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Learn more English in a Minute
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(Clips: Getty)
Introduction
It's good to have ideas. It's also good to know the four phrases with 'idea' that are in this video! Learn them here with Phil and then practise using the quiz.
Phrases with 'idea'
float an idea
gently suggest an idea
- There was a spare bedroom on our family holiday, so I floated the idea of asking my best friend too.
bat an idea around
say something just to see what others think of the idea
- I'm not sure about changing career, I'm just batting the idea around to see what my friends think.
put ideas into (someone's) head
make someone think of doing something that they shouldn't really do
- She's got to stay in and do her homework. Don't go putting ideas into her head about going to the football match!
that's (someone's) idea of (something)
expression used to show someone thinks differently to you
- Walking up a mountain in the rain? I'm sorry, but that's not my idea of a good time.
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Download a free transcript!
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TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Phil
I've just had an idea! Why don't we learn four phrases with 'idea'?
We can use float an idea to mean suggest an idea – gently suggest.
No one knew what to do, so I floated the idea of stopping and trying again tomorrow.
Bat an idea around – that's when you say something just to see what people think of your idea.
I'm just batting around an idea, but why don't we try using AI?
When you put ideas into someone's head, you make them think of doing something, and often that's something they shouldn't really do.
Don't go putting ideas into my head. I'm not spending all my money on that!
If you say that's his idea of hard work, or anything else, he thinks it's hard work – you probably don't. We use it when we think differently about something.
Sorry, that's just his idea of a joke, but it's not funny.
Let me float an idea. I think you should try learning these phrases.
Next
Learn more idiomatic language in The English We Speak.
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