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  • Have you been working hard on your  English lately? Well if you have I  

  • have 20 incredibly hard-working idioms that  you can use to describe hard work. Let's go!  

  • Hello everyone, Anna here from  englishlikeanative.com, the website with courses  

  • for all levels of English, and a community to keep  you motivated and engaged. Now let's get to work.

  • Back/nose to the grindstone To return to/start a hard tedious task

  • Right, that's my break over, I had  better get back to the grindstone.

  • Be on a roll Experiencing a period of success or good luck

  • We signed up two new clients last  week and 4 new clients this week,  

  • with 3 more in the pipeline. We are on a roll.

  • Be snowed under Be overwhelmed with  

  • a very large quantity of work (or commitments). I'm so sorry I missed the teacher's meeting today,  

  • with the exams around the corner and several  

  • members of staff self isolating I'm  completely snowed under at the moment.

  • Bend over backwards 

  • To work extra hard to help  someone or to make them happy

  • I don't understand why he continues to bend over  backwards for Julia, she doesn't appreciate it.

  • Blood, sweat, and tears If something needs blood, sweat, and tears then it  

  • is hard thing to do and requires a lot of effort. We spent 15 years building this business,  

  • it took blood, sweat and tears  to make it what it is today.

  • Burning a candle at both ends To work too hard as well  

  • as trying to do other things. My boss had a nervous breakdown last month,  

  • it's not surprising, he was burning the  candle at both ends for many months.

  • Get cracking Get started on a project or task

  • Right, do we all know what we are supposed  to be doing? Great, let's get cracking.

  • Give it 110% 

  • Try really hard to achieve something. I know that you are all tired,  

  • it's really hot outside, and you would rather  be relaxing in the shade eating ice-cream but  

  • today is a very important day for our school so  I want you to get out there and give it 110%.

  • Go the extra mile To do more than what is expected  

  • to make something happen, or help someone. We have decided to promote Nick. He went the  

  • extra mile for us during the pandemic  and really showed us his commitment.

  • Hang in there Don't give up. Keep going through the hard times

  • The next few months will be hard for all of  us, just hang in there, things will improve.

  • Jump through hoops Go through an elaborate or  

  • complicated procedure in  order to achieve an objective

  • We are in the process of applying for a mortgagebut we have to jump through so many hoops.

  • Knuckle/buckle down To focus and work diligently on a task or problem 

  • If you all knuckle down and do your revision  between now and the exams then you will pass  

  • with flying colours

  • Make up for lost time To do something as much as possible because  

  • you were not able to do it before. To catch up. I haven't seen my family for over two years,  

  • so we are going to go on holiday togetherwe really need to make up for lost time.

  • Move mountains Make  

  • every possible effort, doing  the impossible if needed

  • Trust me, I will move mountains to make sure  that you are satisfied with your new branding.

  • No pain no gain 

  • Suffering is necessary in  order to achieve something

  • The athletes are complaining about having  to train on a Sunday, but no pain no gain.

  • Pull one's own weight To do your fair share  

  • of work that a group of people is doing together. James, you have taken a lot of time off this month  

  • and when you have been in you haven't done very  much work. We are all working hard to reach our  

  • deadline, so we need you to start pulling your  own weight otherwise we will have to let you go.

  • Raise the bar 

  • Raise the standards which need to be  met in order to qualify for something

  • Apple have really raised the  bar with their latest iPhone.

  • Stay ahead of the game To react quickly and gain/keep an advantage

  • We are changing our marketing strategy,  

  • advertising will now include TikTokWe must stay ahead of the game.

  • Stay the course To keep going strongly  

  • to the end of a race or contest or task. We have been working with this client for  

  • 12 months on this project, we plan to  stay the course and get the job done.

  • Take the bull by the horns 

  • To deal decisively withdifficult or dangerous situation

  • I've asked him several times but he  ignores me. I must take the bull by the  

  • horns and tell my landlord that I am moving  out unless he fixes the central heating.

  • To take the bull by the horns. This means to  deal decisively with a difficult or dangerous  

  • situation. I've asked him several times but  he just ignores me. I must take the bull by  

  • the horns and just tell my landlord that I'm  moving out unless he fixes the central heating

  • There you go 20 idioms for working  hard. Now if you are a hard worker  

  • and you're motivated to improve  your English then why not join me  

  • and other motivated students in the  ELAN (English Like A Native) community  

  • on one of the ELAN courses. Head over to  Englishlikeanative.com to find out more!

Have you been working hard on your  English lately? Well if you have I  

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