Common Idioms to Improve Your IELTS Score – Topic: Knowledge and Understanding
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Go through lists of useful knowledge and understanding idioms to enhance your IELTS vocabulary and boost your speaking scores. Learn meanings, clear examples, usage, and practical exercises to learn how to use these idioms naturally in the IELTS exam.
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Achieving a Band 7+ or higher in the IELTS exam requires more than basic vocabulary. One effective way to strengthen your language skills is by learning knowledge and understanding idioms. They reflect how native speakers naturally express ideas, and when used appropriately, they can make your IELTS Speaking answers sound more fluent, precise, and engaging.
In this blog, you will find lists of useful idioms for IELTS Speaking to score band 8.0+ related to knowledge and understanding. Additionally, there are exercises for practice and better comprehension.
Common Idioms Related to Knowledge and Understanding
Idioms help convey ideas in a concise and expressive way, which is especially useful during IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Part 3 discussions about education, learning experiences, and knowledge acquisition.
Below is a table of useful idioms related to knowledge, awareness, intelligence, and learning, along with their meanings and IELTS-relevant examples.
|
Idiom |
Meaning |
Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
|
Knowledge is power |
having information or education gives a person advantage or control |
Many students believe that knowledge is power because education can open doors to better career opportunities. |
|
A walking encyclopedia |
a person who knows a lot of information about many subjects |
My history teacher is like a walking encyclopedia because he can answer almost any question about world history. |
|
Learn the ropes |
to learn how to do a job or task properly |
When I started my internship, it took me a few weeks to learn the ropes and understand how the organization operates. |
|
In the dark |
to be unaware or not informed about something |
Many citizens feel they are kept in the dark about important government decisions. |
|
Know something inside out |
to understand something very thoroughly |
She knows the IELTS exam format inside out because she has taught the test for more than ten years. |
|
Pick someone’s brain |
to ask someone for advice or information about a topic |
Before choosing my university major, I decided to pick my teacher’s brain about career options. |
|
Get the hang of something |
to learn how to do something well after practicing |
At first, the new software was confusing, but eventually I got the hang of it. |
|
Open someone’s eyes |
to help someone realize or understand something new |
Traveling to different countries really opened my eyes to cultural diversity. |
|
Food for thought |
something that makes you think deeply |
The documentary about climate change gave me a lot of food for thought. |
|
Put two and two together |
to understand something by connecting different facts |
When I noticed the clues, I quickly put two and two together and realized what had happened. |
|
Up to speed |
having the latest information or understanding about something |
Before the meeting, my manager brought me up to speed on the latest updates about the project. |
|
Get the picture |
to understand what is happening in a situation |
After my teacher explained the concept again, I finally got the picture and understood the lesson. |
|
Get the wrong end of the stick |
to misunderstand something completely |
I initially got the wrong end of the stick and thought the assignment was due next week instead of tomorrow. |
|
Get your head around something |
to succeed in understanding something difficult or complex |
It took me some time to get my head around advanced grammar rules while preparing for the IELTS exam. |
|
Go in one ear and out the other |
when someone hears something but quickly forgets or ignores it |
Whenever my parents remind my younger brother to study, their advice seems to go in one ear and out the other. |
|
A grey area |
a situation that is unclear or difficult to categorize |
The use of artificial intelligence in education is still a grey area for many policymakers. |
|
Not have a clue |
to have no knowledge or idea about something |
When I first started coding, I did not have a clue how programming languages worked. |
|
Jump to conclusions |
to form an opinion too quickly without knowing all the facts |
It is important not to jump to conclusions when evaluating complex social issues. |
|
Read between the lines |
to understand a hidden or implied meaning |
When reading academic articles, students often need to read between the lines to fully understand the author’s argument. |
|
Take something on board |
to understand or accept an idea, suggestion, or fact |
The student listened carefully to the teacher’s feedback and took the advice on board to improve her essay. |
|
A sharp mind |
someone who is intelligent and quick to understand things |
My grandmother still has a sharp mind even at the age of eighty. |
|
Light bulb moment |
a sudden realization or understanding |
I had a light bulb moment while solving the math problem and finally understood the formula. |
|
Brush up on something |
to improve or refresh knowledge of a subject |
Before taking the IELTS exam, I decided to brush up on my grammar skills. |
|
Gain insight into |
to develop a deeper understanding of something |
Reading research articles helped me gain insight into environmental issues. |
|
Think outside the box |
to think creatively and differently |
Teachers should encourage students to think outside the box when solving complex problems. |
|
Be on the same page |
to share the same understanding or viewpoint |
It is important for teachers and students to be on the same page about learning objectives. |
|
Know the drill |
to understand the usual procedure because you have done it before |
I have taken several mock tests, so I already know the drill on exam day. |
|
Hit the books |
to start studying seriously |
With the exam approaching, I realized it was time to hit the books. |
IELTS-Specific Examples Using the Knowledge and Understanding Idioms
Understanding how to incorporate idioms naturally in the IELTS Speaking test can significantly improve your lexical resource and fluency scores. Below are examples demonstrating how the knowledge and understanding idioms can be used appropriately in Speaking Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 answers.
IELTS Speaking Part 1
- Question: Do you enjoy learning new things?
- Sample Answer: “Yes, absolutely. I strongly believe that knowledge is power, so I always try to learn something new whenever I get the opportunity. For instance, I often watch educational videos online because they help me gain a deeper understanding of different subjects.”
IELTS Speaking Part 2
- Cue Card: Describe a time when you learned something new.
- Answer Excerpt: “I remember when I first started preparing for the IELTS exam… At the beginning, I felt slightly confused about the test format, but after practicing regularly, I gradually got the hang of it. In fact, my teacher helped me understand the structure of the exam inside out, which made my preparation much more effective.”
