This is an All Year's English podcast, winning idioms for IELTS and everyday life.
Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection with your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS Whiz, and Lindsey McMahon, the English adventurer.
Coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, USA. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash subscribe. In today's episode, get three idioms that will ensure you score high on IELTS speaking and will also help you connect in everyday conversations.
Hey, Aubrey, what's shaking? I'm great. How are you, Lindsey? I'm feeling really good, but I have a good question for you today. You ready? All right. Let's hear it. Yeah. All right. So what do you think was the best film of 2024?
Hmm. In my book, Wicked was the best movie of the year. I know we're at the end of 2024, but I just went with my family. We all loved it. I have seen it on Broadway, but I thought they did such a good job in the film adaptation. Have you seen it yet, Lindsay? I haven't seen the film yet. I've seen Wicked on Broadway too, and I lived in New York and I loved it. It was fantastic. And we're going to go see it this winter again in New York, but I haven't seen the film because I'm kind of afraid to see the film before I see the play again.
I don't know. It's so close to the play. It's just very similar, just like movie version. Part one just goes to the intermission, but they follow it very closely and they're singing live. They had like an orchestra there. It's amazing. They've made it like a more like a live show of the Broadway show. Interesting. Interesting. I mean, at the movie theater that was on set.
They're singing live and they have the orchestra, they're live, so it's all more like a Broadway performance, really. It's really fascinating. Amazing performances, Cynthia Arevo. She was in Harriet Tubman. I loved her after Harriet Tubman, but she was Alpha-ba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and she's phenomenal. Just amazing. Anyway, let's see it, guys. I loved it.
So in our discussion which is actually a great conversation starter by the way for anyone having a conversation in English but you said I asked you what was the best film of the year you said in my book. Wicked was the best film that's interesting what you said in my book you didn't just say it was wicked.
Yeah, this is a really great idiom to another way of saying in my opinion, in my book, it's this, right? Yeah. We have quite a few idioms in English to share our opinions. Yeah. And we use these all the time in everyday conversations. These will be useful for all of you out there listening, but especially if you are studying for IELTS, the best idioms to use are ones to introduce opinions because you are guaranteed to need to share your opinion on the IELTS speaking exam.
Yeah, especially when you start your IELTS response by just throwing in one of these idiomatic phrases. It's an easy way to grab extra points right away, right? And then you can worry about the business of actually giving the answer. But I like that strategy. Get the high level vocab word in right away. So why are we talking about IELTS today? How do we know about this, Aubrey?
Yeah, well, first of all, I am one of the co-hosts of IELTS Energy, one of our other podcasts. So I'm an IELTS expert of sorts. Jessica is the other co-host. She was an examiner for 14 years. So if you or anyone you know is studying for IELTS, you should be following the IELTS Energy podcast. So definitely search that wherever you find your podcasts and make sure to follow.
100% and we're going to give a little glimpse into a little strategy. But this episode definitely applies to every single one of our listeners. Why, Aubrey? Absolutely. We talk a lot here about how idioms adds color. They add color and interest to your language. And when you're sharing an opinion,
This is especially useful to use idiomatic language. Often it can sort of soften and make it less formal when you're sharing your opinion, which really boosts the connection. Yes, 100%. So today we're going to give how many phrases we've got three or four of them.
three idioms all which are used for sharing your opinion. So on the IELTS exam, you have to use idioms. The examiner is listening for a variety of vocabulary. You cannot sound just like every other student if you want to score seven or higher and you want to avoid very common language, like bad, nice, very, but also for everyone listening, you also want to avoid that more common boring language and add idioms, make your vocabulary more interesting.
Yeah, exactly. On the IELTS exam, I suppose it's the difference between a six and a seven, right? A band six sounds like everyone else. Is that right? I'll bring a band seven sounds a little more elevated, a little more unique. And in life, we also don't want to sound like everyone else. We want to build our own personal brand in a sense. Exactly. Yeah. So when you are learning English for everyday language,
You want to learn all the idioms. There are so many different idioms and they're all used in these different contexts. When it comes to the IELTS exam, you have to be more selective because you need to learn idioms you're likely to use on the exam, especially if you don't have a ton of time before you're taking the test. Sometimes learning general idioms or very specific idioms might have time for that, but you can learn idioms to introduce opinions that you will definitely use on testing.
And this is why you have to prepare with an expert in IELTS like our team or another team because if you're working with a teacher that has not frankly been an examiner or been trained by an examiner or somehow been on the inside of the exam, they don't know enough about the exam. I mean, that's just the truth.
