Useful idioms for the IELTS speaking exam – mood and feelings
Students frequently inquire about the use of idioms or idiomatic English in the IELTS speaking exam, and yes, the proper use of idioms in the IELTS speaking exam does, of course, help with your fluency score. Every week, I’ll try to post some useful idioms for you to look at, which may come in handy during your IELTS speaking exam.
In this post, I’ll include a number of idioms that we can use to describe our moods and feelings, which is always something you should be expressing in your IELTS speaking exam.
- On cloud nine
When someone is on cloud nine, it means that he or she is feeling extremely happy.
“When he finally passed his driving test, he was on cloud nine.
“I was on cloud nine after discovering I got a band 8 in my IELTS exam.”
- over the moon
This is yet another way to express happiness or joy.
“She was over the moon when she received the letter of acceptance to the university of her dreams.”
- Fed up
You can tell people you’re completely fed up whenever you’re really frustrated about something and don’t want to deal with it any longer.
“I felt so fed up, not being able to go to work during the long Covid lockdown.
- Chilled out
The meaning of this expression is the same as relaxed. It’s a colloquial expression that you can use to express how you’re feeling or to describe an activity that does so.
“On weekends, I just love to stay at home and chill out, watching some movies or reading a good book.”
“After my yoga class, I feel extremely chilled out – it really helps me to unwind or relax.
- Under the weather
If you’re sick or just don’t feel well, simply state that you’re feeling under the weather. In English, this expression is typically used to describe someone who is slightly ill rather than someone who is gravely ill.
“I won’t be able to go to the lake with you today, as I feel a little under the weather.
- Down in the dumps
To be down in the dumps means to feel very unhappy or depressed.
“After breaking up with his girlfriend, he was so down in the dumps.”
- Pull Yourself Together
The meaning of this expression is to control your emotions or to recover from a strong emotional upset
“I know it was hard to accept failing the exam, but you need to pull yourself together and try again.
- Get Carried Away
This really means to become overly enthusiastic about something, and not able to control yourself.
“I went shopping for a new handbag, but got a bit carried away in the shop, and bought 3 new handbags.
- Short fuse.
To get angry or irritated very easily.
“The teacher has a short fuse, so it”s best not to upset him.
- Young at Heart
Meaning: Having a youthful outlook, regardless of age
“My grandfather is young at heart. He’s 84 years old, but he loves keeping active on social media, as well as listening to the latest pop music.
- Down in the dumps
To feel depressed or sad.
“I didn’t do so well in the end of term exam, and felt very down in the dumps for a few weeks after it.
- Tear jerker
To describe a book, movie or song that makes you cry.
“Titanic was a very romantic movie, but the ending was a real tear jerker.
- Mixed feelings
This is used where we have more than one feeling – you could feel happy and sad at the same time, or feel something is good and bad at the same time.
“I had mixed feelings about going to study abroad. I was happy and excited about going to a new country, but was anxious and sad about being so far away from my family.”
- To be hopping mad
To be very angry.
“When John turned up late for work, his boss was hopping mad.
- Makes one’s blood boil
Something that makes you very angry.
“When i see people throwing garbage on the side of the road, it really makes my blood boil.“
- Can’t take it anymore
You can no longer deal with something because you are frustrated or out of patience.
“I’m so tired of the noise every night from my neighbours. I can’t take it anymore!
- Jumped out of my skin
This means that something scared or shocked you very badly.
‘I almost jumped out of my skin watching a horror movie alone last night.”
- Scared stiff
To be very scared – so scared that you can’t move.
“I was scared stiff when i noticed there was a snake moving along the ground right next to me.”
- Shake like a leaf
To be so afraid of something that you are almost shaking.
“When he stood up in front of the class to make his speech, he started to shake like a leaf!“
- Get/have butterflies in your stomach
You are have a nervous, anxious feeling in your stomach.
“She always gets butterflies in her stomach before a big exam.”
- To be on tenterhooks
To be very nervous or to worry about something that is going to happen.
“I was on tenterhooks all week waiting for my exam results.”
“After the job interview she was on tenterhooks for the next few days waiting to find out if she got the job or not.”
- Bored to death/tears
This just means to be extremely bored with something.
“I’m bored to death having to stay at home alone everyday during the latest Covid lockdown.”
- To be bored out of one’s mind
Again this means to be very bored with something
“I had no internet for two days last week and was bored out of my mind not being able to access my social media accounts.”
Let me know if there are any other topics that you would like me to post more idioms on, related to the IELTS speaking exam.
It’s never a good idea to try to learn a large number of idioms at once; instead, focus on one or two at a time. You’ll gain confidence in using them if you practice using them, making sentences and speaking into a mirror while doing so. Make sure you truly understand the meaning and application of each idiom, and don’t try to impress the IELTS examiner by using a random idiom in a sentence. Idioms must be used correctly or they will do more harm than good in terms of increasing your band score.
Check out some more useful IELTS speaking exam idioms
38 great idioms for study and work
Great idioms for places and travel
IELTS speaking exam Idioms to describe people.
17 great idioms for discussing problems
IELTS vocabulary for books with answers
