Master Essential Business Idioms: Examples with Simple Exercises for Students

Idioms are expressions that have a different meaning than their individual words suggest. To improve understanding and learn business idioms it is good to read example sentences and complete practice exercises.

Start with the essential business idioms, and when you are confident practice with usage of business idioms in both writing and conversation.

Common Business Idioms

Think outside the box
Cut corners
Blue-sky thinking
Out of the blue
Raise the bar
Game changer
In the loop
Get the ball rolling
On the same page
Hit the ground running

Business Idiom Definitions

Think outside the box – to think creatively, beyond the normal conventional or traditional ideas
Cut corners – to do something quickly and without care or attention to detail
Blue-sky thinking – to think about new and original ideas that are not limited by practical considerations
Out of the blue – something unexpected or surprising
Raise the bar – to set higher standards or expectations
Game changer – something that significantly changes the way things are done
In the loop – to be informed or involved in a project or decision-making process
Get the ball rolling – to start a project or process
On the same page – to have a shared understanding or agreement
Hit the ground running – to start something quickly and effectively

Business Idiom Synonyms

Think outside the box – think innovatively, think creatively, think imaginatively
Cut corners – take shortcuts, rush through, skimp on
Blue-sky thinking – creative brainstorming, imaginative thinking, visionary planning
Out of the blue – unexpected, sudden, unanticipated
Raise the bar – improve, elevate, up the ante
Game changer – breakthrough, game-changing innovation
In the loop – up-to-date, in the know, well-informed
Get the ball rolling – begin, initiate, kick-start
On the same page – in agreement, in ‘sync’, on the same wavelength
Hit the ground running – get off to a good start, start strong, begin on a ‘high note’

Business Idiom Use in Sentences

Think outside the box – Let’s try to think outside the box and come up with a new solution to this problem
Cut corners – We can’t cut corners if we want to produce high-quality work
Blue-sky thinking – Let’s do some blue-sky thinking and come up with a completely new approach to marketing.
Out of the blue – I received a job offer out of the blue
Raise the bar – We need to raise the bar on customer service if we want to stand out from our competitor
Game changer – The introduction of the internet was a game changer for the way people communicate and access information.
In the loop – Make sure everyone is in the loop about the changes to the schedule.
Get the ball rolling – Let’s get the ball rolling on the new marketing campaign by brainstorming some ideas.
On the same page – I think we’re on the same page about the goals for this project.
Hit the ground running – We need to hit the ground running on this new project if we want to meet our deadline.

Business Idiom Exercises

Match each idiom with its meaning:

1. Think outside the box	A. Make significant changes or improvements
2. Cut corners	B. Start something, initiate a plan or project
3. Blue-sky thinking	C. To innovate or think creatively
4. Game changer	D. To suddenly and unexpectedly happen
5. In the loop	E. To be knowledgeable or informed about something
6. Out of the blue	F. To be in agreement or understanding with someone
7. Raise the bar	G. To work hard and productively from the beginning
8. Get the ball rolling	H. To take shortcuts or do something in a quick and easy way
9. On the same page	I. To set higher standards or expectations
10. Hit the ground running	J. To approach a problem or task in a new or different way

Fill in the blanks:

1.We need to _____________ if we want to come up with a creative solution to this problem.

2.I’m not sure where this idea came from. It just came to me _____________.

3.Let’s make sure everyone is _____________ before we start the meeting.

4.He’s always looking for ways to _____________ and improve his performance.

5.Don’t _____________ just to save time. Do the job properly.

6.The new technology was a real _____________ for the industry.

7.We need to _____________ if we want to succeed in this project.

Choose the correct idioms:

1.We need to ____________ if we want to come up with a new solution to this problem. (think outside the box / cut corners / blue-sky thinking)

2.I got a job offer ____________ last week. (out of the blue / in the loop / game changer)

3.We need to ____________ if we want to stay ahead of our competitors. (raise the bar / get the ball rolling / on the same page)

4.Let’s have some ____________ about how we can improve our products and services. (blue-sky thinking / cut corners / think outside the box)

5.The invention of the smartphone was a ____________ for the tech industry. (game changer / out of the blue / hit the ground running)

6. We need someone who can ____________ and take charge of the project from day one. (cut corners / hit the ground running / get the ball rolling)

7. Make sure everyone is ____________ about the changes to the schedule. (in the loop / on the same page / think outside the box)

8. We can’t ____________ if we want to produce high-quality work. (cut corners / raise the bar / get the ball rolling)

9. Let’s try to use ____________ and come up with a new solution to this problem. (blue-sky thinking / hit the ground running / out of the blue)

10. I think we’re ____________ about the goals for this project. (on the same page / raise the bar / cut corners)

Give an example of a situation where someone might need to:

Get the ball rolling
Hit the ground running
Cut corners
Think outside the box
Raise the bar

Reading Comprehension Exercises

The English for study skills lessons will have a section to improve reading skills. Follow this link to read the reading texts and answer the simple reading comprehension questions.