How Are Idioms Tested on the TOEFL?

Understanding how idioms are assessed on the TOEFL helps you anticipate what to encounter during the exam. In all TOEFL sections, it’s crucial to note that direct questions about idioms won’t be posed. You won’t find a Reading question asking for the definition of an idiom like “feeling blue” or a Speaking prompt requesting you to describe an experience related to an idiom like “butterflies in your stomach.”

TOEFL incorporates idioms within written passages or audio materials, albeit not as central elements. Comprehending these idioms aids in contextualizing the passages and facilitates better understanding of the content being discussed.

Now, let’s delve into how idioms are specifically integrated and tested within each TOEFL section.

TOEFL Listening Section

Idiom	Meaning
Break the ice	To initiate a conversation or interaction in a friendly manner.
Catch someone’s eye	To attract someone’s attention.
Jump on the bandwagon	To join or support a popular trend or activity.
Miss the boat	To miss an opportunity.
Ring a bell	To sound familiar or remind someone of something.
Hit the nail on the head	To describe precisely or accurately the main point or issue.
Barking up the wrong tree	To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Cost an arm and a leg	Something that is very expensive.
Don’t cry over spilled milk	To worry about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
It’s a piece of cake	Something that is very easy to do or accomplish.
Let the cat out of the bag	To reveal a secret.
Under the weather	To feel ill or not well.
Spill the beans	To disclose a secret or reveal information.
Get cold feet	To become nervous or hesitant about doing something.
Hit the hay	To go to bed or go to sleep.
A drop in the bucket	A very small amount compared to what is needed or expected.
All in the same boat	In the same situation or predicament.
Devil’s advocate	Someone who argues against something, not because they disagree, but to provoke debate.
In the dark	Unaware or uninformed about something.
Tip of the iceberg	A small, visible part of a larger problem or issue.
On the same page	To have a shared understanding or agreement.
Read between the lines	To infer or understand the hidden meaning in a text.
Take with a grain of salt	To be skeptical or not fully believe something.
Hear it through the grapevine	To hear rumors or information indirectly, often through gossip.
Hold your horses	To wait or be patient.

Also Read: TOEFL Listening Section: Structure, Question Types, Tips & More

TOEFL Speaking Section

Idiom	Meaning
Bite the bullet	To face a difficult situation with courage.
Cut to the chase	To get to the point without wasting time.
Give the benefit of the doubt	To believe someone’s statement without proof.
Kick the bucket	To die.
Pull someone’s leg	To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner.
Scratch someone’s back	To do something nice for someone expecting a favor in return.
See eye to eye	To agree or have the same opinion as someone.
Sit on the fence	To be undecided or neutral about an issue.
Speak of the devil	When the person you have just been talking about arrives.
Put all your eggs in one basket	To risk everything on a single venture.
Raining cats and dogs	Raining heavily.
Ring a bell	To sound familiar or remind someone of something.
Rub someone the wrong way	To annoy or irritate someone.
Rule of thumb	A practical or approximate guide or principle.
See the light at the end of the tunnel	To see signs of improvement or relief after a difficult period.
Show one’s true colors	To reveal one’s true intentions or character.
Sit on the fence	To be undecided or neutral about an issue.
Spill the beans	To disclose a secret or reveal information.
Steal someone’s thunder	To take attention or credit away from someone else’s achievement.
Take with a grain of salt	To be skeptical or not fully believe something.
The ball is in your court	It is up to you to make the next decision or take action.
The devil is in the details	The important or crucial elements are hidden or contained in the details.
Throw in the towel	To give up or surrender.
Time flies when you’re having fun	Time seems to pass quickly when you’re enjoying yourself.
Turn a blind eye	To ignore or pretend not to notice something.

Also Read: Latest TOEFL Speaking Topics 2024: Sample Questions & Answers

TOEFL Reading Section

Idiom	Meaning
A blessing in disguise	Something that initially seems bad but turns out to be beneficial.
Add insult to injury	To make a bad situation worse.
In the heat of the moment	Impulsively or without careful thought.
Keep an eye on	To watch or monitor closely.
To kill two birds with one stone	To accomplish two tasks with a single action.
Back to the drawing board	To start over or rethink a plan after a failure.
Beat around the bush	To avoid addressing an issue directly.
Bite off more than one can chew	To take on more responsibility or work than one can handle.
Break a leg	A phrase used to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.
Call it a day	To decide to stop working or end an activity for the day.
Clear the air	To resolve a misunderstanding or tension by discussing it openly.
Cry over spilled milk	To worry about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
Cut to the chase	To get to the point without wasting time.
Hit the nail on the head	To describe precisely or accurately the main point or issue.
Hit the hay	To go to bed or go to sleep.
Go the extra mile	To make additional effort or go above and beyond what is required.
Hear it through the grapevine	To hear rumors or information indirectly, often through gossip.
Hold your horses	To wait or be patient.
In the same boat	In the same situation or predicament.
It’s not rocket science	Something that is not difficult to understand or figure out.
Leave no stone unturned	To search or investigate thoroughly and exhaustively.
Miss the boat	To miss an opportunity.
Off the top of one’s head	To speak or answer without much thought or preparation.
Once in a blue moon	Something that happens very rarely.
Over the moon	Extremely happy or delighted