Yes, that's just the truth, right? Just like we're, we don't set ourselves up as experts of any of the other language exams, right? IELTS is very specific. It has very specific requirements. So definitely follow out to energy if you're studying for IELTS. Yes. But again, this vocab that you will learn today will be useful for anytime you're sharing an opinion.
Love it. I think our listeners are ready for the first high scoring and high level, high success word for idiom expression. What is it? What's the first idiom? And you guys heard about this recently. That is what inspired this episode. Actually, you and Michelle talked about the idiom hands down, which means unquestionably. In episode 23 24, you are answering a question about it.
And this is so useful on IELTS. Again, because anytime you share your opinion, it's kind of blase to just be like, I think this, I think that, and just the same with your conversations, right? If you say something like unquestionably or even better, something idiomatic, like hands down, it's much more interesting and higher scoring.
Yeah, it's a little weak or just kind of too neutral because we're asking what you think, what you care about in the world, right? Show some energy and an idiom can help you in this case. Hands down is a good one. Yeah. Yeah. So like if you're talking about your favorite dessert, which could come up on part one of the speaking exam, you could say the cafe around the corner from my house has the best chocolate cake hands down.
And just think about how much more interesting this is instead of saying, oh, the cafe around the corner from my house has great chocolate cake. Yes, it's showing your opinion with strength for sure. And maybe you can share a story a time you went there or just you just bring people into your world a bit more. Absolutely. Or what if someone asked you about a book you read recently? Yeah. So for example, you could say, hands down, the best book I read this year was The House Made.
Oh, this is such a good book. If you guys haven't read it, this is freedom McFadden, and it's going to be made into a film. It's sort of a murder mystery. She has a whole series, such a good book. Okay, great. I'm always looking for new book recommendations. Love it. All right. So that is hands down as your first idiom. So everyone write that down. If you're taking IELTS, let's find a way to get this in to your answers.
Number two, Aubrey, what is it? Yeah, this is the one we used at the top of the episode in my book, which is just a fun way of saying in my opinion. Imagine you have a book that has all your opinions in it, right? Yeah, it's very idiomatically to imagine we have that book.
Yeah, I like this one. It's fun. So for example, in part two of the IELTS speaking test, if they ask you to describe a friend, we might say in my book, the best type of friend is one who is thoughtful and considerate. Exactly, right? And you're wanting to use idiomatic language. You have to fill two minutes for the part two in the speaking exam.
And so you're going to want to tell stories about this friend, get be descriptive, but you also need a variety vocabulary. This is a great idiom to introduce your opinions about this friend. Yeah. And again, like we said earlier, starting with this impressive idiom is going to, it's also probably going to tip the examiner's mind, start, have them start thinking in the direction of 79, not 456, right? You want to be on the right side of that divide.
Yes, that's such a good point. Another example, if in part one you're asked about favorite food, you can fall into the trap of just saying, my favorite food is Italian or something. You have to give more detail than that. You might say, I know this might be a hot take, but in my book, all food should be extremely spicy.
You're sharing a fun opinion about food. This doesn't even have to be true. It's just great vocab. You're still answering the question. I love it. That is so good. That's number two in my book. Again, really good way to get that high-level vocabulary in. There's a third suggestion.
What's our third? The third idiom is to change one's tune, which means to change one's opinion. So you'll say like, I changed my tune or he changed his tune. And for example, part one, if you're asked, you know, do you prefer eating out or kicking at home? You might say, I've actually changed my tune about this. I used to love eating out, but it's gotten super pricey. I hate dressing up. So now I just say home in my comfy.
in my com piece. Yeah, exactly. Love that. That's great about having that answer. Yeah, and this talks about kind of a journey that you've gone through, really good for context. Here's another example. Speaking part three, if you're asked, now Aubrey, speaking part three, it's often about societal issues, is that right?
Yes, exactly, things that affect society more broadly. You can definitely still use yourself as a personal example, but you might be asked about the environment or crime. And so you often do need sort of more topic specific vocabulary.
Okay, so if the topic were about recycling, right, you might say, the city I live in changed its tune this year and no longer picks up glass. If residents want to recycle glass bottles, they have to take them to special drop off locations. Okay. So this isn't just about a person changing their opinion. It's very useful for part three because it can be about governments or cities changing policies, be like, well, they changed their tune. And now it's like this.
showing evolution, showing before and after. This is a more complex articulation of something, which is why we find it in part three. Makes sense. And yes, idiom is especially useful for connecting in English, because this is really interesting, like you said, Lindsay, to think about your journey. Your opinions aren't the same throughout your life, often they change. And that's something interesting to ask someone with something they've changed their tune about.
Definitely, if our listeners again who aren't taking the aisle's exam, this would be a great conversation starter again. Yeah, what have you changed your tune? Politically, how have you changed your tune in the last five years or socially or lifestyle wise? There's a lot of ways you could ask this question. Absolutely.
