學慣用語最怕的是「用錯場合」——這 20 個是我從近五年 Speaking 考題裡挑出的主題中立、使用頻率高、犯錯風險低的安全選擇。考前一週全部背熟，任何題目都能抽 2-3 個用。

20 個安全慣用語一覽

| 慣用語 | 中文 | 自然例句 | |---------------------------------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | once in a blue moon | 難得一次 | I go clubbing once in a blue moon these days. | | at the drop of a hat | 立刻、二話不說 | She'd help you at the drop of a hat. | | under the weather | 不太舒服 | I was feeling under the weather all last week. | | hit the nail on the head | 一針見血 | You've hit the nail on the head — that's exactly it. | | a piece of cake | 輕而易舉 | The exam was a piece of cake compared to the mocks. | | break the ice | 打破尷尬 | A joke usually breaks the ice at family dinners. | | cost an arm and a leg | 非常昂貴 | Apartments in Taipei cost an arm and a leg. | | let the cat out of the bag | 洩漏秘密 | My little brother let the cat out of the bag. | | not my cup of tea | 不是我的菜 | Jazz is not really my cup of tea. | | time flies | 時間飛逝 | Time flies when you're with good friends. | | on the same page | 想法一致 | My team and I are completely on the same page. | | the best of both worlds | 兩全其美 | Working from home gives you the best of both worlds. | | in the long run | 長遠來看 | Exercise pays off in the long run. | | over the moon | 開心得不得了 | My mum was over the moon when I got the offer. | | it's not rocket science | 沒那麼難 | Cooking pasta isn't rocket science. | | a blessing in disguise | 因禍得福 | Losing that job was a blessing in disguise. | | get the hang of (sth) | 抓到訣竅 | I finally got the hang of driving after a month. | | pull an all-nighter | 熬夜通宵 | I pulled an all-nighter before my maths final. | | up in the air | 懸而未決 | Our holiday plans are still up in the air. | | on top of the world | 得意洋洋 | After finishing the marathon, I felt on top of the world. |

考場 Q&A 示範

示範 1：Part 1 — Do you enjoy cooking?

To be honest, cooking is not really my cup of tea. I only cook once in a blue moon, usually when friends come over. My dad, on the other hand, can whip up a meal at the drop of a hat — he really gets a kick out of experimenting with recipes.

用了：not my cup of tea / once in a blue moon / at the drop of a hat——3 個，剛好不過度。

示範 2：Part 2 — Describe a difficult experience

Moving to Taipei for university was tough at first. I felt under the weather for the first few weeks — homesick, basically — and finding an affordable flat cost me an arm and a leg. But looking back, it was a blessing in disguise: I learnt to be independent, and I'm now on top of the world about how much I've grown.

用了：under the weather / cost an arm and a leg / a blessing in disguise / on top of the world——4 個分散在 90 秒裡，評分員印象深刻但不覺得做作。

示範 3：Part 3 — Do you think remote work is a good thing?

In the long run, I'd say it's the best of both worlds — you get flexibility at home and still stay connected with colleagues online. Of course, it's not rocket science that some people will struggle without face-to-face contact, but for most professionals I know, they've all got the hang of it by now.

用了：in the long run / the best of both worlds / it's not rocket science / get the hang of——4 個 Part 3 抽象題的好夥伴。

使用原則

原則 1：一場考試 2-3 個、不是 2-3 句一個

14 分鐘的 Speaking 裡總共用 5-7 個慣用語是 Band 7+ 的目標。不是每題一個。

原則 2：先對情境、再講

開口前 0.5 秒在心裡問：「這個 idiom 真的貼合我要表達的意思嗎？」如果要停下來想意思——別用，換普通講法。

原則 3：發音要正確

hit the nail on the head——nail 不是 nell，on 是弱音。錄音檢查。

背熟方法（5 天計畫）

  • Day 1-2：把 20 個全部寫進字卡，中文 → 英文
  • Day 3：挑 10 個造自己的生活例句
  • Day 4：拿 Part 1 題目（food / hometown / hobby）各回答 3 題，強制塞 2 個
  • Day 5：錄音、回放、抓發音跟不自然的地方

搭配閱讀

下一篇：時間主題的慣用語