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Are you saying these phrases right?

Are you saying these idioms the right way? Quite often times, even native English speakers use some of the idioms wrong. Let us get clarified with the following idiomatic phrases by choosing the right one.

(source from www.dictionary.com and https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/phrases-people-say-wrong/) 

    1.   We are living in the (A. doggie-dog world    B. dog-eat-dog world).

…….meaning “We are living in the highly competitive world where people would do whatever it takes to reach their goals even if that means harming others.”

 

    2.   I (A. couldn’t care less       B. could care less).

…… meaning “I really don’t care at all.”


3.   To (A. all intensive purposes      B. all intents and purposes), the local trail has been closed.

……meaning “for every practical/ important reason”

 

    4.   Sports injury should be (A. nipped in the butt          B. nipped in the bud) before it forces you to take a hiatus from active life.

…….meaning “solving a problem before it becomes a serious issue”

 

 

    5.    Whoa…do you really think I would lend you that much money? You got (A. another think coming         B. another thing coming)

………meaning “what you think is wrong/ incorrect”

 

  

    6.   Sorry, we do not take reservations. It’s (A. first come, first serve        B. first come, first served).

………meaning “a situation whereby customers are served in the order in which they arrive, those who arrive first are served first”

 

 

    7.   Which comes first? Chicken or eggs? It is a (A. mute point    B. moot point).

………meaning “….. is still open to a debate or …..is not an important question/ discussion”

 

 

    8.   I’ll (A. plead the fifth            B. take the fifth) if you ask me who I was with last night.

………meaning “I will not answer to the question because it might make me look guilty.”

 

 

    9.   Mr. Miller has a keen eye and is not easily deceived by magicians’ (A. sleight of hand        B. slight of hand) performance.

……….meaning “a gimmick or trickery”

 

 

 10. Time to dig in! Are you ready to (A. wet your appetite     B. whet your appetite) and (A. wet your whistle        B. whet your whistle) now?

………meaning “make yourself hungry and take a drink”

 





Answer Keys

    1.  B. dog-eat-dog world

    2.  A. couldn’t care less

    3.  B. all intents and purposes

    4.  B. nipped in the bud

    5.  A. another think coming

    6.  B. first come, first served

    7.  B. moot point  

    8.  B. take the fifth 

    9.  A. sleight of hand

    10.              B. whet your appetite,   A. wet your whistle

 

*picture source: http://iesalvaroyanez2011.blogspot.com/2013/04/english-idioms-looking-for-hidden.html


Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 5, 2020 at 5:44 PM

    Mr.Miller has two keen eyes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jean LeeAugust 9, 2020 at 11:39 AM

      haha....but in terms of using this idiomatic expression, people normally say it in a singular noun 'a keen eye for something'. However, I know Mr. Miller has TWO keen eyes though. ^^

      Delete

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