a lot of idioms -ielts

My dad’s best advice when I left for college was to study hard and keep my nose clean." Legal: "The judge gave him probation but warned him that he needed to keep his nose clean for the next three years."

never assumed that the largesse was intended for them personally.

"Someone nicked my bike!"

"Speaking to your boss in that tone of voice is not on."

Things might have been different a long time ago, but now they have really cracked down on corruption.

We were planning a surprise party for Sarah, but my little brother let the cat out of the bag when he asked her if she was excited for her party on Saturday."

"I skipped lunch today, so by the time dinner came around, I was hungry as a horse.

"I don't know how he does it. He drinks like a fish every weekend but is always the first one in the office on Monday morning."

I thought I would just fix the small leak under the sink, but it opened a can of worms. It turns out all the pipes are rotten and the floor is damaged, too."

I'm sorry my voice sounds so rough, I've had a frog in my throat all morning." (The person then coughs to clear their throat).

The kids have ants in their pants waiting for their vacation to start tomorrow. They just won't sit down!"

The politician's story kept changing, and reporters smelled a rat immediately. Deception: He said the watch was a genuine Rolex, but for only $50, I smelled a rat.

"I was only 10 minutes late, but as soon as I got home, my parents gave me the third degree, asking where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing."

I woke up late for my 9 AM meeting, so I just threw on a t-shirt and some jeans and ran out the door."

The fraudsters also stole the identities of 68 people, who then also had false tax liabilities,

"It was the first day of the new class, and everyone was silent. The teacher broke the ice by asking everyone to share a fun fact about themselves."

"I think the real reason this project is failing is that no one is communicating." Person B: "You hit the nail on the head. That's the core issue."

We'd love to buy a house in that neighborhood, but the prices are so high, it would cost an arm and a leg."

I've been procrastinating on my 20-page essay all week. I just need to bite the bullet and spend all day Saturday finishing it."

"I've sent them our final offer. Now the ball is in their court to decide if they'll accept it."

"The construction company cut corners by using cheap materials, and just a year later, the new homeowners are dealing with a leaking roof."

"I'm playing devil's advocate here, but have we considered the potential downsides of this plan?" It means you're raising objections not because you necessarily disagree, but to encourage a thorough discussion.

Losing my old job was a blessing in disguise. I was so upset at the time, but it forced me to find a new career, and now I'm much happier."

She was so angry when she quit that she insulted her entire team in the farewell email. She really burned her bridges with that company and can never ask them for a reference."

"He's a very serious police officer. He does everything by the book and would never even accept a free cup of coffee."

"She was all set to go skydiving, but at the last minute, she got cold feet and decided to stay on the plane."

If you've been avoiding doing your taxes, but you know you can't put it off any longer, you might say, "I guess I have to face the music and do my taxes." It means you have to deal with the situation, even though you don't want to.

"She's a fantastic employee, always willing to go the extra mile to help a customer. Yesterday, she stayed late just to help someone find a lost item."

Imagine everyone at school is suddenly obsessed with a new phone game. You weren't interested at first, but then you start playing it too, just because everyone else is. You could say, "I finally jumped on the bandwagon and started playing that game."

I was tempted to ask my boss if he was still angry about my mistake last month, but I decided it's better to let sleeping dogs lie."

I can't decide which car to buy. I'm still on the fence between the red one and the blue one.

"When starting a new business, it's wise to have multiple income streams; you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket by only relying on one client."

I don't want to rain on your parade, but the park you're planning to visit is closed for renovation."

"I think she has a few skeletons in her closet that she's trying to keep hidden."

Person A: "I wonder if John is going to be at the party tonight." (John walks through the door) Person B: "Speak of the devil! There he is now."

I was trying to learn how to knit, but it was so hard, I finally had to throw in the towel."

the crime scene was gruesome with blood covering the floor

The problem with the project budget isn't going away. We can't keep avoiding it; we have to face it head-on and figure out a solution today."

Claire thought she might become a perpetual student. She just kept going from course to course.

temperature fell as low as -24 Celsius on Tuesday, hampering the 20 hour mission that took place in the complete darkness of the Antarctic winter. hinder. obstruct. impede

You must declare your revenue on your income tax form.

Our expenses exceed income.

From warming winter teas to zesty stir-fries, ginger has long been a kitchen staple

A staple food is a food that is eaten routinely and in large quantities, forming a dominant part of a diet. Examples include rice in many Asian countries, potatoes in Ireland, and bread in Western cultures.

Don't buy the first car you see; it's always a good idea to shop around." Services: "I'm going to shop around for a better home insurance rate before I renew my policy."

if the storm continues you should sleep over at mine for the night

I have used up all the toothpaste so I didn't brush my teeth

suitable for different situations or uses

we are going side-tracked."We were talking about the meeting agenda, but then the boss went off on a tangent about his weekend, and we never got back to the budget."

is a polite and common way of asking someone if they are willing to be the person responsible for writing down the key points during a meeting,