{"id":25616403,"date":"2025-07-06T13:19:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T07:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/?p=25616403"},"modified":"2025-07-29T18:24:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:54:22","slug":"idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69ed4a3127ea4\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69ed4a3127ea4\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_Introduction\" >Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking: Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_What_Are_Idioms\" >Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking:What Are Idioms?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_What_Are_Phrasal_Verbs\" >Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking: What Are Phrasal Verbs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_Key_Differences\" >Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: Key Differences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_Which_Is_Better_for_IELTS_Speaking\" >Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: Which Is Better for IELTS Speaking?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Tips_to_Use_Them_Correctly\" >Tips to Use Them Correctly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Sample_Answer_Using_Both\" >Sample Answer Using Both<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_Conclusion\" >Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking: Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"450\">Many IELTS learners feel nervous about speaking fluently. They want to impress the examiner with natural English. But knowing fancy words isn\u2019t always enough. Expressions like idioms and phrasal verbs help a lot. These can make your answers sound native-like and smooth. But how do you choose what to focus on? That\u2019s where <strong data-start=\"324\" data-end=\"371\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking<\/strong> becomes important. Knowing the difference can boost your confidence and score.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"452\" data-end=\"753\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Both are useful, but they work differently. Idioms are often colorful and tricky. Phrasal verbs are easier to blend in. Using them correctly shows you\u2019re comfortable with English. But using them wrongly can reduce your clarity. So, it\u2019s smart to learn them with care. This blog helps you do just that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"452\" data-end=\"753\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/exam\/ielts-training-online\/?utm_source=ielts&amp;utm_medium=blog_referral&amp;utm_campaign=describe-a-person-who-you-are-happy-to-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Master the IELTS Exam with Online Coaching \u2013 Enroll Today!\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"452\" data-end=\"753\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_Introduction\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"324\" data-end=\"371\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking: Introduction<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"21\" data-end=\"528\"><strong data-start=\"21\" data-end=\"80\">Want to sound more natural in your IELTS Speaking test?<\/strong><br data-start=\"80\" data-end=\"83\" \/>Scoring well in IELTS Speaking is not just about grammar. You need to sound confident, fluent, and natural. Idioms and phrasal verbs can help you do that. These expressions show you understand English like a native speaker. They also boost your <em data-start=\"328\" data-end=\"346\">Lexical Resource<\/em> and <em data-start=\"351\" data-end=\"360\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Fluency<\/em> scores. But you need to use them in the right way. When used properly, they make your speech smooth and engaging. This blog will help you learn how to use them wisely.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"530\" data-end=\"578\"><strong data-start=\"530\" data-end=\"576\">Why Use Idioms and Phrasal Verbs in IELTS?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"899\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n<li data-start=\"579\" data-end=\"630\">\n<p data-start=\"581\" data-end=\"630\">They help you sound more like a native speaker.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"631\" data-end=\"679\">\n<p data-start=\"633\" data-end=\"679\">They improve your score in lexical resource.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"680\" data-end=\"734\">\n<p data-start=\"682\" data-end=\"734\">They make your answers interesting and expressive.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"735\" data-end=\"783\">\n<p data-start=\"737\" data-end=\"783\">They show your comfort with natural English.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"784\" data-end=\"840\">\n<p data-start=\"786\" data-end=\"840\">They help you handle complex speaking topics better.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"841\" data-end=\"899\" data-is-last-node=\"\">\n<p data-start=\"843\" data-end=\"899\" data-is-last-node=\"\">They show variety in your vocabulary and sentence style.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25616425 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection.webp\" alt=\"Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection\" width=\"1944\" height=\"2052\" srcset=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection.webp 1944w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-284x300.webp 284w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-970x1024.webp 970w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-768x811.webp 768w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-1455x1536.webp 1455w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-1940x2048.webp 1940w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-24x24.webp 24w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-150x158.webp 150w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-750x792.webp 750w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-Use-Idioms-and-Phrasal-Verbs-in-IELTS_-visual-selection-1140x1203.webp 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1944px) 100vw, 1944px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"23\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_What_Are_Idioms\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"23\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking:What Are Idioms?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"30\" data-end=\"48\"><strong>Definition<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"49\" data-end=\"488\">Idioms are fixed expressions with a special meaning. Their meanings are not clear from the individual words. They often have cultural or emotional background usage. Native speakers use idioms in everyday conversations. Idioms make your speech sound expressive and creative. But you need to know them well to use correctly. A wrong idiom can confuse or mislead the listener. So, learning idioms takes time and proper practice.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"495\" data-end=\"535\"><strong>Common Idioms for IELTS Speaking<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"537\" data-end=\"583\">Here are some idioms useful in IELTS Speaking:<\/p>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_80l1q_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_80l1q_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"585\" data-end=\"1292\">\n<thead data-start=\"585\" data-end=\"702\">\n<tr data-start=\"585\" data-end=\"702\">\n<th data-start=\"585\" data-end=\"611\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"587\" data-end=\"596\">Idiom<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"611\" data-end=\"655\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"613\" data-end=\"624\">Meaning<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"655\" data-end=\"702\" data-col-size=\"md\"><strong data-start=\"657\" data-end=\"677\">Example Sentence<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"821\" data-end=\"1292\">\n<tr data-start=\"821\" data-end=\"938\">\n<td data-start=\"821\" data-end=\"847\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"823\" data-end=\"838\">Break the ice<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"847\" data-end=\"891\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Start a friendly talk<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"891\" data-end=\"938\">I told a joke to break the ice.