 powerful idioms. Your final task is to make them your own.
Choose ONE of these challenges to prove it:
- The Synthesis Challenge: In the comments, write a short paragraph that uses ONE idiom from Part 1 and ONE idiom from Part 2. For example: “Preparing for IELTS was a steep learning curve (Part 1), but finding this blog was a game-changer (Part 2) for my speaking skills.”
- The Personalisation Sprint: Grab a timer. Set it for 5 minutes. Look through the combined list of 100 idioms. Write down as many as you can that are personally relevant to your life, your opinions, or your experiences. This is the fastest way to move them into your active vocabulary.
- The Self-Recording Challenge: Pick an IELTS Speaking Part 3 question like “What are the long-term effects of climate change?” Record yourself answering it for 60 seconds, aiming to use at least two of the new idioms from the Environment or Global Issues sections.
You’ve done the hard work. You have the tools. Now, go out and use them with confidence!
Did you find Part 2 helpful? Bookmark this page and share it with a fellow test-taker. If you missed the beginning of the journey, make sure to start with IELTS Idioms Master Plan: Part 1.