The3bandsofspeakingaboveare7,8and9.Asyoucansee,usingidioms,evenwithsomeinappropriatechoices,istypicalofaband7candidate.Byusingthemskillfully,withonlyoccasionalinaccuraciesyouarelikelytogetan8inthiscategory.Rarelystudentsusethemperfectlyandthisistypicalofsomeonewhoreachesa9.

Today,Iamgoingtoshareyou10commonidiomsforIELTSspeakingtest:

1.makeabeelinefor直奔，直冲

Meaning:gorapidlyanddirectlytowards.

eg：AfterIcomehomefromwork/study,Ialwaysfeelexhausted.Ijustmakeabeelineforthesofalyinglikeadead.

2.Jump(orclimb)onthebandwagon

Meaning:Joinothersindoingorsupportingsomethingfashionableorlikelytobesuccessful.

eg:WhenyourTVshowdoesextremelywell,advertiserswillbecompetingtobethefirsttojumponthebandwagon.

eg:Ican'tstandthesepeoplewhojustjumponthebandwagonafterawin.

3.Off(orwayoff)beam

Meaning:Onthewrongtrack;mistaken.

eg:Ilostthebet/competitionasmypredictionwaswayoffbeam.

4.Atsomeone’sbeckandcall

Meaning:Alwayshavingtobereadytoobeysomeone’sordersimmediately.

eg:Itshouldbemysisteratmybeckandcalltodriveustotheshoppingmall.

5.Pass(orhand)(on)thebatonorpickupthebaton

Meaning:Handoveraparticulardutyorresponsibility.

Ifsomeonepassesthebatontoanotherperson,theypassresponsibilityforsomethingtothatperson.Ifsomeonepicksupthebaton,theytakeoverresponsibilityforsomething.

6.Worklikeabeaver

Meaning:Worksteadilyandindustriously.

eg:Sheworkedlikeabeavertoemptythehouseasthenewtenantwillbemovingintomorrow.

eg:Ihavetoworklikeabeavertopassmyfinalexam.otherwise,Iwillbekickedoutbythefootballteam.

7.Bedofnails

Meaning:Aproblematicoruncomfortablesituation.

eg:Myroommatesareveryannoyingandlivingwiththemcanbeabedofnails.

8.Beata(hasty)retreat

Meaning:Withdraw,typicallytoavoidsomethingunpleasant.

eg:Davidbeataretreatwhenhesawhisex-girlfriendwalkintotheweddingpartywithanotherman.

9.Beggaronhorseback

Meaning:Aformerlypoorpersonmadearrogantorcorruptthroughachievingwealthandluxury.

eg:It’snotsurprisingthathelosteverythingandisbeinginvestigatedbytheauthoritiesashewasabeggaronahorseback.

10.Awholenewballgame

Meaning:Acompletelynewsetofcircumstances.

eg:AfterSarahjoinedtheMarketingteamasGeneralManager,itwasawholenewballgame.