English Idioms Used in the Workplace (With Practice)

Idioms are everywhere in professional English, and if you don’t know them, meetings can feel like a foreign language inside a foreign language. Your colleague says the project is on the back burner and you’re nodding along, quietly wondering if someone’s cooking something.

This post breaks down the most common English idioms used in the workplace, shows you exactly how they’re used in real professional situations, and gives you a short exercise to test yourself at the end.

What Are Workplace Idioms?

An idiom is a phrase where the meaning can’t be worked out word by word. “Let’s touch base” has nothing to do with touching anything. “We’re in the same boat” doesn’t involve water. These phrases have fixed, figurative meanings that native speakers use constantly, often without even noticing.

In business settings, idioms tend to cluster around a few key areas: deadlines, teamwork, problems, and decision-making. Once you learn the patterns, you’ll start hearing them everywhere.

10 Common Workplace Idioms Explained

Here are ten idioms you’ll genuinely encounter, with clear meanings and examples.

• Get the ball rolling — to start something. “Let’s get the ball rolling on the new campaign.”
• On the back burner — delayed, not a priority right now. “The website redesign is on the back burner until Q3.”
• Touch base — to briefly make contact or check in. “Can we touch base later this week about the budget?”
• Up to speed — fully informed and ready. “I’ll send you the report to bring you up to speed.”
• Think outside the box — to approach a problem creatively. “We need to think outside the box if we want to stand out.”
• Cut corners — to do something the quick or cheap way, usually at a cost to quality. “We can’t cut corners on safety.”
• In the loop — kept informed about what’s happening. “Keep me in the loop on any changes.”
• Hit the ground running — to start something quickly and energetically. “She hit the ground running on her first day.”
• Pull your weight — to do your fair share of the work. “Everyone needs to pull their weight before the deadline.”
• A ballpark figure — a rough estimate. “Just give me a ballpark figure for now.”

Idioms in Business English and IELTS Scenarios

Knowing the definition is one thing. Using it naturally is another. Here’s how these idioms show up in realistic situations.

Scenario 1: A project kickoff meeting
Your manager says: “Right, let’s get the ball rolling. We need a ballpark figure from finance by Friday, and I want everyone in the loop from day one.”

Three idioms, one sentence. This is completely normal in a professional meeting. If you’d been lost before, you now know she’s starting the project, wants a rough cost estimate, and expects everyone to be kept informed.

Scenario 2: An IELTS Speaking Part 3
The examiner asks: “Do you think companies sometimes prioritise profit over quality?”
A strong response might include: “Yes, some businesses cut corners to reduce costs, especially under financial pressure. In the long run, that usually damages their reputation.”

Using an idiom correctly in the IELTS Speaking exam signals a high level of natural language use. Band 7 and above descriptors reward idiomatic language explicitly. Using one well is much better than forcing in three awkwardly.

Practising idioms in spoken and written responses is exactly the kind of work we do in daily coaching sessions. If you want structured practice built around your level, take a look at the subscription programme here.

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blank with the correct idiom from the box. Each idiom is used once.

Box: hit the ground running / on the back burner / pull their weight / touch base / ballpark figure

1. “We don’t have exact numbers yet, but can you give us a __________ for the construction costs?”
2. “The new hire really impressed us — she __________ from day one.”
3. “The expansion into Europe is __________ for now. We’ll revisit it next year.”
4. “Not everyone on the team is __________. We need to have a conversation about workload.”
5. “I’ll __________ with you on Thursday to see how the report is coming along.”

The full answer key, along with a second set of extended exercises using all ten idioms, is available to daily coaching subscribers. Find out more here.

Vocabulary to Know

• idiom /ˈɪd.i.əm/ – Level: B1 – a phrase whose meaning cannot be understood from the individual words alone – Example: “Break a leg” is an idiom meaning good luck.
• figurative language /ˈfɪɡ.ər.ə.tɪv ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ/ – Level: B2 – language that uses words in non-literal ways to create effect or convey meaning – Example: Figurative language makes writing more vivid and expressive.
• ballpark figure /ˈbɔːl.pɑːk ˌfɪɡ.ə/ – Level: B2 – an approximate number or estimate – Example: Can you give me a ballpark figure for the total project cost?
• to cut corners /tə kʌt ˈkɔː.nəz/ – Level: B2 – to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality – Example: The contractor cut corners on the build, and it showed.
• to touch base /tə tʌtʃ beɪs/ – Level: B1 – to briefly contact someone to share information or check progress – Example: Let’s touch base before the client call tomorrow.
• in the loop /ɪn ðə luːp/ – Level: B2 – informed about what is happening in a particular situation – Example: Please keep the whole team in the loop on any budget changes.
• to hit the ground running /tə hɪt ðə ɡraʊnd ˈrʌn.ɪŋ/ – Level: B2 – to begin a new activity with energy and without needing time to settle in – Example: We need someone who can hit the ground running — there’s no time for a slow start.
• idiomatic /ˌɪd.i.əˈmæt.ɪk/ – Level: C1 – using or containing expressions that are natural and characteristic of a language – Example: Her idiomatic use of English impressed the interviewer.
• collocation /ˌkɒl.əˈkeɪ.ʃən/ – Level: C1 – a combination of words that are habitually used together and sound natural to native speakers – Example: “Make a decision” is a collocation — you wouldn’t say “do a decision.”
• on the back burner /ɒn ðə bæk ˈbɜː.nə/ – Level: B2 – temporarily postponed or given low priority – Example: The product launch was put on the back burner due to supply issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use idioms in formal business writing?
Use them carefully. Idioms work well in emails between colleagues or spoken meetings, but in formal reports, proposals, or external correspondence, plain professional language is usually safer. The key question is: how formal is the relationship?

Will using idioms in IELTS Speaking actually improve my band score?
Yes, if you use them correctly. The IELTS Speaking band descriptors include idiomatic language as a marker of a high lexical range. One well-placed idiom is worth far more than three forced ones that sound rehearsed. Natural is the goal.

How do I learn workplace idioms without just memorising a list?
Use them. Write them into emails, say them in practice conversations, and notice when you hear them. Passive recognition is the first step, but active use is what locks them in. Context beats repetition every time.

If you want a structured way to build this kind of natural, professional English — including idioms, collocations, and everything in between — the daily coaching programme is built exactly for that. See what’s included here.