IELTS Idioms for Help and Encouragement
1) bend over backwards or bend over backward
Meaning- If you bend over backwards or bend over backward, you try very hard to help or please someone, even though it causes you trouble.
Example- We bent over backwards to make them feel welcome and they didn't thank us once.
2) be there for someone
Meaning- If you are there for someone, you are ready to listen to their problems and to help and support them.
Example- Jimmy is a good friend - he's always been there for me when I needed help or advice.
3) give and take
Meaning- If you talk about give and take, you mean the way in which two people or groups in a relationship accept that they cannot have everything that they want and that they must sometimes give the other person or group what they want.
Example- All good partnerships involve a bit of give and take.
4) hold someone's hand
Meaning- If you hold someone's hand in an unfamiliar or difficult situation, you help and support them.
Example- Tony will hold your hand through the sale, deal with offers and advise on any problems.
5) in the same boat
Meaning- If two or more people are in the same boat, they are in the same unpleasant or difficult situation.
Example- Don't worry if you are going bald - 40 percent of men under 35 are in the same boat.
6) keep your chin up
Meaning- If you keep your chin up, you stay cheerful in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
Example- Richards was keeping his chin up yesterday despite the continued setbacks.
7) lend a hand or lend someone a hand
Meaning- If you lend a hand or lend someone a hand, you help someone to do something.
Example- If I'd known you were having trouble, I could have lent a hand. Could you lend me a hand with these books, please?
8) look the other way
Meaning- If someone looks the other way, they deliberately ignore something bad that is happening when they should be trying to deal with it or stop it.
Example- The government is fully aware of the problem but they just look the other way.
9) meet someone halfway
Meaning- If you meet someone halfway, you accept some of their opinions or wishes, so that you can come to an agreement with them or have a better relationship with them.
Example- The opposition is willing to meet the president halfway on his latest plans for the economy.
10) a pat on the back
Meaning- If you give someone a pat on the back, you praise them for something they have done.
The industry can give itself a little pat on the back for the positive moves it has made to help its own recovery.
Example- I thought the editor would pat me on the back and say, 'Well done!' Instead, he fired me. Today is a good day to pat yourself on the back for bravery and effort.
11) put your heads together
Meaning- If people put their heads together, they try to solve a problem together.
Example- If there's a problem, we all just sit down, put our heads together and figure it out.
12) sing someone's praises
Meaning- If you sing someone's or something's praises, you praise them in an enthusiastic way.
Example- Smith continued to sing Tony's praises. 'He's so different, he's so natural; he said.
13) take someone under your wing
Meaning- If you take someone under your wing, you start to look after them and make sure that they are well and have what they need.
Example- She took the youngster under her wing, gave her advice and helped her prepare for the tour.
14) a tower of strength or a pillar of strength
Meaning- If someone is a tower of strength or a pillar of strength during a difficult period in your life, they give you a lot of help or support.
Example- My eldest daughter was a tower of strength for me when I was sick.
Example- In her terrible sadness, she has found Charles to be a pillar of strength.
Example- In her terrible sadness, she has found Charles to be a pillar of strength.
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