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Category: Business Idioms & Phrasal Verbs

  • Go Back to the Drawing Board

    🗓️ Idiom: Back to the Drawing Board (adv)

    💬 Meaning

    • To start planning something again after a failure.
    • To go back to the beginning because the first idea didn’t work.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Our proposal was rejected, so it’s back to the drawing board”.
    • The design didn’t meet the client’s needs—we need to go back to the drawing board.
    • After the software crash, the team went back to the drawing board to find a better solution.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the world of design and engineering. If a plan failed, the person had to go back to their drawing board and start again. Today, it’s used in business when something doesn’t work and needs a new plan.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The marketing idea didn’t work, so it’s __________.

    Answer

    back to the drawing board

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “back to the drawing board”:

    A) To stop all work
    B) To return to planning after failure
    C) To skip a task

    Answer

    B) To return to planning after failure

    3. Rewrite the sentence using “Go back to the drawing board”:

    “We need to make a new plan because the old one failed.”

    Answer

    We need to go back to the drawing board because the old plan failed.

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  • Touch Upon

    🗓️ Idiom: Touch Upon

    💬 Meaning

    • Mention or briefly talk about a subject.
    • Give a short explanation or idea about something.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • In the meeting, she touched upon the budget concerns.
    • The report touches upon the main issues we face.
    • He touched upon several ideas during his presentation.

    🏛️ Origin

    This phrase comes from the idea of lightly touching something without focusing deeply. It means to mention a topic briefly.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    The manager ________ the challenges in the project during the call.

    Answer

    touched upon

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “touch upon” mean?
    a) Discuss something deeply
    b) Briefly mention a subject
    c) Ignore a topic

    Answer

    b) Briefly mention a subject

    3. Rewrite the sentence:
    “He mentioned the budget issues during the meeting.”

    Answer

    He touched upon the budget issues during the meeting.

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  • Iron Out the Details

    🗓️ Idiom: Iron Out the Details

    💬 Meaning

    • Solve small problems or questions carefully.
    • Working through all the details to make something perfect.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • We need to iron out the details before signing the contract.
    • The team met to iron out the details of the project plan.
    • Let’s iron out the details so there are no mistakes later.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from ironing clothes to remove wrinkles and make them smooth. It means fixing small problems so everything works well.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    We should ________ before the presentation tomorrow.

    Answer

    iron out the details

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “iron out the details” mean?
    a) Create new problems
    b) Solve small problems carefully
    c) Ignore the plan

    Answer

    b) Solve small problems carefully

    3. Rewrite the sentence:
    “We need to fix all small problems before starting.”

    Answer

    We need to iron out the details before starting.

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  • Dot The i’s and Cross The t’s

    🗓️ Idiom: Dot the i’s and Cross the t’s

    💬 Meaning

    • Pay attention to every small detail
    • Making sure everything is done perfectly and carefully

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Before sending the contract, we need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
    • The editor always dots the i’s and crosses the t’s in every article.
    • Make sure to dot the i’s and cross the t’s in your report to avoid mistakes.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from writing and printing. The letters “i” and “t” need small marks: a dot on the i and a cross on the t. It means paying attention to small but important details.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    We should ________ before submitting the final version.

    Answer

    dot the i’s and cross the t’s

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” mean?
    a) Write quickly
    b) Pay attention to small details
    c) Ignore minor mistakes

    Answer

    b) Pay attention to small details

    3. Rewrite the sentence:
    “It is important to check every detail carefully.”

    Answer

    It is important to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

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  • Stay on Track

    🗓️ Idiom: Stay on Track (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To continue doing what you planned or intended.
    • Not getting distracted or losing focus.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • We need to stay on track to finish the project on time.
    • The meeting helped us stay on track with our goals.
    • It is important to stay on track when working on a difficult task.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the idea of trains staying on their rails or tracks. If a train stays on track, it moves forward correctly without problems. It is used to mean keeping focus and following a plan.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    We must ________ to finish the report by Friday.

    Answer

    stay on track

    2. Multiple choice:
    What does “stay on track” mean?
    a) Get distracted
    b) Continue following a plan
    c) Change plans suddenly

    Answer

    b) Continue following a plan

    3. Rewrite the sentence:
    “It is important to keep focused during the project.”

    Answer

    It is important to stay on track during the project.