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"939\" data-end=\"1056\">\n<td data-start=\"939\" data-end=\"965\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"941\" data-end=\"962\">Once in a blue moon<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"965\" data-end=\"1009\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Something rare or not common<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"1009\" data-end=\"1056\">I eat fast food once in a blue moon.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1057\" data-end=\"1174\">\n<td data-start=\"1057\" data-end=\"1083\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1059\" data-end=\"1076\">A piece of cake<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1083\" data-end=\"1127\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Very easy task<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"1127\" data-end=\"1174\">The test was a piece of cake for me.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1175\" data-end=\"1292\">\n<td data-start=\"1175\" data-end=\"1204\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1177\" data-end=\"1203\">Hit the nail on the head<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1204\" data-end=\"1245\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Say something exactly right<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"1245\" data-end=\"1292\">She hit the nail on the head with her idea.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p data-start=\"1294\" data-end=\"1395\">These idioms fit naturally in speaking answers. You can use them while sharing stories or opinions.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1402\" data-end=\"1438\"><strong>When to Use Idioms in IELTS<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1440\" data-end=\"1781\">Use idioms mostly in Part 2 and Part 3 of IELTS Speaking Test. They work well when telling a personal story. You can also use them in opinions and comparisons. Use idioms only when you&#8217;re sure of their meaning. They should sound natural, not forced or memorized. One or two idioms per answer are enough. Avoid using them too often or without context.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1788\" data-end=\"1826\"><strong>Pros and Cons of Using Idioms<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1828\" data-end=\"1839\"><strong data-start=\"1828\" data-end=\"1837\">Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1840\" data-end=\"2034\">\n<li data-start=\"1840\" data-end=\"1889\">\n<p data-start=\"1842\" data-end=\"1889\">Boosts lexical range in your speaking answers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1890\" data-end=\"1939\">\n<p data-start=\"1892\" data-end=\"1939\">Shows you understand native-level expressions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1940\" data-end=\"1986\">\n<p data-start=\"1942\" data-end=\"1986\">Adds colour and personality to your speech<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1987\" data-end=\"2034\">\n<p data-start=\"1989\" data-end=\"2034\">Helps convey emotions or humour effectively<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2036\" data-end=\"2047\"><strong data-start=\"2036\" data-end=\"2045\">Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2048\" data-end=\"2220\">\n<li data-start=\"2048\" data-end=\"2088\">\n<p data-start=\"2050\" data-end=\"2088\">Hard to use without regular practice<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2089\" data-end=\"2132\">\n<p data-start=\"2091\" data-end=\"2132\">Risk of sounding unnatural or memorized<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2133\" data-end=\"2174\">\n<p data-start=\"2135\" data-end=\"2174\">Can lower clarity if used incorrectly<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2175\" data-end=\"2220\">\n<p data-start=\"2177\" data-end=\"2220\">Not always suitable for every IELTS topic<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2227\" data-end=\"2435\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Idioms are powerful but require careful handling. Use them to support your fluency, not replace it. Choose idioms that match your topic or idea. Practice using them naturally during mock speaking tests.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"30\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_What_Are_Phrasal_Verbs\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"30\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking: What Are Phrasal Verbs?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"55\"><strong>Definition<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"56\" data-end=\"517\">Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with one or more words. These extra words are usually <strong data-start=\"145\" data-end=\"172\">prepositions or adverbs<\/strong>. They change the meaning of the original verb completely. For example, &#8220;give&#8221; and &#8220;give up&#8221; mean different things. Phrasal verbs are used often in <strong data-start=\"326\" data-end=\"344\">spoken English<\/strong>. They are common in topics like work, travel, and daily life. Learning them helps you sound more fluent and natural. They are also easier to use than idioms in IELTS.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"524\" data-end=\"571\"><strong>Common Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"573\" data-end=\"625\">Here are some phrasal verbs you can use confidently:<\/p>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_80l1q_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_80l1q_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"627\" data-end=\"1220\">\n<thead data-start=\"627\" data-end=\"725\">\n<tr data-start=\"627\" data-end=\"725\">\n<th data-start=\"627\" data-end=\"647\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"629\" data-end=\"645\">Phrasal Verb<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"647\" data-end=\"677\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"649\" data-end=\"660\">Meaning<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"725\" data-col-size=\"md\"><strong data-start=\"679\" data-end=\"699\">Example Sentence<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"825\" data-end=\"1220\">\n<tr data-start=\"825\" data-end=\"923\">\n<td data-start=\"825\" data-end=\"845\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"827\" data-end=\"839\">Look after<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"845\" data-end=\"875\">Take care of someone<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"875\" data-end=\"923\">I look after my younger brother every day.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"924\" data-end=\"1022\">\n<td data-start=\"924\" data-end=\"944\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"926\" data-end=\"938\">Run out of<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"944\" data-end=\"974\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Have nothing left<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"974\" data-end=\"1022\">We ran out of milk this morning.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1023\" data-end=\"1121\">\n<td data-start=\"1023\" data-end=\"1043\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1025\" data-end=\"1038\">Come across<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1043\" data-end=\"1073\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Find something by chance<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"1073\" data-end=\"1121\">I came across an old photo yesterday.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1122\" data-end=\"1220\">\n<td data-start=\"1122\" data-end=\"1142\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1124\" data-end=\"1133\">Give up<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1142\" data-end=\"1172\">Stop trying or quit<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"1172\" data-end=\"1220\">I gave up sugar last month.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p data-start=\"1222\" data-end=\"1335\">These verbs are useful in many IELTS speaking topics. Use them in answers about family, habits, or experiences.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1342\" data-end=\"1392\"><strong>How Phrasal Verbs Make You Sound Natural<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1394\" data-end=\"1849\">Native speakers use phrasal verbs all the time. They often replace formal words with these casual phrases. For example, \u201ccontinue\u201d becomes \u201ccarry on\u201d in speech. Using them makes you sound <strong data-start=\"1588\" data-end=\"1621\">less robotic or textbook-like<\/strong>. They help you speak in a <strong data-start=\"1650\" data-end=\"1676\">relaxed, fluent manner<\/strong>. Examiners notice and reward such natural language use. Phrasal verbs also connect well with daily life topics. They show your ability to speak like a native speaker.