🗓️ Idiom: Talk Shop (v)
💬 Meaning
- To discuss work or business matters, especially outside of the workplace.
- To focus on professional topics rather than casual conversation.
🧠 Example Sentences
- They always talk shop during lunch breaks.
- I don’t want to talk shop at the party; let’s just relax.
- After the conference, the team stayed behind to talk shop.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from the 19th century, where “shop” referred to a workplace or business. Talking about work matters outside of the workplace became known as “talking shop.”
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
“They tend to __________ shop even when they meet socially.”
Answer
talk
2. Multiple choice:
What does “talk shop” mean?
a) To discuss work or business matters
b) To go shopping together
c) To gossip about friends
Answer
a) To discuss work or business matters
3. Change the sentence using “talk shop”:
They spent the evening discussing work topics instead of socializing.
Answer
They spent the evening talking shop instead of socializing.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
📚 Learning Resources
👉 Main Idioms Page
👉 Idioms for Communication
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⭐️ Extras
Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
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