IELTS Idioms for Effort
1) break your back
Meaning- If you break your back to do something, you work extremely hard to try to do it.
Example- These days you have to break your back to make a business work.
2) burn the candle at both ends
Meaning- If you burn the candle at both ends, you try to do too much, regularly going to bed late and getting up early in the morning.
Example- Frank seemed to delight in burning the candle at both ends. No matter how late he stayed out, he was up at five o'clock the next morning to study.
3) cut corners
Meaning- If you cut corners, you save time, money, or effort by not following the correct procedure or rules for doing something.
Example- He accused his manager of trying to save money by cutting corners on staff training.
4) not do things by halves
Meaning- If you do not do things by halves, you always do things very well and thoroughly or in an extreme way.
Example- Kim and Christopher Dunn are not a couple to do things by halves. When it came to furnishing their new home, they decided to completely redecorate the whole house.
5) do your level best
Meaning- If you do your level best to do something, you try as hard as you can to do it.
Example- The President told American troops that he would do his level best to bring them home soon.
6) go all out
Meaning- If you go all out, you try as hard as possible to achieve something.
Example- If I had the choice over again, I would go all out for a degree in the sciences and specialize in teaching.
7) go the extra mile
Meaning- If you go the extra mile, you make a special effort to do or achieve something.
Example- I discovered that going the extra mile has always been a feature of successful people.
8) land on your feet or fall on your feet
Meaning- If someone lands on their feet or falls on their feet, they find themselves in a good situation by luck.
Example- Everything I want, she's got: a good marriage, a good home, nice children. While I struggle through life, she always lands on her feet.
9) not lift a finger or not raise a finger
Meaning- If someone does not lift a finger or does not raise a finger to do something or to help someone, they do not do anything.
Example- This Chancellor refuses to lift a finger to help working men and women.
Example- What kind of people accept his kind of behaviour without raising a finger to prevent it?
10) make a meal of something or make a meal out of something
Meaning- If someone makes a meal of something or makes a meal out of it, they spend too much time or energy on it.
Example- He's only been asked to write a brief essay but he's making such a meal of it.
11) pull your socks up
Meaning- If someone tells you to pull your socks up, they want you to improve your behaviour or work.
Example- If he wants to continue in the job he'll have to pull his socks up.
12) pull your weight
Meaning- If you pull your weight, you work as hard as everyone else who is involved in the same task or activity.
Example- I felt that John wasn't pulling his weight around the house and asked him to do a bit more of the cleaning.
13) work your fingers to the bone
Meaning- If you work your fingers to the bone, you work extremely hard.
Example- I have washed, cooked, fetched and carried all my life. I work my fingers to the bone in this house.
14) work/act/play/dance your socks off
Meaning- If you work your socks off, you work extremely hard. [INFORMAL]
Example- They worked their socks off to make the business succeed.
Example- I danced my socks off last night.
Example- Capper is currently playing his socks off for his team
Example- Capper is currently playing his socks off for his team
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