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1856\" data-end=\"1901\"><strong>Pros and Cons of Using Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1903\" data-end=\"1914\"><strong data-start=\"1903\" data-end=\"1912\">Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1915\" data-end=\"2088\">\n<li data-start=\"1915\" data-end=\"1960\">\n<p data-start=\"1917\" data-end=\"1960\">Common in real-life English conversations<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1961\" data-end=\"2002\">\n<p data-start=\"1963\" data-end=\"2002\">Easy to learn and use in daily topics<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2003\" data-end=\"2044\">\n<p data-start=\"2005\" data-end=\"2044\">Help improve fluency and natural flow<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2045\" data-end=\"2088\">\n<p data-start=\"2047\" data-end=\"2088\">Less risky than idioms in IELTS answers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2090\" data-end=\"2101\"><strong data-start=\"2090\" data-end=\"2099\">Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2102\" data-end=\"2260\">\n<li data-start=\"2102\" data-end=\"2137\">\n<p data-start=\"2104\" data-end=\"2137\">Some have more than one meaning<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2138\" data-end=\"2177\">\n<p data-start=\"2140\" data-end=\"2177\">Can confuse if used without context<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2178\" data-end=\"2217\">\n<p data-start=\"2180\" data-end=\"2217\">May not work well in formal writing<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2218\" data-end=\"2260\">\n<p data-start=\"2220\" data-end=\"2260\">Still need practice to use confidently<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2267\" data-end=\"2469\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Phrasal verbs are powerful tools for IELTS Speaking. They are easier to master than idioms. With regular use, they become part of your speech. Practice them by topic to improve fast and naturally.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"48\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_Key_Differences\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"48\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: Key Differences<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"55\" data-end=\"375\">Idioms and phrasal verbs are both useful in IELTS. But they work in different ways and have different uses. Knowing the key differences helps you use them better. It also helps you choose which one to focus on. Some are easier to learn, others more flexible to use. Let\u2019s break down the <strong data-start=\"200\" data-end=\"219\">key differences<\/strong> with clear points. This will help you decide which to use and when.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"296\" data-end=\"326\">1\ufe0f\u20e3 <strong data-start=\"304\" data-end=\"326\">Level of Formality<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"328\" data-end=\"757\">\n<li data-start=\"328\" data-end=\"529\">\n<p data-start=\"330\" data-end=\"342\"><strong data-start=\"330\" data-end=\"340\">Idioms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"345\" data-end=\"529\">\n<li data-start=\"345\" data-end=\"385\">\n<p data-start=\"347\" data-end=\"385\">Usually <strong data-start=\"355\" data-end=\"382\">informal and expressive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"388\" data-end=\"432\">\n<p data-start=\"390\" data-end=\"432\">Not suitable for very formal situations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"435\" data-end=\"483\">\n<p data-start=\"437\" data-end=\"483\">Fit best in <strong data-start=\"449\" data-end=\"480\">stories or emotional topics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"486\" data-end=\"529\">\n<p data-start=\"488\" data-end=\"529\">Example: <em data-start=\"497\" data-end=\"529\">\u201cIt cost me an arm and a leg.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"531\" data-end=\"757\">\n<p data-start=\"533\" data-end=\"552\"><strong data-start=\"533\" data-end=\"550\">Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"555\" data-end=\"757\">\n<li data-start=\"555\" data-end=\"609\">\n<p data-start=\"557\" data-end=\"609\">Informal but <strong data-start=\"570\" data-end=\"606\">acceptable in all speaking parts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"612\" data-end=\"653\">\n<p data-start=\"614\" data-end=\"653\">Sound <strong data-start=\"620\" data-end=\"650\">natural and conversational<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"656\" data-end=\"705\">\n<p data-start=\"658\" data-end=\"705\">More flexible across various IELTS questions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"708\" data-end=\"757\">\n<p data-start=\"710\" data-end=\"757\">Example: <em data-start=\"719\" data-end=\"757\">\u201cI ran out of time during the exam.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"764\" data-end=\"792\">2\ufe0f\u20e3 <strong data-start=\"772\" data-end=\"792\">Ease of Learning<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"794\" data-end=\"1230\">\n<li data-start=\"794\" data-end=\"1021\">\n<p data-start=\"796\" data-end=\"808\"><strong data-start=\"796\" data-end=\"806\">Idioms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"811\" data-end=\"1021\">\n<li data-start=\"811\" data-end=\"859\">\n<p data-start=\"813\" data-end=\"859\"><strong data-start=\"813\" data-end=\"832\">Harder to learn<\/strong> due to unclear meanings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"862\" data-end=\"903\">\n<p data-start=\"864\" data-end=\"903\">Can\u2019t guess meanings from words used.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"955\">\n<p data-start=\"908\" data-end=\"955\">Often need to <strong data-start=\"922\" data-end=\"952\">memorize as a whole phrase<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"958\" data-end=\"1021\">\n<p data-start=\"960\" data-end=\"1021\">Example: <em data-start=\"969\" data-end=\"1021\">\u201cBreak the ice\u201d = start conversation, not literal.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1023\" data-end=\"1230\">\n<p data-start=\"1025\" data-end=\"1044\"><strong data-start=\"1025\" data-end=\"1042\">Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1047\" data-end=\"1230\">\n<li data-start=\"1047\" data-end=\"1084\">\n<p data-start=\"1049\" data-end=\"1084\">Easier to understand than idioms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1087\" data-end=\"1136\">\n<p data-start=\"1089\" data-end=\"1136\">Follow <strong data-start=\"1096\" data-end=\"1125\">verb + preposition\/adverb<\/strong> pattern.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1139\" data-end=\"1182\">\n<p data-start=\"1141\" data-end=\"1182\">Often have clear meanings from context.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1185\" data-end=\"1230\">\n<p data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1230\">Example: <em data-start=\"1196\" data-end=\"1230\">\u201cLook after\u201d means take care of.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"1237\" data-end=\"1274\">3\ufe0f\u20e3 <strong data-start=\"1245\" data-end=\"1274\">Frequency of Use in IELTS<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"1276\" data-end=\"1698\">\n<li data-start=\"1276\" data-end=\"1470\">\n<p data-start=\"1278\" data-end=\"1290\"><strong data-start=\"1278\" data-end=\"1288\">Idioms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1293\" data-end=\"1470\">\n<li data-start=\"1293\" data-end=\"1332\">\n<p data-start=\"1295\" data-end=\"1332\">Less commonly used in formal exams.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1335\" data-end=\"1381\">\n<p data-start=\"1337\" data-end=\"1381\">Suitable mainly for <strong data-start=\"1357\" data-end=\"1378\">Part 2 and Part 3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1384\" data-end=\"1438\">\n<p data-start=\"1386\" data-end=\"1438\">Work well in <strong data-start=\"1399\" data-end=\"1435\">personal experiences and stories<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1441\" data-end=\"1470\">\n<p data-start=\"1443\" data-end=\"1470\">Not needed in every answer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1472\" data-end=\"1698\">\n<p data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1493\"><strong data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1491\">Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1496\" data-end=\"1698\">\n<li data-start=\"1496\" data-end=\"1545\">\n<p data-start=\"1498\" data-end=\"1545\">Common across all three IELTS speaking parts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1548\" data-end=\"1599\">\n<p data-start=\"1550\" data-end=\"1599\">Useful for <strong data-start=\"1561\" data-end=\"1596\">daily life, work, travel topics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1602\" data-end=\"1645\">\n<p data-start=\"1604\" data-end=\"1645\">Fit naturally in most types of answers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1648\" data-end=\"1698\">\n<p data-start=\"1650\" data-end=\"1698\">Help maintain <strong data-start=\"1664\" data-end=\"1684\">flow and clarity<\/strong> in responses.