Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Communication idioms

1. ‘ In a nutshell‘ – to summarise briefly           

                                                                 

Ex: It’s a complicated system, but in a nutshell it works like a kettle.
 
 
2. ‘To get straight to the point‘ – to talk about the most important thing

                       

Ex:  Ok, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m afraid we’re going to have to make some budget cuts.

3. ‘To get the wrong end of the stick‘ – to misunderstand.

                                                 

Ex: If you think that our biggest problem is our distribution channels, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick.

4. ‘To be on the same wavelength‘ – to share similar opinions and idea.  

                             

Ex: ‘We agree on most things. We’re very lucky that we are on the same wavelength‘.

 
 


5. ‘To hear it on the grapevine‘ – to hear about something passed from one person to another   





                                                                                                                   
Ex: I hear on the grapevine that the CEO is planning to resign. Is that true?
 
 
6. ‘Can’t make head or tail of it‘ – to fail to understand anything

                                   

Ex: This report makes no sense. I can’t make head or tail of it.

7. ‘To talk at cross purposes‘ – to misunderstand

                                                           

Ex: I think we’re talking at cross purposes. I meant the figures for June not July.

8. ‘To beat about the bush‘ – to delay talking about something  

                                 

Ex: Politicians never give you a straight answer. They always beat about the bush.


9. “To get our wires crossed‘ – to misunderstand

                       Blog-wires_crossed_idiom                                

Ex: Everyone arrived at different times for the meeting. We must have got our wires crossed.

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