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Category: Business Idioms & Phrasal Verbs

  • Nail it

    🗓️ Idiom: Nail It (verb)

    💬 Meaning

    • To do something perfectly.
    • To complete a task very well or with great success.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • She nailed it in the interview and received an offer the next day.
    • If you practice your answers, you can nail it when the big day comes.
    • He felt he nailed it after giving clear and confident responses.

    🏛️ Origin

    “Nail it” comes from the idea of hitting a nail exactly right with a hammer. Because the action must be precise, the phrase grew to mean doing something correctly or successfully on the first try.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    Sara felt she __________ after answering every question clearly.

    Answer

    nailed it

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “nail it” mean?
    a) To do something perfectly
    b) To finish something late
    c) To speak very quietly

    Answer

    a) To do something perfectly

    3. Change the sentence using “nail it”

    “He performed extremely well in the interview.”

    Answer

    He nailed it in the interview.

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  • Hit It Out of the Park

    🗓️ Idiom: Hit It Out of the Park (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To do something extremely well.
    • To give an excellent performance that impresses others.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • She hit it out of the park with her interview answers and got the job offer.
    • His presentation really hit it out of the park and the panel was very impressed.
    • The recruiter said the candidate hit it out of the park by showing strong skills and confidence.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from baseball. When a player hits the ball out of the park, it is a powerful and successful hit. People began using the phrase to mean doing anything very well or achieving an outstanding result.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    Maria felt she __________ after giving clear and confident answers.

    Answer

    hit it out of the park

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “hit it out of the park” mean?
    a) To do something extremely well
    b) To take a long break
    c) To speak very slowly

    Answer

    a) To do something extremely well

    3. Change the sentence using “hit it out of the park”

    “She performed extremely well during the interview.”

    Answer

    She hit it out of the park during the interview.

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  • Come Across Well

    🗓️ Idiom: Come Across Well (v/ph)

    💬 Meaning

    • To make a good impression on someone.
    • To appear confident, friendly, or professional.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • She came across well in the interview because she spoke clearly and smiled.
    • If you prepare your answers, you will come across well to the hiring manager.
    • He did not come across well because he looked distracted during the video call.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from the idea of how your behaviour “comes across” to others. It describes the way your attitude, words, and body language are received and understood by people around you.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    Emma tried to __________ by speaking confidently and staying relaxed.

    Answer

    come across well

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “come across well” mean?
    a) To make a good impression
    b) To finish something quickly
    c) To avoid answering questions

    Answer

    a) To make a good impression

    3. Change the sentence using “come across well”

    “He made a positive impression during the interview.”

    Answer

    He came across well during the interview.

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  • A Lost Cause

    🗓️ Idiom: A Lost Cause (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A situation with no chance of success.
    • Something that cannot be saved, fixed, or improved.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • He felt the interview was a lost cause after he answered the first question badly.
    • She kept trying to fix her résumé, but the old format was a lost cause.
    • The candidate thought the interview was a lost cause, but the company still called him back.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from older English and European expressions referring to causes or goals that could not succeed, no matter the effort. Today, it simply means something hopeless or impossible to improve.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    After missing the key question, Mark felt the interview was __________.

    Answer

    a lost cause

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “a lost cause” mean?
    a) Something that still has a good chance
    b) Something with no hope of success
    c) Something that is easy to fix

    Answer

    b) Something with no hope of success

    3. Change the sentence using “a lost cause”

    “She felt there was no chance of saving the interview.”

    Answer

    She felt the interview was a lost cause.

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  • A Bomb

    🗓️ Idiom: A Bomb (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • Something that fails completely.
    • A performance or situation that does not go well at all.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • His interview was a bomb because he could not answer the basic questions.
    • The presentation was a bomb after the speaker forgot the main points.
    • She felt her test was a bomb, but she tried to stay positive.

    🏛️ Origin

    Originally, “a bomb” was used in theatre to describe a show that failed. The idea spread to general English, and now it means anything that goes badly or is unsuccessful.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    Jason said his interview was __________ because he forgot to prepare.

    Answer

    a bomb

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “a bomb” mean?
    a) Something that is very successful
    b) Something that fails completely
    c) Something that surprises everyone

    Answer

    b) Something that fails completely

    3. Change the sentence using “a bomb”

    “The interview went very badly and was not successful.”

    Answer

    The interview was a bomb.