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"1705\" data-end=\"1731\">4\ufe0f\u20e3 <strong data-start=\"1713\" data-end=\"1731\">Risk of Misuse<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"1733\" data-end=\"2138\">\n<li data-start=\"1733\" data-end=\"1925\">\n<p data-start=\"1735\" data-end=\"1747\"><strong data-start=\"1735\" data-end=\"1745\">Idioms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1750\" data-end=\"1925\">\n<li data-start=\"1750\" data-end=\"1788\">\n<p data-start=\"1752\" data-end=\"1788\"><strong data-start=\"1752\" data-end=\"1765\">High risk<\/strong> if used incorrectly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1791\" data-end=\"1832\">\n<p data-start=\"1793\" data-end=\"1832\">Wrong usage may confuse the examiner.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1835\" data-end=\"1879\">\n<p data-start=\"1837\" data-end=\"1879\">Can <strong data-start=\"1841\" data-end=\"1870\">lower clarity and fluency<\/strong> score.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1882\" data-end=\"1925\">\n<p data-start=\"1884\" data-end=\"1925\">Often sound forced if not well-practiced.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1927\" data-end=\"2138\">\n<p data-start=\"1929\" data-end=\"1948\"><strong data-start=\"1929\" data-end=\"1946\">Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1951\" data-end=\"2138\">\n<li data-start=\"1951\" data-end=\"1990\">\n<p data-start=\"1953\" data-end=\"1990\">Safer and more adaptable in speech.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1993\" data-end=\"2036\">\n<p data-start=\"1995\" data-end=\"2036\">Risk is <strong data-start=\"2003\" data-end=\"2033\">lower with enough practice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2039\" data-end=\"2080\">\n<p data-start=\"2041\" data-end=\"2080\">Easier to recover from slight misuse.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2083\" data-end=\"2138\">\n<p data-start=\"2085\" data-end=\"2138\">Sound more <strong data-start=\"2096\" data-end=\"2121\">natural and confident<\/strong> when used right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/exam\/ielts-training-online\/?utm_source=ielts&amp;utm_medium=blog_referral&amp;utm_campaign=describe-a-person-who-you-are-happy-to-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Master the IELTS Exam with Online Coaching \u2013 Enroll Today!\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Comparison Table: Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/th>\n<th><strong>Idioms<\/strong><\/th>\n<th><strong>Phrasal Verbs<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Level of Formality<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Mostly informal or casual<\/td>\n<td>Usually informal but widely accepted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Ease of Learning<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Harder to remember and use correctly<\/td>\n<td>Easier to learn and apply in speech<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>IELTS Frequency<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Less common, best for stories\/opinions<\/td>\n<td>More common in all parts of speaking<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Risk of Misuse<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>High \u2013 can confuse if used wrongly<\/td>\n<td>Medium \u2013 clear meaning in most situations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"42\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_Which_Is_Better_for_IELTS_Speaking\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"42\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: Which Is Better for IELTS Speaking?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"44\" data-end=\"360\">Both idioms and phrasal verbs improve your speaking score. But they serve different purposes and carry different risks. In the IELTS Speaking test, balance and clarity matter most. Let\u2019s look at what the <strong data-start=\"254\" data-end=\"274\">band descriptors<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"279\" data-end=\"292\">examiners<\/strong> say. This will help you understand where to focus your efforts.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"367\" data-end=\"429\"><strong>Band Descriptor Reference: Lexical Resource and Fluency<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"431\" data-end=\"486\">Your speaking score depends on <strong data-start=\"462\" data-end=\"483\">four key criteria<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ol data-start=\"487\" data-end=\"590\">\n<li data-start=\"487\" data-end=\"513\">\n<p data-start=\"490\" data-end=\"513\">Fluency and Coherence<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"514\" data-end=\"535\">\n<p data-start=\"517\" data-end=\"535\">Lexical Resource<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"536\" data-end=\"571\">\n<p data-start=\"539\" data-end=\"571\">Grammatical Range and Accuracy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"572\" data-end=\"590\">\n<p data-start=\"575\" data-end=\"590\">Pronunciation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p data-start=\"592\" data-end=\"645\"><strong data-start=\"592\" data-end=\"620\">Idioms and phrasal verbs<\/strong> mainly affect two areas:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"647\" data-end=\"1046\">\n<li data-start=\"647\" data-end=\"848\">\n<p data-start=\"649\" data-end=\"672\"><strong data-start=\"649\" data-end=\"670\">Lexical Resource:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"675\" data-end=\"848\">\n<li data-start=\"675\" data-end=\"719\">\n<p data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"719\">Measures your range and choice of words.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"722\" data-end=\"787\">\n<p data-start=\"724\" data-end=\"787\">Includes idiomatic expressions and topic-specific vocabulary.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"790\" data-end=\"848\">\n<p data-start=\"792\" data-end=\"848\">Shows your ability to use natural and varied language.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"850\" data-end=\"1046\">\n<p data-start=\"852\" data-end=\"880\"><strong data-start=\"852\" data-end=\"878\">Fluency and Coherence:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"883\" data-end=\"1046\">\n<li data-start=\"883\" data-end=\"930\">\n<p data-start=\"885\" data-end=\"930\">Checks your flow and ability to link ideas.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"933\" data-end=\"989\">\n<p data-start=\"935\" data-end=\"989\">Natural usage of expressions improves fluency score.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"992\" data-end=\"1046\">\n<p data-start=\"994\" data-end=\"1046\">Forced or wrong usage lowers coherence and impact.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"1053\" data-end=\"1081\"><strong>Examiner Expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1083\" data-end=\"1415\">Examiners want you to speak clearly and naturally. They do not want memorized or scripted answers. They prefer simple, accurate language over complex mistakes. You should show comfort using everyday spoken English. Correct use of phrasal verbs shows real fluency. Idioms work well only if used naturally and confidently.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1417\" data-end=\"1484\"><strong data-start=\"1417\" data-end=\"1430\">Remember:<\/strong> One well-used idiom is better than five wrong ones.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1491\" data-end=\"1538\"><strong>Recommendation: What Should You Focus On?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1540\" data-end=\"1595\">Here is the expert recommendation for IELTS learners:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1597\" data-end=\"2065\">\n<li data-start=\"1597\" data-end=\"1824\">\n<p data-start=\"1599\" data-end=\"1635\">\ud83d\udd39 <strong data-start=\"1602\" data-end=\"1633\">Focus more on phrasal verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1638\" data-end=\"1824\">\n<li data-start=\"1638\" data-end=\"1679\">\n<p data-start=\"1640\" data-end=\"1679\">They are common in real-life English.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1682\" data-end=\"1719\">\n<p data-start=\"1684\" data-end=\"1719\">Easier to learn and safer to use.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1722\" data-end=\"1768\">\n<p data-start=\"1724\" data-end=\"1768\">Fit naturally in almost every IELTS topic.