“Luck” Expressions in English

Luck Expressions in English (10 Useful Idioms with Examples)

Luck is a strange thing. Sometimes it saves us at the last moment. Sometimes it changes our lives completely. And sometimes… it just helps us find the right page in a book. English is full of expressions about luck, chance, coincidence, and opportunity — and native speakers use them all the time in both everyday conversation and writing.

In this lesson, you will learn 10 very common and useful “luck” expressions in English, with clear meanings and natural example sentences you can start using straight away. These are especially useful for B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), and for sounding more natural in real life.

Let’s begin.

Twist of fate

Meaning: an unexpected change in events, often something surprising or dramatic.

• By a strange twist of fate, they met again years later in New York.
• By a twist of fate, the job she almost didn’t apply for changed her whole life.

A stroke of good luck

Meaning: something good that happens unexpectedly.

• Finding my lost wallet was a real stroke of good luck.
• It was a stroke of good luck that he arrived just in time to help us.

Golden opportunity

Meaning: an excellent opportunity that may not happen again.

• This is a golden opportunity to improve your English — don’t waste it.
• She realised that studying abroad was a golden opportunity for her career.

Jump at the chance

Meaning: to accept an opportunity eagerly and immediately.

• When he was offered a job abroad, he jumped at the chance.
• I jumped at the chance to work with such an experienced team.

Cross your fingers / Keep your fingers crossed

Meaning: to hope that something will happen the way you want.

• I’ve got an important exam tomorrow — cross your fingers for me!
• We’re waiting for the results now, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Lucky guess

Meaning: a correct answer or decision made by chance, not by knowledge.

• I had no idea what the answer was — it was just a lucky guess.
• Choosing that restaurant turned out to be a lucky guess.

The third time’s a charm

Meaning: after two failures, the third attempt will be successful.

• I failed my driving test twice, but the third time was a charm.
• He tried to start the business twice before, but the third time was a charm.

Break a leg!

Meaning: a way of wishing someone good luck (especially before a performance or exam).

• You’ll be great in the interview — break a leg!
• Everyone wished her “break a leg” before she went on stage.

Knock on wood

Meaning: said after mentioning something good, to avoid bad luck.

• I’ve never failed an exam — knock on wood!
• My computer hasn’t crashed all year, knock on wood.

Fall into your lap

Meaning: to get something good without making any effort.

• When my brother moved abroad, his room fell into my lap.
• Opportunities like that don’t usually fall into your lap.

These expressions help you sound more natural and idiomatic, express chance, luck, coincidence, and opportunity more precisely, and write or speak in a more advanced, B2–C1 style.

Instead of saying:

• I was lucky.

You can say:

• It was a real stroke of good luck.
• By a twist of fate, everything changed.
• It was a golden opportunity, so I jumped at the chance.

Luck may be unpredictable — but your English doesn’t have to be. The more expressions like these you learn, the richer, more natural, and more confident your English becomes.

And now… fingers crossed that you start using them in your next conversation. 🍀

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