🗓️ Idiom: Play Phone Tag (v)
💬 Meaning
- To repeatedly try to call someone while they are unavailable.
- A situation where two people keep missing each other on the phone.
🧠 Example Sentences
- I have been playing phone tag with the client all week.
- She kept playing phone tag with her manager before the meeting was confirmed.
- They played phone tag until finally connecting to discuss the project.
🏛️ Origin
The phrase comes from the game “tag,” where players chase each other. In the 20th century, it was applied metaphorically to phone calls when people keep missing each other, creating a back-and-forth chase.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
“After three attempts, we are still __________ with the supplier.”
Answer
playing phone tag
2. Multiple choice:
What does the idiom “play phone tag” mean?
a) To repeatedly try to call someone while they are unavailable
b) To answer a phone quickly
c) To make a prank call
Answer
a) To repeatedly try to call someone while they are unavailable
3. Change the sentence using “play phone tag”:
We kept calling each other but never managed to speak directly.
Answer
We kept playing phone tag.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
📚 Learning Resources
👉 Main Idioms Page
👉 Idioms for Communication
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👉 Student Space
👉 Tutor Toolkit
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