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1771\" data-end=\"1824\">\n<p data-start=\"1773\" data-end=\"1824\">Improve both fluency and lexical resource scores.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1826\" data-end=\"2065\">\n<p data-start=\"1828\" data-end=\"1857\">\ud83d\udd38 <strong data-start=\"1831\" data-end=\"1855\">Use idioms sparingly<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1860\" data-end=\"2065\">\n<li data-start=\"1860\" data-end=\"1907\">\n<p data-start=\"1862\" data-end=\"1907\">Only use idioms when you\u2019re 100% confident.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1910\" data-end=\"1961\">\n<p data-start=\"1912\" data-end=\"1961\">Avoid rare or confusing idioms in your answers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1964\" data-end=\"2016\">\n<p data-start=\"1966\" data-end=\"2016\">Use them in personal stories or strong opinions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2019\" data-end=\"2065\">\n<p data-start=\"2021\" data-end=\"2065\">Keep them relevant and simple, not overused.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"2072\" data-end=\"2088\"><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_80l1q_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_80l1q_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"2090\" data-end=\"2664\">\n<thead data-start=\"2090\" data-end=\"2184\">\n<tr data-start=\"2090\" data-end=\"2184\">\n<th data-start=\"2090\" data-end=\"2111\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"2092\" data-end=\"2102\">Aspect<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"2111\" data-end=\"2139\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"2113\" data-end=\"2130\">Better Choice<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"2139\" data-end=\"2184\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"2141\" data-end=\"2151\">Reason<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"2281\" data-end=\"2664\">\n<tr data-start=\"2281\" data-end=\"2376\">\n<td data-start=\"2281\" data-end=\"2302\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Natural Sound<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"2302\" data-end=\"2330\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Phrasal Verbs<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2330\" data-end=\"2376\">Common in speech and daily conversation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"2377\" data-end=\"2472\">\n<td data-start=\"2377\" data-end=\"2398\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Ease of Use<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"2398\" data-end=\"2426\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Phrasal Verbs<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2426\" data-end=\"2472\">Easier to apply and remember<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"2473\" data-end=\"2568\">\n<td data-start=\"2473\" data-end=\"2494\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Risk of Misuse<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"2494\" data-end=\"2522\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Idioms (higher risk)<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"2522\" data-end=\"2568\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Can sound forced or confusing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"2569\" data-end=\"2664\">\n<td data-start=\"2569\" data-end=\"2590\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Band Score Impact<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2590\" data-end=\"2618\">Both (if used correctly)<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2618\" data-end=\"2664\">Improves fluency and lexical resource<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p data-start=\"2666\" data-end=\"2823\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">To score high, use what fits your message best. Start with phrasal verbs and master idioms slowly. Quality, not quantity, is what impresses the examiner.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"35\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_to_Use_Them_Correctly\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"33\">Tips to Use Them Correctly<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"312\">Using idioms and phrasal verbs can improve your IELTS score. But you must use them in the right way. If used wrongly, they can confuse the examiner. Follow these simple and useful tips to use them correctly. These tips will help you build fluency and sound natural.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"319\" data-end=\"354\"><strong>1. Practice with Cue Cards<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"356\" data-end=\"670\">Cue cards help you practice real IELTS speaking topics. Use one cue card daily to build confidence and fluency. Try to include one idiom and one phrasal verb. Speak for 1\u20132 minutes like in the real test. Record your voice and listen to your usage. Check if the expressions sound natural and meaningful.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"672\" data-end=\"739\"><strong data-start=\"672\" data-end=\"693\">Example Cue Card:<\/strong><br data-start=\"693\" data-end=\"696\" \/><em data-start=\"696\" data-end=\"737\">Describe a difficult decision you made.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"740\" data-end=\"804\">\n<li data-start=\"740\" data-end=\"775\">\n<p data-start=\"742\" data-end=\"775\">Idiom: <em data-start=\"749\" data-end=\"773\">A blessing in disguise<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"776\" data-end=\"804\">\n<p data-start=\"778\" data-end=\"804\">Phrasal verb: <em data-start=\"792\" data-end=\"804\">Figure out<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"811\" data-end=\"854\"><strong>2. Watch Native Speaker Interviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"856\" data-end=\"1196\">Native speakers use these expressions naturally and correctly. Watch interviews, podcasts, or vlogs with English subtitles. Note how and when they use idioms and phrasal verbs. Pay attention to tone, pause, and context of use. Repeat short clips and try to speak along. This improves both your understanding and speaking skills.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1198\" data-end=\"1219\"><strong data-start=\"1198\" data-end=\"1217\">Where to Watch:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_80l1q_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_80l1q_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"1220\" data-end=\"1479\">\n<thead data-start=\"1220\" data-end=\"1271\">\n<tr data-start=\"1220\" data-end=\"1271\">\n<th data-start=\"1220\" data-end=\"1235\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Platform<\/th>\n<th data-start=\"1235\" data-end=\"1271\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Type of Content<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"1324\" data-end=\"1479\">\n<tr data-start=\"1324\" data-end=\"1375\">\n<td data-start=\"1324\" data-end=\"1339\" data-col-size=\"sm\">YouTube<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1339\" data-end=\"1375\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Interviews, lifestyle vlogs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1376\" data-end=\"1427\">\n<td data-start=\"1376\" data-end=\"1391\" data-col-size=\"sm\">TED Talks<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1391\" data-end=\"1427\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Real-life stories and opinions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1428\" data-end=\"1479\">\n<td data-start=\"1428\" data-end=\"1443\" data-col-size=\"sm\">BBC Learning<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1443\" data-end=\"1479\" data-col-size=\"sm\">News and speaking lessons<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 data-start=\"1486\" data-end=\"1520\"><strong>3. Don\u2019t Force-Fit Idioms<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1522\" data-end=\"1837\">Never insert idioms just to impress the examiner.\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1522\" data-end=\"1837\">Only use them if they match your idea naturally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1522\" data-end=\"1837\">A wrong or random idiom reduces clarity and meaning.\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1522\" data-end=\"1837\">Examiners may feel your answer is memorized or fake.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1522\" data-end=\"1837\">Always aim for smooth and relevant usage in answers.<br data-start=\"1787\" data-end=\"1790\" \/>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1522\" data-end=\"1837\">If unsure, skip the idiom and keep it simple.