Meet the idioms in context
Read once for the general meaning. Then read again and notice the highlighted expressions.
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Maya How did you keep your cool when the meeting got out of hand?
Leo I reminded myself that I was still in the driver’s seat.
Maya I thought the chairperson was losing her grip on the discussion.
Leo She was, so I suggested a five-minute break.
Maya That gave everyone time to calm down.
Leo Exactly. A short pause helped us regain control.
Open your toolbox
Meaning, tone, natural grammar and a memory hook for every expression.
AD · RECTANGLE 300×250
Practise for retrieval
Choose, type and correct. Feedback appears immediately — no answer key hunting.
1 · Match the meaning
stay calm in a difficult situation
lose control or the ability to deal with a situation
in control of a situation
become difficult or impossible to control
2 · Complete the sentence
3 · Choose and notice
Which expression means “become difficult or impossible to control”?
Which expression means “in control of a situation”?
4 · Over to you
Write a short situation about control using two expressions from this lesson.
Your score: 0 / 9 · Keep going — retrieval makes the language yours.
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