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  • Cover All Bases

    🗓️ Idiom: Cover All Bases (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To prepare for all possible situations or problems.
    • To make sure nothing is missed in a plan or action.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The risk team worked hard to cover all bases before launching the new product.
    • We need to cover all bases to avoid any legal issues.
    • They covered all bases in the project plan to keep everything under control.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the sport of baseball. A team must have players ready to protect all four bases to avoid losing. In business, it means being fully prepared for any situation, like covering all positions on the field.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The manager double-checked the report to __________ before the meeting.

    Answer

    cover all bases

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “cover all bases”:

    A) To leave things unfinished
    B) To prepare for everything
    C) To focus only on one detail

    Answer

    B) To prepare for everything

    3. Rewrite the sentence using “Cover all bases”.:

    “They made sure everything was ready and nothing was forgotten.”

    Answer

    They made sure they covered all bases.

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  • Hash Things Out

    🗓️ Idiom: Hash Things Out (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To discuss something in detail, especially to solve a problem.
    • To work through issues by talking about them openly.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The team stayed late to hash out the final details of the presentation.
    • We need to hash things out before we send the proposal.
    • They hashed out their differences during the meeting and reached an agreement.

    🏛️ Origin

    The word “hash” originally meant to chop food into small pieces. Over time, it came to mean breaking down problems into smaller parts during conversation. “To hash things out” became common in the 1900s as a way to describe detailed discussions or problem-solving talks.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    We need to sit down and __________ before the deadline.

    Answer

    hash things out

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “hash things out”:

    A) To avoid a difficult topic
    B) To discuss something in detail
    C) To make a quick decision

    Answer

    B) To discuss something in detail

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “They discussed their concerns and came to a decision.” → Change the sentence using: hash things out

    Answer

    They hashed things out and came to a decision.

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  • Bounce Ideas off Each Other

    🗓️ Idiom: Bounce Ideas off Each Other (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To share ideas with someone and get their opinion.
    • To talk together to develop better ideas or solutions.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Let’s bounce ideas off each other before the meeting.
    • We spent the afternoon bouncing ideas off each other and came up with a great plan.
    • It helps to bounce ideas off your team when you feel stuck.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the image of a ball bouncing back. When you share an idea with someone and they respond, it is like the idea is bouncing back to you. It suggests a fast and creative exchange of thoughts.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Before we decide, let’s __________ to see what everyone thinks.

    Answer

    bounce ideas off each other

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “bounce ideas off each other”:

    A) To argue about opinions
    B) To ignore other people’s suggestions
    C) To share ideas and get feedback

    Answer

    C) To share ideas and get feedback

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “We talked together and shared suggestions about the project.” → Change the sentence using: bounce ideas off each other

    Answer

    We bounced ideas off each other about the project.

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  • Put Heads Together

    🗓️ Idiom: Put Our Heads Together (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To work together to solve a problem.
    • To share ideas and think as a team.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Let’s put our heads together and find a way to fix this issue.
    • The managers put their heads together to plan the next steps.
    • We can solve this faster if we put our heads together.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the image of people leaning their heads close when they talk and think together. It has been used since the 19th century to mean teamwork and joint problem-solving.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    If we __________, we might come up with a better strategy.

    Answer

    put our heads together

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “put our heads together”:

    A) To avoid a problem
    B) To argue with others
    C) To think and plan together

    Answer

    C) To think and plan together

    3. Rewrite the sentence using “put our heads together”:

    “Let’s work together and share ideas to find a solution.”

    Answer

    Let’s put our heads together to find a solution.

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  • Think Outside The Box

    🗓️ Idiom: Think Outside the Box (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To think in a creative or new way.
    • To solve a problem using fresh or unusual ideas.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • We need to think outside the box to make this product stand out.
    • She’s great at thinking outside the box when things don’t go as planned.
    • The manager asked the team to think outside the box during the brainstorming session.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from creative thinking exercises where people are asked to solve a puzzle by drawing lines outside of a set of boxes. It became popular in business to encourage innovation and new ways of thinking.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    To solve this problem, we’ll need to __________.

    Answer

    think outside the box

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “think outside the box”:

    A) Use a standard process
    B) Follow the rules carefully
    C) Be creative and try something new

    Answer

    C) Be creative and try something new

    3. Rewrite the sentence using “Think Outside The Box”:

    “She always finds new and creative ways to solve problems.”

    Answer

    She always thinks outside the box.

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