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1839\" data-end=\"1964\"><strong data-start=\"1839\" data-end=\"1855\">Wrong usage:<\/strong> <em data-start=\"1856\" data-end=\"1902\">\u201cIt was raining cats and dogs of happiness.\u201d<\/em><br data-start=\"1902\" data-end=\"1905\" \/><strong data-start=\"1905\" data-end=\"1922\">Better usage:<\/strong> <em data-start=\"1923\" data-end=\"1964\">\u201cIt was raining cats and dogs outside.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1971\" data-end=\"2011\"><strong>4. Learn Phrasal Verbs by Topic<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2013\" data-end=\"2299\">Group phrasal verbs by speaking topics to learn easily. This helps you remember and use them in context. Each IELTS topic uses certain common phrasal verbs often. Use flashcards, charts, or apps to organize them. Practice sentences for each topic using relevant phrasal verbs.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2301\" data-end=\"2337\"><strong data-start=\"2301\" data-end=\"2335\">Topic-wise Phrasal Verb Table:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_80l1q_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_80l1q_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"2339\" data-end=\"2818\">\n<thead data-start=\"2339\" data-end=\"2418\">\n<tr data-start=\"2339\" data-end=\"2418\">\n<th data-start=\"2339\" data-end=\"2352\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"2341\" data-end=\"2350\">Topic<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"2352\" data-end=\"2372\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"2354\" data-end=\"2370\">Phrasal Verb<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"2372\" data-end=\"2418\" data-col-size=\"md\"><strong data-start=\"2374\" data-end=\"2394\">Example Sentence<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"2499\" data-end=\"2818\">\n<tr data-start=\"2499\" data-end=\"2578\">\n<td data-start=\"2499\" data-end=\"2512\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Travel<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"2512\" data-end=\"2532\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"2514\" data-end=\"2523\">Set off<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"2532\" data-end=\"2578\">We set off early to catch the train.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"2579\" data-end=\"2658\">\n<td data-start=\"2579\" data-end=\"2592\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Work<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2592\" data-end=\"2612\"><em data-start=\"2594\" data-end=\"2603\">Take on<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"2612\" data-end=\"2658\">I took on more tasks at the office.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"2659\" data-end=\"2738\">\n<td data-start=\"2659\" data-end=\"2672\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Health<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2672\" data-end=\"2692\"><em data-start=\"2674\" data-end=\"2684\">Get over<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"2692\" data-end=\"2738\">She got over the cold in two days.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"2739\" data-end=\"2818\">\n<td data-start=\"2739\" data-end=\"2752\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Family<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"2752\" data-end=\"2772\"><em data-start=\"2754\" data-end=\"2766\">Look after<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"md\" data-start=\"2772\" data-end=\"2818\">I look after my grandparents on weekends.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 data-start=\"2825\" data-end=\"2840\"><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"2842\" data-end=\"3154\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n<li data-start=\"2842\" data-end=\"2899\">\n<p data-start=\"2844\" data-end=\"2899\">Practice with cue cards to build speaking confidence.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2900\" data-end=\"2946\">\n<p data-start=\"2902\" data-end=\"2946\">Watch native speakers to learn real usage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2947\" data-end=\"2998\">\n<p data-start=\"2949\" data-end=\"2998\">Avoid using idioms if they don\u2019t fit naturally.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2999\" data-end=\"3049\">\n<p data-start=\"3001\" data-end=\"3049\">Learn phrasal verbs by grouping them by topic.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3050\" data-end=\"3154\" data-is-last-node=\"\">\n<p data-start=\"3052\" data-end=\"3154\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Keep it simple, clear, and meaningful always.<br data-start=\"3097\" data-end=\"3100\" \/>Using expressions correctly is better than using many.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"33\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sample_Answer_Using_Both\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"31\"> Sample Answer Using Both<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"35\" data-end=\"334\">Using idioms and phrasal verbs together can sound impressive. But they must be used naturally, in the right context. Here\u2019s a <strong data-start=\"165\" data-end=\"190\">Part 2 IELTS cue card<\/strong> with a sample answer. The answer includes both idioms and phrasal verbs clearly. You\u2019ll also see how they help build fluency and emotion.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"341\" data-end=\"404\"><strong>Cue Card: <em data-start=\"358\" data-end=\"402\">Describe a challenging experience you had.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"406\" data-end=\"423\">You should say:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"424\" data-end=\"538\">\n<li data-start=\"424\" data-end=\"450\">\n<p data-start=\"426\" data-end=\"450\">What the challenge was<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"451\" data-end=\"471\">\n<p data-start=\"453\" data-end=\"471\">When it happened<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"472\" data-end=\"497\">\n<p data-start=\"474\" data-end=\"497\">How you dealt with it<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"498\" data-end=\"538\">\n<p data-start=\"500\" data-end=\"538\">And explain what you learned from it<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"545\" data-end=\"584\"><strong>Sample Answer (With Highlights)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"586\" data-end=\"1126\"><em data-start=\"586\" data-end=\"1124\">&#8220;About a year ago, I <strong>went through<\/strong> a difficult time. I had just lost my job due to company downsizing. At first, I didn\u2019t know how to<strong> cope with<\/strong> the stress. I had to <strong>figure out<\/strong> a new path quickly. Honestly, it felt like I had hit rock bottom. But later, it turned out to be a <strong>blessing in disguise<\/strong>. I started freelancing and slowly built my own career. Now, I feel proud that I <strong>didn\u2019t give up<\/strong> on myself. That experience really<strong> taught me a lesson<\/strong> for life. I learned that challenges can lead to better things.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1133\" data-end=\"1169\"><strong>Idioms and Phrasal Verbs Used<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"_tableContainer_80l1q_1\">\n<div class=\"_tableWrapper_80l1q_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<table class=\"w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)\" data-start=\"1171\" data-end=\"1923\">\n<thead data-start=\"1171\" data-end=\"1264\">\n<tr data-start=\"1171\" data-end=\"1264\">\n<th data-start=\"1171\" data-end=\"1198\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"1173\" data-end=\"1187\">Expression<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"1198\" data-end=\"1217\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"1200\" data-end=\"1208\">Type<\/strong><\/th>\n<th data-start=\"1217\" data-end=\"1264\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><strong data-start=\"1219\" data-end=\"1230\">Meaning<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody data-start=\"1359\" data-end=\"1923\">\n<tr data-start=\"1359\" data-end=\"1453\">\n<td data-start=\"1359\" data-end=\"1386\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1361\" data-end=\"1375\">Went through<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1386\" data-end=\"1405\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Phrasal verb<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1405\" data-end=\"1453\">Faced or experienced something difficult<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1547\">\n<td data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1481\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1456\" data-end=\"1467\">Cope