30+ Idioms on the Topic of Nature and the Environment for IELTS Speaking
08 September, 2023IELTS idioms
![Idioms for IELTS Speaking Nature and the Environment](https://blog.azvocab.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Idioms-for-IELTS-Speaking-Nature-and-the-Environment.png)
Nature and Environment is certainly one of the timeless topics in the IELTS exam. In addition to common vocabulary, let’s “pocket” some interesting idioms with azVocab to boost your scores! Please note that for this topic, azVocab will provide idioms that contain elements of nature and the environment, not solely in terms of semantics.
IDIOMS | MEANING | EXAMPLE |
A breath of fresh air | someone or something that is new and different and makes everything seem more exciting | Angela’s so cheerful and lively – she’s like a breath of fresh air when she visits. |
Add fuel to the fire | to make an argument or bad situation worse | The discovery that the government was aware of the cover-up has really added fuel to the fire. |
Always chasing rainbows | constantly pursuing something more appealing than what one currently has – no matter how unrealistic it is | Although he is 48 years old, he is still dreaming of becoming a famous singer. He’s always chasing rainbows. |
Barking up the wrong tree | trying to do something in a way that will not work | His attorney suggested that the investigators might be barking up the wrong tree. |
Dead in the water | having failed and very unlikely to have any success in the future | If the conservative party doesn’t vote for the treaty, it would become dead in the water. |
In deep water | To be in or get into serious trouble | The director knew he’d be in deep water if he didn’t mention his wife in his acceptance speech. |
In hot water | in a difficult situation in which you are likely to be punished | If our President finds out that we took her off the train and made all that fuss over nothing, we may be in hot water. |
Be in the land of the living | to be awake or to be alive | He was working all night long. I don’t think he’ll be in the land of the living before noon. |
Bed of roses | an easy and happy existence | My life hasn’t exactly been a bed of roses. |
Castles in the air | plans that are unlikely to happen | You need sound financial advice and a strong plan if you’re going to start your own business – don’t just build castles in the air. |
(Has the) cat got your tongue? | something you say to someone when you are annoyed because they will not speak | Why are you ignoring me, has the cat got your tongue? |
Come into bloom | to start to produce flowers | With the warm spring this year, many flowers have come into bloom earlier than usual. |
Come under fire | to be criticized | The president has come under fire for his decision to postpone the elections. |
Draw the shortest straw | to be selected to do an undesirable task | I drew the short straw and got stuck doing the whole project alone. |
Fan the flames | to make a bad feeling or situation become worse or more intense | His speeches fanned the flames of racial tension. |
Have your head in the clouds | to not know the facts of a situation | He always has his head in the clouds! |
The final/last straw | the last in a series of unpleasant events that finally makes you feel that you cannot continue to accept a bad situation | Losing my job was bad enough, but being evicted was the last straw. |
Make a mountain out of a molehill | to make a slight difficulty seem like a serious problem | Stop making a mountain out of a molehill mum, I’ll be back at 11! |
Nature calls | the need to use the toilet | Don’t wait for me, nature calls! |
This, our, etc. neck of the woods | this, our, etc. a particular area | I didn’t expect to see you in this neck of the woods. |
Hold out/offer an olive branch | to do or say something in order to show that you want to end a disagreement with someone | He held out an olive branch to the opposition by releasing 42 political prisoners. |
Out of the woods | not having a problem or difficulty any longer | It’s too soon to say if either airline is out of the woods yet. |
Paper tiger | an enemy or foreign country, that seems very strong and dangerous but is really weak and not harmful | The Soviet Union was suddenly revealed as a paper tiger. |
Back the wrong horse | to make the wrong decision and support a person or action that is later unsuccessful | In all his years as a book publisher, he rarely backed the wrong horse. |
Under the weather | slightly unwell or in low spirits | He is feeling a little under the weather today. |
A drop in the ocean | a very small amount compared to the amount needed | My letter of protest was just a drop in the ocean. |
The sands (of time) are running out | used to say that there is not much time left to do something | I know that picking a college is a big decision, but the sands are running out. |
A ray of sunshine | a happy person who makes others feel happy, especially in a difficult situation | We love looking after our grandchild. He’s a ray of sunshine! |
At sea | confused | I’m all/completely at sea with the new computer system. |
Can’t see the forest/wood for the trees | cannot see, understand, or focus on a situation in its entirety due to being preoccupied with minor details | The way he’s obsessing over one doorknob when we’re renovating the entire house makes me think that he can’t see the forest for the trees. |
Go with the flow | to do what other people are doing or to agree with other people because it is the easiest thing to do | We always do things your way – can’t you just go with the flow for once? |
A/(lone) voice in the wilderness | someone who expresses an unpopular opinion or idea | She felt like a voice in the wilderness as she tried to warn others about the impending economic collapse. |
Tip of the iceberg | a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater | These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg. |
Beat around the bush | to avoid talking about what is important | Don’t beat around the bush – get to the point! |
Through this article, azVocab hopes that readers can expand their knowledge of common idioms related to the Nature and Environment topic and apply them accurately and effectively in their IELTS Speaking responses. With these idioms, we hope you’ll have more ideas for your IELTS exam!