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  • A Train Wreck

    🗓️ Idiom: A Train Wreck (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A situation that goes very badly.
    • An event or performance that is messy, confusing, or out of control.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • His interview was a train wreck because he did not prepare any answers.
    • The presentation became a train wreck when the slides stopped working.
    • She described her first job interview as a train wreck, but she learned from it.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from the image of a real train crash, which is sudden, messy, and impossible to ignore. Over time, people started using it to describe any situation that goes very wrong.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    The interview turned into __________ after he froze on the first question.

    Answer

    a train wreck

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “a train wreck” mean?
    a) A well-prepared interview
    b) A situation that goes very badly
    c) A minor mistake

    Answer

    b) A situation that goes very badly

    3. Change the sentence using “a train wreck”

    “The interview went very badly from start to finish.”

    Answer

    The interview was a train wreck.

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  • Go in Blind

    🗓️ Idiom: Go In Blind (verb)

    💬 Meaning

    • To enter a situation without any information.
    • To do something without preparation or understanding what to expect.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • If you go in blind to an interview, you may struggle to answer basic questions.
    • She researched the company so she would not be going in blind.
    • He realised he was going in blind when he could not explain why he wanted the job.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from the idea of moving forward without being able to see. Over time, it became a common expression meaning to start a task or event without the necessary knowledge or preparation.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank

    You should read the company website so you are not __________ during the interview.

    Answer

    going in blind

    2. Multiple choice

    What does “going in blind” mean?
    a) Starting something without information or preparation
    b) Asking for help from a friend
    c) Practicing many times before a meeting

    Answer

    a) Starting something without information or preparation

    3. Change the sentence using “going in blind”

    “He entered the interview without knowing anything about the role.”

    Answer

    He went in blind to the interview.

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  • Wing It

    🗓️ Idiom: Wing It (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To do something without preparing.
    • To act or speak without planning in advance.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • He did not prepare for the interview and decided to wing it.
    • If you wing it during a job interview, your answers may not be clear.
    • She realised she could not wing it, so she spent the evening preparing.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from early theatre. Actors who were not fully prepared would wait in the wings and quickly learn their lines right before going on stage. They were “winging it.” Today, it means doing something without proper preparation.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    Tom did not review the job description, so he had to __________ during the interview.

    Answer

    wing it

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “wing it” mean?
    A. Prepare a detailed plan
    B. Do something without preparing
    C. Ask for more time

    Answer

    B Do something without preparing

    3. Change the sentence using “wing it”:
    “He answered the questions without any preparation.”

    Answer

    He winged it.

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  • On Top of Things

    🗓️ Idiom: On Top of Things (adj)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be well organised and in control of your tasks.
    • To know what is happening and manage responsibilities effectively.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • In the interview, she showed she was on top of things by explaining her project timeline clearly.
    • The manager wants someone who is on top of things and does not miss deadlines.
    • He looked confident because he was on top of things and fully prepared.

    🏛️ Origin

    This phrase comes from the idea of being physically “on top” of a situation. If you are above something, you can see everything clearly and manage it well. Over time, it became a common expression for being organised and in control.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    The interviewer was impressed because Mia was __________ during the whole presentation.

    Answer

    on top of things

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “on top of things” mean?
    A. Feeling tired at work
    B. Being organised and in control
    C. Starting a new job

    Answer

    B Being organised and in control

    3. Change the sentence using “on top of things”:
    “He managed all his tasks very well.”

    Answer

    He was on top of things.

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  • Do Your Homework

    🗓️ Idiom: Do Your Homework (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To prepare carefully before a meeting or task.
    • To collect useful information so you are ready to perform well.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Before the interview, she did her homework and read everything about the company.
    • If you do your homework, you will feel more confident when answering questions.
    • He did his homework on the job role, so he knew exactly what the employer wanted.

    🏛️ Origin

    In schools, homework is work given to students to complete at home. The phrase became a metaphor for preparing well for any important situation, including job interviews.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    You will give better answers in the interview if you __________ first.

    Answer

    do your homework

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “do your homework” mean?
    A. Ask for extra time
    B. Prepare and research before something important
    C. Avoid difficult tasks

    Answer

    B Prepare and research before something important

    3. Change the sentence using “do your homework”:
    “She prepared a lot before the interview.”

    Answer

    She did her homework before the interview.

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