with<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1481\" data-end=\"1500\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Phrasal verb<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1500\" data-end=\"1547\">Manage or deal with stress<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1548\" data-end=\"1641\">\n<td data-start=\"1548\" data-end=\"1575\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1550\" data-end=\"1562\">Figure out<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1575\" data-end=\"1594\">Phrasal verb<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1594\" data-end=\"1641\">Find a solution or understand something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1642\" data-end=\"1735\">\n<td data-start=\"1642\" data-end=\"1669\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1644\" data-end=\"1660\">Didn\u2019t give up<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1669\" data-end=\"1688\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Phrasal verb<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1688\" data-end=\"1735\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Kept trying and didn\u2019t quit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1736\" data-end=\"1829\">\n<td data-start=\"1736\" data-end=\"1763\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1738\" data-end=\"1762\">A blessing in disguise<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1782\">Idiom<\/td>\n<td data-col-size=\"sm\" data-start=\"1782\" data-end=\"1829\">Something good that seemed bad at first<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr data-start=\"1830\" data-end=\"1923\">\n<td data-start=\"1830\" data-end=\"1857\" data-col-size=\"sm\"><em data-start=\"1832\" data-end=\"1852\">Taught me a lesson<\/em><\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1857\" data-end=\"1876\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Idiom<\/td>\n<td data-start=\"1876\" data-end=\"1923\" data-col-size=\"sm\">Gave me a valuable life experience<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 data-start=\"1930\" data-end=\"1957\"><strong>Why This Sample Works<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"1959\" data-end=\"2220\">\n<li data-start=\"1959\" data-end=\"2009\">\n<p data-start=\"1961\" data-end=\"2009\">Expressions are used in the <strong data-start=\"1989\" data-end=\"2006\">right context<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2010\" data-end=\"2055\">\n<p data-start=\"2012\" data-end=\"2055\">They sound <strong data-start=\"2023\" data-end=\"2052\">natural and not memorized<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2056\" data-end=\"2116\">\n<p data-start=\"2058\" data-end=\"2116\">Idioms are limited to <strong data-start=\"2080\" data-end=\"2113\">two strong, emotional phrases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2117\" data-end=\"2177\">\n<p data-start=\"2119\" data-end=\"2177\">Phrasal verbs support the <strong data-start=\"2145\" data-end=\"2166\">story and actions<\/strong> clearly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2178\" data-end=\"2220\">\n<p data-start=\"2180\" data-end=\"2220\">The flow is smooth and easy to follow.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"2227\" data-end=\"2250\"><strong>Tip for Practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul data-start=\"2252\" data-end=\"2463\">\n<li data-start=\"2252\" data-end=\"2302\">\n<p data-start=\"2254\" data-end=\"2302\">Choose 2 phrasal verbs and 1 idiom per answer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2303\" data-end=\"2358\">\n<p data-start=\"2305\" data-end=\"2358\">Practice with real cue cards from past IELTS tests.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2359\" data-end=\"2406\">\n<p data-start=\"2361\" data-end=\"2406\">Use voice recordings to check your fluency.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2407\" data-end=\"2463\">\n<p data-start=\"2409\" data-end=\"2463\">Replace overused words with phrasal verbs naturally.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2470\" data-end=\"2636\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Using both forms together adds depth to your answers. Just make sure each expression fits the idea clearly. When in doubt, choose simpler and safer phrasal verbs<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"19\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Idioms_vs_Phrasal_Verbs_for_IELTS_Speaking_Conclusion\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"17\">Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking: Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"21\" data-end=\"463\">Both idioms and phrasal verbs improve IELTS speaking score. Idioms are harder to learn and easy to misuse. Phrasal verbs are common and sound more natural overall. They fit better in most IELTS speaking topics. Idioms add style but require strong understanding and practice. Using them wrongly can lower clarity and fluency score. Aim for balance but focus more on phrasal verbs. They are safer and easier for everyday speech.<\/p>\n<p><strong data-start=\"465\" data-end=\"479\">Final Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use expressions only when they fit the context naturally.<\/li>\n<li>Always choose quality over quantity in speaking answers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"4963\" data-end=\"4981\"><strong data-start=\"4963\" data-end=\"4981\">Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4982\" data-end=\"5250\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n<li data-start=\"4982\" data-end=\"5035\">\n<p data-start=\"4984\" data-end=\"5035\">Idioms are tricky but impressive when used right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5036\" data-end=\"5087\">\n<p data-start=\"5038\" data-end=\"5087\">Phrasal verbs are natural and easy to blend in.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5088\" data-end=\"5144\">\n<p data-start=\"5090\" data-end=\"5144\">Avoid memorizing idioms without knowing their usage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5145\" data-end=\"5200\">\n<p data-start=\"5147\" data-end=\"5200\">Practice both through cue cards and native content.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5201\" data-end=\"5250\" data-is-last-node=\"\">\n<p data-start=\"5203\" data-end=\"5250\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Focus on clear, fluent speech over showing off.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"absolute\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center\">\n<div>\n<table class=\"table\" dir=\"ltr\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"448\" \/>\n<col width=\"471\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\" rowspan=\"1\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Related Links &quot;}\"><strong>Related Links<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;All About IELTS Exam&quot;}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/all-about-ielts-exam\/\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/all-about-ielts-exam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">All About IELTS Exam<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;IELTS Reading Practice Test&quot;}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-reading-practice-test\/\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-reading-practice-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IELTS Reading Practice Test<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;IELTS Listening Practice Test&quot;}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-listening-practice-test\/\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-listening-practice-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IELTS Listening Practice Test<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;IELTS Writing Practice Test&quot;}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-writing-practice-test\/\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-writing-practice-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IELTS Writing Practice Test<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;IELTS Speaking Practice Test&quot;}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-speaking-practice-test\/\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/ielts-speaking-practice-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IELTS Speaking Practice Test<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Vocabulary in IELTS &quot;}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/importance-of-vocabulary-in-ielts\/\"><strong><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/importance-of-vocabulary-in-ielts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vocabulary in IELTS<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many IELTS learners feel nervous about speaking fluently. They want to impress the examiner with natural English. But knowing fancy words isn\u2019t always enough. Expressions like idioms and phrasal verbs help a lot. These can make your answers sound native-like and smooth. But how do you choose what to focus on? That\u2019s where Idioms vs. