If you’ve ever asked yourself “Do I really need to use idioms in IELTS Speaking?”, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions I get from my clients and followers on social media.
So today, I’m here to set the record straight. ✅
🧀 Idioms Are Like Extra Cheese on Your Pasta…
Yep, you read that right. Idioms are not a magic ingredient that will instantly boost your IELTS Speaking band score. You can use them if you want to, but they’re not the only thing required to get a high score.
Think of idioms as that extra cheese on your pasta. 🧀 It might make it taste better, but let’s be real! Your pasta is still delicious without it!
Idioms are part of ‘Idiomatic Language’ which includes idioms, phrasal verbs, slang, and colloquialisms (informal ways of speaking by people in certain regions).
According to IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors, to get 9.0, you need to have accurate use of ‘idiomatic language’. That means the accurate use of phrasal verbs is also marking of idiomatic language
😬 The Mistake I Made (and You Might Be Making, Too)
Let me tell you a quick story.
The first time I took the IELTS exam, I didn’t prepare at all. 🙈 (Let’s not talk about that! It’s a little too painful.) But when I started officially preparing, I was told I had to use idioms in every answer.
So guess what I did?
I tried to force 1–2 idioms into every single Speaking response. Sure, I understood the idioms, but they didn’t sound natural. My answers felt robotic and memorized.
And guess what? The examiner can tell.
✅ Use Idioms Naturally or Don’t Use Them at All
Here’s the real deal: Idioms can help boost your lexical resource score, but only if you use them correctly and naturally. If they feel forced, they can actually hurt your fluency.
Also—not all idioms are created equal. Some, like “raining cats and dogs”, are outdated and don’t sound natural in modern conversation.
✍️ Quick Challenge For You!
I’m giving you three idioms, and I want you to pick one and use it in a sentence. Drop your sentence in the comments below! 💬
Hit the nail on the head
In hot water
A blessing in disguise
Let’s see how you use them naturally!
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