Category: Business english phrasal verbs

  • Drag Your Feet


    ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Idiom: Drag Your Feet (v)


    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Meaning

    • To delay or avoid doing something, often on purpose.
    • It means being slow to make a decision or take action, especially when urgency is needed.

    ๐Ÿง  Example Sentences

    • The team dragged their feet on approving the proposal, which caused a delay.
    • If we keep dragging our feet, weโ€™ll miss the opportunity to fix the issue.
    • Heโ€™s been dragging his feet on choosing a vendor for the new system.

    ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Origin

    Drag your feet likely comes from the image of someone walking slowly and unwillingly. In business, it describes people who are hesitant or slow to act, especially when action is expected.


    ๐Ÿ“ Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The department kept __________ on making a decision, which frustrated the rest of the team.

    Answer

    dragging their feet

    2. Choose the correct meaning of โ€œdrag your feetโ€:

    A) To work quickly and efficiently
    B) To move a project forward
    C) To delay action or avoid making a decision
    D) To take a break before starting

    Answer

    C) To delay action or avoid making a decision

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    โ€œThey were slow to make the necessary changes.โ€ โ†’ Change the sentence using: drag their feet

    Answer

    They dragged their feet on making the necessary changes.


    โ„น๏ธ Other Useful Pages

    ๐Ÿ“š Learning Resources
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Problem Solving and Decision Making Idioms
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Business English Idioms List

    ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Support Spaces
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Student Space
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Tutor Toolkit

    โญ๏ธ Extras
    ๐Ÿ“ซ Get a Daily Idiom
    ๐Ÿš€ Build a Business with AI

  • Blaze a Trail


    ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Idiom: Blaze a Trail (v)


    ๐Ÿ’ฌ Meaning

    • To be the first to do something new or innovative, setting an example for others to follow.
    • To lead the way in a new area of activity or development.

    ๐Ÿง  Example Sentences

    • Our company blazed a trail in eco-friendly packaging long before it became mainstream.
    • The bold marketing approach blazed a trail for other brands in the industry.
    • She blazed a trail in digital advertising by experimenting with new platforms.

    ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Origin

    The idiom originates from early explorers who would literally blaze (cut) a path through forests or unknown areas to create a trail for others. Over time, it came to mean taking the lead in any new field or endeavour.

    ๐Ÿ“ Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The startup __________ by using AI in a way no one had before.

    Answer

    blazed a trail

    2. Choose the correct meaning of โ€œblaze a trailโ€:

    A) To abandon a strategy
    B) To follow someoneโ€™s lead
    C) To be the first to do something innovative

    Answer

    C) To be the first to do something innovative

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    โ€œThey were the first to try this marketing strategy, and now others are copying them.โ€ โ†’ Change the sentence using: blaze a trail

    Answer

    They blazed a trail with that marketing strategy, and now others are copying them.


    โ„น๏ธ Other Useful Pages

    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Marketing and Sales Idioms
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Business English Idioms List
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Student Space
    ๐Ÿ‘‰ Tutor Toolkit