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The real deal with Idioms in the IELTS Speaking test.

What is an idiomatic expression? Well, these are words/phrases that we use that mean differently from what they seem.

 Still confused? Allow me to use an example. Imagine that you just finished a test and a friend then asks you how the exam went. Of course, your response would depend on how easy you thought the test was. If you think the test was "easy", you can say, "It was a piece of cake!"

 "a piece of cake" is an example of an idiomatic expression. This means that something was too easy for you. However, some people might take the phrase literally: they might imagine a slice of cake.

In the IELTS Speaking test, it is highly recommended that you use these kinds of expressions in your responses. When you look at the public band descriptor for speaking, the use of idioms and less common idiom falls to band score 7 (Lexical resource).

The use of idioms is quite difficult though. To begin with, you have to have a lot of confidence in your English speaking skill. Moreover, you need to know the perfect timing or situation when to use them. Full understanding of how these words and phrases are a MUST to understand how and when to use such expressions.

Another thing to consider is that you should know many other idiomatic expressions. Nowadays, expressions that are too commonly used are a big no-no in the test. You should utilize at least unfamiliar ones for you to achieve a good score in your lexical resource. The given example above is an expression that has been overused by many; hence, this does not truly exhibit your mastery of the English language. The best way to learn new words is to expose yourself to the language. Watch English TV shows, dramas and/or movies, listen to English songs, read a wide selection of books, etc.

A simple reminder though, it is not mandatory to use idiomatic expressions all the time, but it does help you land on a high band score.

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