IELTS Commentry: 10 expressions to help you get Band 7+ in IELTS (Lesson 4)

You may have already learnt the idioms from Lesson 3, and well done if you have! But even if you only joined us now, it’s all good – you can start from any lesson, as they are all useful, and catch up later on the lessons you missed.

Why use idiomatic expressions in IELTS Speaking or Writing? Because they help you get a higher score. In these vocabulary lessons we introduce some idioms you could use, and teach you how to use them appropriately.

In today’s lesson video Adam, an ex-IELTS examiner with 10 years of experience, gives you 10 more excellent idioms to use, to get a Band 7 or higher score in your IELTS Speaking or Writing test. Adam explains what every expression means and how to use it in a sentence.

Click here to start the lesson and do a quick quiz

In the lesson click “Watch” to watch the lesson and then click “Think” to answer 10 questions on it.
If you make a mistake, the lesson will take you to the correct answer in the video. Video hints work on desktop computers, on mobile devices you will just see the correct/incorrect answers.

If you’d like to copy and save these useful expressions for later, here is a list, have a look at the idioms below and ask yourself two questions:

Question 1. Do you know what they mean?
Question 2. Can you use them in a sentence?

And then make a sentence about YOU and use one of those expressions. By doing that you are more likely to remember that idiom, because we tend to remember personal things better!

Go here to check YOUR own Speaking score.

10 expressions to help you get a Band 7 in IELTS

1. To be on the ball
2. To pull someone’s leg
3. To pull yourself together
4. So far so good
5. To be the last/final straw
6. The best of both worlds
7. Time flies when you’re having fun
8. To get bent out of shape
9. To make matters worse
10. To be under the weather