An Arm and a Leg - Idiom of the Day for IELTS Speaking & Writing

The usage of the idiom 'An arm and a Leg' would help you to depict financial situations and develop a stronger command of lexical resource, tone, and context-appropriate language. This can include topics related to the increasing costs of commodities, the prices of a certain lifestyle, or personal experiences. Therefore, practise incorporating in your IELTS Speaking & Writing answers to make your responses sound engaging, accurate, and memorable. Such a practice will show an advanced use of lexical resources, better contextual awareness, and stronger descriptive skills in the IELTS Exam, making you exam-ready.

Meaning of the Idiom ‘An Arm and a Leg’

For a band score of 8+, you must learn to apply the idiom ‘an arm and a leg’ in a varied manner. This will give tone to clarity, confidence, and sophistication in your answers while incorporating IELTS Vocabulary words. The table below shows the definition, synonyms, and example sentences which will help you to understand how you can utilize the idiom with ease.

Check out the video below to learn 9 IELTS Speaking IDIOMS for BAND 9 SCORE!

Scenarios to Use ‘An Arm and a Leg’ in IELTS Speaking & Writing Answers

As you become aware of the meaning of the idiom, it is necessary for you to learn the list of situations where it can be incorporated into. To score a band 8+ in the IELTS Speaking & Writing sections, let’s check the two scenarios below which will help enhance your knowledge. In this way, you will be able to learn the appropriate situations when this idiom ‘An Arm and a Leg’ would fit seamlessly.

• Scenario 1: 

The expression ‘An Arm and a Leg’ fits in this case, since the second friend is reacting to the high fees that the famous lawyer would demand. The idiom would help express a huge financial burden more vividly. Such usage would discuss the speaker's skill to select the most contextually appropriate idiomatic language.

• Scenario 2: 

In this context, the second friend is exclaiming in a very relaxed manner and describe the price of Mrs. Natalia’s diamond earrings. The correct usage of the idiom in this would indicate your strong grasp of tone, appropriacy, and subtlety.

Exercise on the Idiom ‘An Arm and a Leg’ for IELTS Speaking & Writing

Consistent practice using idioms in sentences is a necessity if you want to make progress in the IELTS Speaking and Writing sections. The exercise provided below will make you focused while using it and also help you to use idiomatic language more confidently. Let’s track your precision of adding this expression and increase your lexical resource.

1 Stop _______________ and tell me the whole story instead, especially what went wrong in the meeting. 

2 I think I’m feeling a bit  _______________ today, and I might skip the gym. 

3 That assignment was  _______________ for him, he was able to do it within an hour. 

4 The issue you raised is just  _______________ and the actual problems are much worse. 

5 Don’t take Rohan seriously; he’s just  _______________ over you. 

6 The luxury resort looked amazing, but to stay there for a weekend is  _______________.

Answer to the Exercise on the Idiom ‘An Arm and a Leg’ for IELTS Speaking & Writing

It is time to check the correct answers against yours. With this, you will learn the best ways to integrate the idiom into your answers effectively and with confidence. This will help in enhancing your lexical resource ability and improve your potential IELTS Band Score.

1. Beat around the bush
2. Under the weather
3. A piece of cake
4. The tip of the iceberg
5. Pulling your leg
6. An arm and a leg

Always focus on the improvement of your Lexical Resource scores which is the major criterion for assessing your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary correctly. By acquiring the knowledge of new idioms, you can learn their meanings while using them in different contexts in the Speaking and IELTS Writing sections. This will level up your knowledge and improve your proficiency level which would showcase that you have an excellent command of the language.

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Also Check: 

• Five Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary
• 1200 Common Words in IELTS Listening
• IELTS Vocabulary Words List for Band 8 or 9
• How to Build Vocabulary for the IELTS Exam: Practical Tips
• IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+