How to use idioms in IELTS

Most students love learning idioms. Idioms are fun, and the more idioms we use, the more natural we sound, right? 

Well, yes and no. Using idioms to increase your IELTS score can often have the opposite effect. I learnt this lesson the hard way when I was doing my French degree and living in France. 

I had picked up the word ‘patates’ (the equivalent of ‘spuds’ in English), after hearing my flatmates use it,  and I thought it was very cool. 

“Don’t say that Fiona. It sounds weird when you say it” they said. 

And they were right. 

Idioms can be a real minefield (= a situation presenting unseen dangers); even ‘native speakers’ get them wrong.

Should I use idioms in IELTS?

An idiom is a phrase or expression where the real meaning is not guessable/predictable from the usual meaning and to use an idiom correctly there are so many factors that you have to take into account, for example

• who uses this idiom (age, gender, profession, location)?
• when do they use this idiom? (context)
• why do they choose to use this idiom (humour, anger, sarcasm, style)?
• how often do people use this idiom (once in a blue moon?)

I’ve noticed that UK soap operas often give the ‘non-native speaker’ characters idioms that make them stand out as foreigners.

The other day, Alina, a female 20-something Romanian beautician in with excellent English skills was given the line ‘Sling your hook’.

Although she said it perfectly accurately, it sounded wrong. Why? Probably because it was used by the wrong person in the wrong context at the wrong time for the wrong reason.

This is the problem with idioms. Even when they are 100% correct, they can sound out of place or unnatural if you’re not careful.

Before you decide to use idioms in your Speaking or Writing (General Training Task 1) test, it is important that you are aware of the dangers.

3 things you need to get right when using idioms

Let’s look at the “Sling your hook” idiom. Who would naturally say this? 

It used to be associated with male London dockers in the 1930s and it is usually said in a certain way (aggressively): “Sling yer ‘ook”.

So this idiom belongs to a certain gender, age, class, location, date and possibly profession. 

If you’re not the ‘type’ of person who would use that idiom, or if you’re not using it in the right context, it can sound completely wrong.

So here are the 3 main things you need to consider when using idioms:

1. Accuracy 
2. Appropriacy of context and register
3. Pronunciation 

Let’s look at each of these in more detail.