🔍 Phrasal Verbs vs Idioms – What’s Acceptable in IELTS?

Many IELTS candidates get confused about whether phrasal verbs or idioms are allowed in Writing and Speaking. While both can show fluency and lexical flexibility, they must be used wisely. This guide explains the difference, when to use each, and what examiners really want to see.

🧠 What’s the Difference?

Phrasal Verbs: Verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs that change their meaning.
Example: “give up” = stop trying

Idioms: Fixed expressions with non-literal meanings.
Example: “spill the beans” = reveal a secret

✅ Are They Acceptable in IELTS?

• IELTS Speaking: YES – both are acceptable if used naturally and clearly
• IELTS Writing Task 1: ❌ Avoid both – use formal, academic vocabulary
• IELTS Writing Task 2: ✔️ Phrasal verbs can be used occasionally if formal enough (e.g., “carry out research”)
  ❌ Idioms are generally discouraged (especially informal or slangy ones)

📦 Useful Phrasal Verbs for IELTS

• Carry out research – “Students are required to carry out research independently.”
• Cut down on – “Governments must cut down on emissions.”
• Point out – “Many scientists point out the risks of deforestation.”
• Take part in – “Citizens should take part in public decision-making.”
• Break down (data) – “The chart breaks down spending into five categories.”

🚫 Risky or Informal Phrasal Verbs to Avoid in Writing

• “Figure out” → use “determine” or “identify”
• “Get rid of” → use “eliminate” or “remove”
• “Look into” → use “investigate” or “examine”
• “Bring up” → use “raise (a point/issue)”

🗣️ Safe Idioms for Speaking

• To be honest – “To be honest, I think city life is quite stressful.”
• From time to time – “I go hiking from time to time.”
• Over the moon – “I was over the moon when I passed the test.”

🚫 Idioms to Avoid

• “Hit the sack” (too informal)
• “Spill the beans” (sounds like slang)
• “Break a leg” (irrelevant to formal topics)

📝 Sample Writing Task 2 Sentence

“The government should carry out further research into renewable energy alternatives.”

🗣️ Sample Speaking Answer

“From time to time, I like to get away from it all and spend a weekend in nature.”

🎯 Final Tips

• ✔️ Use phrasal verbs in both tasks, but keep them formal in writing
• ✔️ Use idioms in Speaking, especially Part 2 and 3, but avoid overuse
• ✔️ Learn natural collocations and formal equivalents of informal verbs

By mastering the difference between idioms and phrasal verbs — and knowing when each is appropriate — you’ll build a flexible and exam-ready vocabulary strategy for all parts of IELTS.

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