Idioms for IELTS: Urban Development
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- hustle and bustleBusy, noisy, and energetic activity, especially in cities or crowded places.Examples
- Some people enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life.
- Others prefer rural areas because they find the hustle and bustle of large cities exhausting.
- at breaking pointUnder such extreme pressure that collapse or failure seems likely.Examples
- The city's transport system is at breaking point during the morning rush hour.
- When housing, drainage, and public services are at breaking point, residents suffer the most.
- a bottleneckA point of delay or obstruction that slows down movement, progress, or development.Examples
- A narrow bridge can become a serious bottleneck for daily commuters.
- Lengthy approval procedures often create a bottleneck in urban infrastructure projects.
- get the green lightTo receive official approval or permission to begin something.Examples
- The new railway project finally got the green light from the government.
- Developers cannot begin construction until they get the green light from planning authorities.
- a white elephantAn expensive project or possession that is useless, wasteful, or difficult to maintain.Examples
- A poorly planned stadium can become a white elephant after a major sporting event.
- Infrastructure should meet real public needs rather than become a white elephant.
- price people out of the marketTo make something so expensive that many people can no longer afford it.Examples
- Rising rents can price young workers out of the housing market.
- Luxury redevelopment may price local residents out of the market.
- a vicious cycleA harmful situation in which one problem causes another and the problems keep reinforcing each other.Examples
- Poverty and poor education can create a vicious cycle across generations.
- Traffic congestion and car dependency often form a vicious cycle in poorly planned cities.
- a double-edged swordSomething that has both positive and negative effects.Examples
- Urban redevelopment can be a double-edged sword because it improves infrastructure but may displace residents.
- Tourism is a double-edged sword for cities that need revenue but also face overcrowding.
- the grass is always greener on the other sidePeople often think another place or situation is better than their own, even if that may not be true.Examples
- Many villagers move to cities believing that the grass is always greener on the other side.
- The grass is always greener on the other side, but urban life can bring stress, pollution, and high living costs.
- put down rootsTo settle in a place and build a stable life or strong local connections there.Examples
- Affordable housing helps families put down roots in a community.
- Migrants are more likely to put down roots when cities provide jobs, schools, and social support.
- move with the timesTo adapt to modern ideas, technologies, or social changes.Examples
- Cities need to move with the times by investing in digital infrastructure and sustainable transport.
- Public services must move with the times if they want to meet citizens' changing expectations.
- a sign of the timesSomething that reflects the current social, economic, or technological situation.Examples
- The rise of co-living spaces is a sign of the times in expensive cities.
- Increasing demand for cycle lanes is a sign of the times as people seek greener mobility.
- strike a balanceTo find a fair or practical compromise between two competing needs or priorities.Examples
- Urban planners must strike a balance between development and conservation.
- Governments need to strike a balance between attracting investment and protecting local communities.