IELTS Speaking Part 3
- Question: How can people continue learning after finishing formal education?
- Sample Answer: “I think lifelong learning is essential in today’s rapidly changing world. People can read books, attend workshops, or even ask an expert to gain deeper insights into their fields. These activities provide valuable food for thought and help individuals stay informed about new ideas and developments.”
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Knowledge and Understanding Idioms for IELTS: Practice Exercises
In the exercises below, you will learn how to confidently use knowledge and understanding idioms for IELTS Speaking. Try out the idioms on them and see if you got them right.
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences with the words in the box.
| ear clue hang picture stick area |
- I soon began to get the _____________ of the new filing system.
- Anna doesn’t have a _____________ how to talk to children.
- The difference between telling a lie and not telling the whole truth is a grey _____________.
- I thought she was paying for dinner but I must have got the wrong end of the _____________.
- Brad tried to remember the directions but they seemed to have gone in one _____________ and out the other.
- The inspector spent a few minutes with the victim and soon began to get the _____________.
Exercise 2
Match sentence halves 1-6 with A-F to make complete sentences.
| 1. We saw them together in the restaurant and it was so easy to
2. I’ve told them I’m a vegetarian many times but they just don’t 3. The real skill of being an agony aunt is being able to 4. I’ve learnt a lot about the new regulations and I’ll run a training day to 5. The international dateline is an idea I’ve never been able to 6. Unfortunately, the children were disappointed; they |
A read between the lines.
B take it on board. C had put two and two together and made five. D jump to conclusions. E get my head around. F bring you all up to speed. |
Exercise 3
Complete the sentences. Choose the best answers.
- Then you click ‘save’ and move the file to here. Do you read between the lines / get the picture / put two and two together ?
- It’s going to take me a couple of days to get up to speed / the picture / the wrong end of the stick with the new project.
- This is a very difficult exercise. I just can’t jump to conclusions / go in one ear and out the other / get my head round it.
- Don’t worry. You’ll soon get the hang of it / jump to conclusions / get the wrong end of the stick.
- Listen to all the evidence and don’t take it on board / jump to conclusions / get your head around it.
- Adam shook his head; he didn’t put two and two together / read between the lines / have a clue how to fix this.
Exercise 4
Replace the underlined words with the correct idioms in the box.
| get hold of the wrong end of the stick
get the hang of it get the picture go in one ear and out the other haven’t got a clue read between the lines |
- You don’t have to explain it anymore. I understand the situation.
- He doesn’t listen carefully, and tends to misunderstand.
- I don’t think I’ll be able to do the accounts. I know nothing about book keeping.
- They haven’t actually said anything is wrong, but I can sense it.
- It’s difficult at first, but after a bit of practice, you learn how to do it.
- You have to repeat everything to them. Whatever you say will be forgotten immediately afterwards!
Exercise 5
Use sentences A-F to answer questions 1-6.
1. Whose company has adopted a new way of working?
2. Who is surprised at how strict his working conditions are becoming?
3 Who thinks he will soon have a new boss?
4. Who is improving his expertise at work?
5. Who is expecting to benefit from recent events?
6 Who wants to work for a different company?
A. Veejay feels he hasn’t a clue how to find a better employer.
B. Nik is getting himself up to speed on the new tax law.
C. Khalid leapt to the conclusion that the CEO would now resign.
D. Stefan’s firm has really taken the idea of teleworking on board.
E. Cheng put two and two together and hoped this would mean a promotion for him.
F. Xavier can’t get his head around all the new rules in the office.
Exercise 6
Complete the table. Put the idioms in the correct groups.
| not have a clue get your head around something
get the wrong end of the stick a grey area up to speed take something on board read between the lines jump to conclusions get the hang of something get the picture put two and two together go in one ear and out the other |
| understanding correctly | 1 __________________
2 __________________ 3 __________________ 4 __________________ 5 __________________ 6 __________________ 7 __________________ |
| not understanding | 1 __________________
2 __________________ 3 __________________ 4 __________________ 5 __________________ |
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Answer Key for the Knowledge and Understanding Idioms Practice Exercises
Once you have finished the aforementioned exercises, you should compare your responses to the answer key below to see if you grasp the IELTS knowledge and understanding idioms.
| Exercise | Answer |
|---|---|
| Exercise 1 |
1 hang 4 stick 2 clue 5 ear 3 area 6 picture |
| Exercise 2 |
1 D 4 F 2 B 5 E 3 A 6 C |
| Exercise 3 |
1 get the picture 2 up to speed 3 get my head round it 4 get the hang of it 5 jump to conclusions 6 have a clue |
| Exercise 4 |
1 get the picture 2 get the wrong end of the stick 3 haven’t got a clue 4 read between the lines 5 get the hang of it 6 go in one ear and out the other |
| Exercise 5 |
1 Stefan’s 2 Xavier 3 Khalid 4 Nik 5 Cheng 6 Veejay |
| Exercise 6 |
Understanding correctly: get your head around something up to speed take something on board read between the lines get the hang of something get the picture put two and two together Not understanding: not have a clue get the wrong end of the stick a grey area jump to conclusions go in one ear and out the other |
To sum up, mastering knowledge and understanding idioms can significantly enhance your IELTS lexical resource, speaking fluency, and overall communication skills. These expressions allow you to convey ideas more effectively while demonstrating a natural command of the English language, which is crucial for achieving a Band 7, Band 8, or even Band 9 score. By regularly practicing from this common idioms list for IELTS Speaking and incorporating them into IELTS Speaking answers and daily English conversations, you can build a richer vocabulary and improve your confidence in the exam and beyond.
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