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":25616411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[802,1928],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25616403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-ielts"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking? - Entri Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Confused about Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking? Which one is better? Know the difference through this detailed blog.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking? - Entri Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Confused about Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking? Which one is better? Know the difference through this detailed blog.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Entri Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/entri.me\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-06T07:49:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-29T12:54:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"820\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"615\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Famida\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@entri_app\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@entri_app\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Famida\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Famida\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8cc8d87d6cbc05e0ca8e6a1113a8b419\"},\"headline\":\"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-06T07:49:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-29T12:54:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\"},\"wordCount\":2671,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Articles\",\"IELTS\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\",\"name\":\"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking? - Entri Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-06T07:49:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-29T12:54:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"Confused about Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking? Which one is better? Know the difference through this detailed blog.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png\",\"width\":820,\"height\":615,\"caption\":\"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"IELTS\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/category\/ielts\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Entri Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Entri App\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Entri-Logo-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Entri-Logo-1.png\",\"width\":989,\"height\":446,\"caption\":\"Entri App\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/entri.me\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/entri_app\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8cc8d87d6cbc05e0ca8e6a1113a8b419\",\"name\":\"Famida\",\"description\":\"Famida is an experienced educator with over a decade of teaching experience, specializing in grades 8 to 12, business management (BBM), and electronics engineering. Holding a Master's degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering, she has also trained interns in IoT. For the past four years, Famida has been writing articles for Entri, focusing on exam preparation tips, question papers, and study plans. She also creates practice questions for the Entri app and provides support to users. Additionally, Famida's writing skills extend to parenting and personal blogs, as well as curriculum development.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/amuslimpreschoolershome.blogspot.com\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/famida-ahamad-4736a856\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/author\/famida\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking? - Entri Blog","description":"Confused about Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking? Which one is better? Know the difference through this detailed blog.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking? - Entri Blog","og_description":"Confused about Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking? Which one is better? Know the difference through this detailed blog.","og_url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/","og_site_name":"Entri Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/entri.me\/","article_published_time":"2025-07-06T07:49:58+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-29T12:54:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":820,"height":615,"url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Famida","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@entri_app","twitter_site":"@entri_app","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Famida","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/"},"author":{"name":"Famida","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8cc8d87d6cbc05e0ca8e6a1113a8b419"},"headline":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking?","datePublished":"2025-07-06T07:49:58+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-29T12:54:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/"},"wordCount":2671,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png","articleSection":["Articles","IELTS"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/","url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/","name":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking? - Entri Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png","datePublished":"2025-07-06T07:49:58+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-29T12:54:22+00:00","description":"Confused about Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs for IELTS Speaking? Which one is better? Know the difference through this detailed blog.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Idioms-vs.-Phrasal-Verbs-Whats-Better-for-IELTS-Speaking.png","width":820,"height":615,"caption":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/idioms-vs-phrasal-verbs-for-ielts-speaking\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"IELTS","item":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/category\/ielts\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Idioms vs. Phrasal Verbs: What\u2019s Better for IELTS Speaking?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/","name":"Entri Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#organization","name":"Entri App","url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Entri-Logo-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Entri-Logo-1.png","width":989,"height":446,"caption":"Entri App"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/entri.me\/","https:\/\/x.com\/entri_app"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8cc8d87d6cbc05e0ca8e6a1113a8b419","name":"Famida","description":"Famida is an experienced educator with over a decade of teaching experience, specializing in grades 8 to 12, business management (BBM), and electronics engineering. Holding a Master's degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering, she has also trained interns in IoT. For the past four years, Famida has been writing articles for Entri, focusing on exam preparation tips, question papers, and study plans. She also creates practice questions for the Entri app and provides support to users. Additionally, Famida's writing skills extend to parenting and personal blogs, as well as curriculum development.","sameAs":["https:\/\/amuslimpreschoolershome.blogspot.com\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/famida-ahamad-4736a856\/"],"url":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/author\/famida\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25616403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25616403"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25616403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25616426,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25616403\/revisions\/25616426"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25616411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25616403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25616403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25616403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}