Also Read: TOEFL Reading: Practice Tests, Questions & Tips

TOEFL Writing Section

Idiom	Meaning
A dime a dozen	Something that is common or easy to find.
All ears	Eager and attentive to listen.
Cut corners	To take shortcuts or do something in a quick and easy way, often sacrificing quality.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket	To not risk everything on a single venture.
Have a chip on one’s shoulder	To be easily offended or hold a grudge.
Let the cat out of the bag	To reveal a secret.
Leave no stone unturned	To search or investigate thoroughly and exhaustively.
Miss the boat	To miss an opportunity.
Off the top of one’s head	To speak or answer without much thought or preparation.
Once in a blue moon	Something that happens very rarely.
Pay through the nose	To pay an excessive or exorbitant amount for something.
Piece of cake	Something that is very easy to do or accomplish.
Pull someone’s leg	To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner.
Ring a bell	To sound familiar or remind someone of something.
Rule of thumb	A practical or approximate guide or principle.
See the light at the end of the tunnel	To see signs of improvement or relief after a difficult period.
Show one’s true colors	To reveal one’s true intentions or character.
Sit on the fence	To be undecided or neutral about an issue.
Spill the beans	To disclose a secret or reveal information.
Steal someone’s thunder	To take attention or credit away from someone else’s achievement.
Take with a grain of salt	To be skeptical or not fully believe something.
The ball is in your court	It is up to you to make the next decision or take action.
The devil is in the details	The important or crucial elements are hidden or contained in the details.
Throw in the towel	To give up or surrender.
Time flies when you’re having fun	Time seems to pass quickly when you’re enjoying yourself.

Also Read: TOEFL Writing Templates- 2024 (Updated)

50+TOEFL Idioms We Must Know| Facts to Know

Mastering idioms is essential to achieving success in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Success on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requires a mastery of idioms.

This article aims to simplify idioms for TOEFL preparation by providing explanations of their meaning and useful techniques for mastering them. This resource gives you the skills to ace the TOEFL exam in all areas, including speaking, reading, and writing.

Idioms for TOEFL

Table of Content

What are Idioms?
How Important Are Idioms on the TOEFL?
How Are Idioms Tested on the TOEFL?
37 Idioms You Should Know for the TOEFL
Tips on How to Recognize and Interpret Idioms in Different Contexts
How to Study TOEFL Idioms?

Similar Reads

Idiom Definition Sample Sentence A short fuse A quick temper. Don’t get the coach mad; he has a very short fuse. Beat around the bush To avoid the main topic/not speak directly. Stop beating around the bush and tell me why you’re here. Be on your toes Be ready/prepared. A fire can happen at any moment, so firemen always need to be on their toes. Breeze though something To do something quickly and easily. Don’t worry about the math homework; I’m sure you’ll breeze through it. Butterflies in your stomach To feel nervous. Tom always got butterflies in his stomach before giving a speech. Costs an arm and a leg Is very expensive. That new purse of hers costs an arm and a leg. Couch potato Someone who is lazy. You need to stop being such a couch potato and start joining me at the gym. Cut corners To do something badly to save time or money. The architect cut corners on the bridge’s construction, which is why it eventually collapsed. Cut someone some slack To go easy on someone. I heard Rachel’s dad is sick, so we should cut her some slack on this group project. Feeling blue Feeling sad or depressed. Erika’s been feeling blue every since her boyfriend broke up with her. Finding a needle in a haystack Virtually impossible to find. These days, finding a job that doesn’t require experience is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Get some shut eye Sleep. I have a big exam tomorrow, so I need to get some shut eye. Go the extra mile Put in extra effort. Kelsey has the highest grades in our class since she always goes the extra mile with homework assignments. Hang in there Be patient. I know it’s hard waiting for the exam results, but you just need to hang in there. Hard up Lack money. Ellie knew I was hard up, so she paid for my coffee. Have a bone to pick Have something to argue about. I have a bone to pick with the girl who stole my boyfriend from me. Jump on the bandwagon To join something that’s popular. I’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon and listen to that new band everyone is talking about. Let’s get this show on the road! Let’s get started! We have everything packed for the road trip, so let’s get this show on the road! Let the cat out of the bag To tell a secret. The surprise party was ruined when my little brother let the cat out of the bag and told our mom about it. Lose your marbles To be crazy. (Often said as a joke.) Mrs. Thompson wants all this homework finished tomorrow? She must have lost her marbles! Make a long story short To quickly get to the point. To make a long story short, my neighbor found my lost dog near the park. Make your blood run cold Frighten. That new horror movie made my blood run cold. Once in a blue moon Something that happens very rarely. Only once in a blue moon will Mr. Smith let us get out of class early. On the fence To not have made a decision or formed an opinion yet. I’m on the fence as to whether this new law is a good idea. Piece of cake Something easy to do. The math homework has only three questions, so finishing it will be a piece of cake. Pulling one’s leg To joke with someone. You didn’t really believe that, did you? I was just pulling your leg. Put your foot in your mouth Say something you shouldn’t have. The husband put his foot in his mouth when he told his wife her dress was ugly. Raining cats and dogs Raining very hard. You absolutely need an umbrella; it’s raining cats and dogs out there! Read between the lines To detect a meaning that’s implied but not stated outright. Reading between the lines of this poem you wrote her, it seems as though you like Elizabeth. Run into someone Meet someone unexpectedly. I ran into my old kindergarten teacher at the grocery store today. Sweating bullets To be very nervous. Alan was sweating bullets when he asked the girl he liked to the dance. Tag along Accompany. I told my little sister she could tag along when we go to the beach. Take a rain check Postpone a plan. I have the flu, so I’ll need to take a rain check on going to the club. Take it easy Relax. This summer, all I’m going to do is take it easy. Take with a grain of salt Don’t take too seriously. My father doesn’t know anything about cars, so take any advice he gives you about fixing your engine with a grain of salt. Test the waters Try something out. If you’re not sure if you want to join the club, you can test the waters by just going to the first meeting. Way to go! Good job! You got 100% on your chemistry test? Way to go!...

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How Important are Idioms on the TOEFL?

37 Idioms You Should Know for the TOEFL