Okay, here we go, Aubrey. Let's bring it into a role play so we can see how this how this comes out in real life. Okay, so you and I are talking about concerts in this role play. I'll start us. Have you been to any good concerts lately? You know, I don't really love going to concerts anymore. In my book, they're just usually not worth the expense and the inconvenience.
I usually feel the same, but I might change my tune after last Saturday. I went to a Mumford and Sons concert and it was phenomenal. Ooh, I do like their music. They put on a good show? Yes. Hands down the best concert I've ever been to.
Nice. That would be a good one. Have you seen them in concert, Aubrey Mumford insons? Yes, and this is accurate. I feel like I've been to a lot of great. But they put on a great show. Marcus Mumford was like coming out into the crowd and just super personable. Oh, yeah. And their music is fantastic. It really was a great show.
Oh, I'm sure it was. Yeah, I'm usually in theory. I'm not a concerts person. I don't go all the time. I don't like to spend a lot of money on concert tickets. But then when I do go, I say, geez, why don't I go to more concerts? It really makes me love music. It's so true, though. I did see a post on Facebook the other day. Someone was like, be prepared to be stuck in traffic for three hours on the way to some concert in downtown Phoenix. I'm like, oh, yes, this is why I don't go to concert. Yeah, yeah, that could be annoying for sure.
All right, so here I said, you know, I don't love going to concerts in my book and I'm furthering my opinion here. In my book, they're just usually not worth the expense. Yeah, and this is a direct, you know, intro, it's directly interchangeable with in my opinion. So if you find yourself about to say in my opinion, just swap it within my book, either on the IELTS exam or just in a conversation, it's more interesting, it's more native.
And more fun. I agree. It's definitely more fun because in my opinion is very neutral and quite boring, frankly, and it sounds like you're answering a school essay or something like you have to stand up and recite an essay. I don't know. It just sounds boring. It's more common, right? So this, I don't hear people say that. I mean, I do. I know what it means, but I kind of wish it were more common, especially with language learners. Like let's say this more. It's so fun.
Yeah, I totally agree. All right. What's the next one that you used? And then I said, I usually would agree, but I might change my tune after last Saturday and I start sharing about a concert that was really amazing. And I'm saying it may have changed my opinion about going to concerts or not, right? So this is a way to say that. Oh, this may be changed my tune.
Yeah, and this is also a side tip here for connection. I like the way you have kind of sort of reflected me by saying, I usually feel the same, but I've changed my tune. So there's still some empathy there in, in our conversation and the way you're responding because you're saying, yeah, I felt that way, but I've changed. That's kind of a pro tip for today's episode.
Yeah, good point, right? To like first say what you have in common, but then you're going to share, but maybe I'm changing my mind and use this amazing idiom. Yeah, it's changed my tune. It's pretty cool, pretty cool. And then I said, oh, they put on a good show and you said, yes, hands down the best concert I've ever been to. That's a big statement.
It is big. And sometimes we will just exaggerate. Like I'm not really sitting and thinking, what are all the concerts I've been to? I'm just saying it was amazing and using this really fun idiom. Yeah, no one's going to check the facts on that one. Don't worry. Aubrey, let's get our listeners. If you guys are getting ready to take the IELTS exam, you need to be listening to IELTS energy. Let's let our listeners know what episode they could start with, which would be a great start.
Yeah, this is a very recent one 1446 how to crush IELTS and this was some fantastic slang vocab crush kill nail ace that just means to do well to succeed. So whether you're preparing for IELTS or not, you might want to check that out just so you can use that amazing vocab. But especially if you're studying for IELTS because we share strategies for the IELTS exam.
For each section right how to crush out speaking how to nail writing so don't miss that episode Yeah, and lately we've gotten some really nice messages from students who have used the exam Use the podcast to go ahead go right into the exam and achieve their target scores very impressive Yes, a lot of students ace the exam lately. So congratulations to all of you and yeah, definitely check it out if you're studying for I'll
On the first thing you should do, so open your search bar type in IELTS energy, find the show, and first thing to do before you go to that episode is hit the follow button. That will ensure that it ends up in your queue, so you don't lose track of it. Super easy that way. Two episodes a week. Okay. Awesome. Today's idioms are great for everyone learning English. Throw these into your conversations whenever you're going to share your opinion. Very native natural chunks.
Yeah, it's just being more interesting, right? We want to be more interesting so that we can build that connection and these words will help you do it. Love it. Absolutely. Awesome. Thanks, Lindsay. All right, Aubrey, take care. Talk soon. Bye. Bye.
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