Lesson 08 · Success

Idioms about success

Learn four useful English idioms about success through slow listening, clear examples, multilingual support and retrieval practice.

LEVEL 2B112 min

Meet the idioms in context

Read once for the general meaning. Then read again and notice the highlighted expressions.

Speed

0:000:00

Choose 0.50× or 0.75× for slow listening. The pitch stays natural. Voices generated with Aura-2.

Maya How did your final interview go?

Leo I passed it with flying colours. All that practice finally paid off.

Maya I knew it would. You always come out on top when you prepare carefully.

Leo Thanks. The manager said people think I’m going places.

Maya That sounds very promising. When do you start?

Leo Next month — I’m excited and a little nervous.

Open your toolbox

Meaning, tone, natural grammar and a memory hook for every expression.

come out on top

neutralspoken & writtenBrE & AmE

be successful after a competition or difficulty

Picture it: Build a clear mental picture from “come out on top” and connect it to this meaning: be successful after a competition or difficulty.

It was a difficult negotiation, but we came out on top.
She usually comes out on top under pressure.

Common mistake: Treat “come out on top” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

pay off

neutralspoken & writtenBrE & AmE

produce a good result after effort or patience

Picture it: Build a clear mental picture from “pay off” and connect it to this meaning: produce a good result after effort or patience.

All that practice finally paid off.
His patience paid off in the end.

Common mistake: Treat “pay off” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

go places

neutralspoken & writtenBrE & AmE

be likely to become very successful

Picture it: Build a clear mental picture from “go places” and connect it to this meaning: be likely to become very successful.

That young designer is going places.
People knew the company would go places.

Common mistake: Treat “go places” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

with flying colours

neutralspoken & writtenBrE & AmE

very successfully

Picture it: Build a clear mental picture from “with flying colours” and connect it to this meaning: very successfully.

She passed the interview with flying colours.
The new system completed every test with flying colours.

Common mistake: Treat “with flying colours” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

Idioms about success

Meet the idioms in context

Open your toolbox

come out on top

pay off

go places

with flying colours

Practise for retrieval

1 · Match the meaning

2 · Complete the sentence

3 · Choose and notice

4 · Over to you

Take the lesson with you

Lesson, practice and answer key

Dialogue and example sentences

Meet the idioms in context

Open your toolbox

come out on top

pay off

go places

with flying colours

Practise for retrieval

1 · Match the meaning

2 · Complete the sentence

3 · Choose and notice

4 · Over to you

Take the lesson with you

Lesson, practice and answer key

Dialogue and example sentences

Create your free toolbox