Idiom

An idiom is a fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from the ordinary meaning of its words, such as break the ice, over the moon or bite the bullet. Idioms are understood by convention within a language. They add colour, familiarity and a sense of natural, everyday speech to writing.

Because their meaning is figurative, idioms can puzzle a reader unfamiliar with them. They belong more to informal than formal writing. Recognising idioms helps a reader understand meaning that is not literal, and using them well makes writing sound fluent.

In the reading paper, recognising idioms prevents you from misreading a figurative phrase literally, protecting your comprehension. In your own writing, a well-chosen idiom can make your tone sound natural and engaging, especially in informal tasks. Avoid idioms in very formal writing.

Understanding idioms is also important because using them slightly wrongly is a common slip. Accurate, natural use shows real command of English.

Telling a nervous friend to break the ice at the party means to ease the awkwardness by starting a conversation. It does not mean touching anything cold.

In the reading paper, treat an idiom as a whole and interpret its figurative meaning rather than its literal words. In your own writing, use idioms sparingly to sound natural in informal tasks, and only when you are sure of their exact meaning and form. Avoid them in formal writing, where plain, precise language is usually more appropriate.

You may also find writing formats and annotated model responses useful. Next, visit our skills guides for IGCSE English to see terms like this used in real answers. Our IGCSE English tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.