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IELTS Idiom Play by Ear: Meaning, History, Usage, and Examples

Find out the usage of the ‘Play by Ear’ idiom in IELTS. Learn more about its use in the IELTS Speaking, history, meaning, and much more!
The Mystery Unveiled

The idiom ‘Play by Ear’ means to figure things out or decide what to do while you're doing them, without prior planning.

Historical Roots!

This idiom originates from musicians who can play music without sheet music by listening to it and following along. As time passed, people started using this phrase in everyday life to talk about doing things on the spot.
Example sentences:
  1. We didn't have a map, so we just played it by ear and found our way around the city.
  2. I didn't have a recipe, so I had to play it by ear and add ingredients until the dish tasted right.
Example sentences:

  • In IELTS Speaking, 

    You can use the idiom 'play by ear' while talking about being open to adjusting plans based on the situation.
How will you be asked?

Examiner: Describe a time when you had to decide without much preparation.
How will you answer?

Candidate: I remember once when my friends and I decided to go on a spontaneous road trip and didn't have a plan! We just wanted to explore and hence we played it by ear!

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