Thành ngữ (idioms) IELTS Speaking

a piece of cakeThành ngữ

dễ như ăn bánh

The first part of the test was a piece of cake, but the essay was hard.

Chỉ dùng khi thật sự nói về việc dễ; đừng nhồi thành ngữ vào câu trả lời.

keep an eye onThành ngữ

để mắt đến, trông chừng

Could you keep an eye on my bag while I buy a coffee?

not my cup of teaThành ngữ

không phải sở thích của tôi

Horror films are not my cup of tea.

Cách nói lịch sự khi không thích thứ gì.

over the moonThành ngữ

vui mừng khôn xiết

My parents were over the moon when I got into university.

take it easyThành ngữ

thư giãn, nghỉ ngơi

At weekends I like to take it easy and watch films.

time fliesThành ngữ

thời gian trôi nhanh quá

Time flies when you're travelling with friends.

once in a blue moonThành ngữ

rất hiếm khi

I only eat fast food once in a blue moon.

burn the midnight oilThành ngữ

thức khuya học hoặc làm việc

Before my exams, I had to burn the midnight oil for weeks.

under the weatherThành ngữ

hơi mệt, không khoẻ

I was feeling a bit under the weather, so I stayed at home.

Chỉ dùng cho ốm nhẹ.

on the goThành ngữ

bận rộn, luôn chân luôn tay

With two jobs, I'm constantly on the go.

a breath of fresh airThành ngữ

luồng gió mới (dễ chịu, mới mẻ)

Our new manager was a breath of fresh air after years of strict rules.

get the hang ofThành ngữ

nắm được cách làm, quen tay

Driving felt strange at first, but I soon got the hang of it.

get the hang OF something/doing something.

learn the ropesThành ngữ

học những điều cơ bản (của việc mới)

It took me a few months to learn the ropes at my first job.

make ends meetThành ngữ

xoay xở đủ sống

Many students work part-time to make ends meet.

the best of both worldsThành ngữ

vẹn cả đôi đường

Living in the suburbs gives me the best of both worlds: peace and easy access to the city.

go the extra mileThành ngữ

nỗ lực nhiều hơn mức cần thiết

My favourite teacher always went the extra mile to help us.

hit it offThành ngữ

hợp nhau ngay từ đầu

My roommate and I hit it off straight away.

hit it off WITH somebody.

once in a lifetimeThành ngữ

có một không hai trong đời

Seeing the northern lights was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Đứng trước danh từ thì có gạch nối: a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

call it a dayThành ngữ

dừng lại, nghỉ (sau khi làm việc)

We'd been studying for six hours, so we decided to call it a day.

cost an arm and a legThành ngữ

đắt cắt cổ

Renting a flat in the city centre costs an arm and a leg.

on the same pageThành ngữ

cùng chung hiểu biết, nhất trí

Before starting the project, we made sure everyone was on the same page.

sleep on itThành ngữ

để nghĩ thêm (trước khi quyết định)

It's a big decision, so I'll sleep on it before I reply.

in the middle of nowhereThành ngữ

ở nơi hẻo lánh

My grandparents live in a village in the middle of nowhere.

a blessing in disguiseThành ngữ

trong cái rủi có cái may

Losing that job was a blessing in disguise because I found a better one.

a far cry fromThành ngữ

khác xa với

My tiny flat is a far cry from the big house I grew up in.

be up to my ears inThành ngữ

ngập đầu (việc, bài tập)

I'm up to my ears in work this week, so I can't go out.

Đổi đại từ theo chủ ngữ: She is up to her ears in work.

the icing on the cakeThành ngữ

điều tuyệt vời thêm vào (khi mọi thứ đã tốt)

The trip was great, and the sunny weather was the icing on the cake.

bite off more than you can chewThành ngữ

ôm đồm quá sức

Don't bite off more than you can chew by taking too many courses.

a stone's throw fromThành ngữ

cách ... rất gần

My flat is just a stone's throw from the beach.

a trip down memory laneThành ngữ

chuyến hồi tưởng kỷ niệm

Looking at old photos was a trip down memory lane.