Switch gears meaning in English
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Definition
to switch gears: to change speeds, to accelerate or slow down (when driving a car)
Let's switch gears!: I suggest that we change the tone or subject of discussion!
Examples
- "Okay, let's switch gears now."
Exercise 1
Complete the discussion using expressions used in the conversation you just heard!
Choose the most appropriate idiom in each case. Choose the answers that make the most sense in the context of the discussion!
Katryn: ...so anyway, I told her that I was washing my hair that night.
Sarah: Ok, that's enough chit chat. Let's .
Katryn: Okay, that's . I know you prefer to talk about serious issues.
Sarah: That's right. But I do often find it difficult to between the mundane and the profound.
Katryn: It has to be a smooth transition.
Sarah: So can we talk about Rousseau now?
Choose the most appropriate idiom in each case. Choose the answers that make the most sense in the context of the discussion!
Katryn: ...so anyway, I told her that I was washing my hair that night.
Sarah: Ok, that's enough chit chat. Let's .
Katryn: Okay, that's . I know you prefer to talk about serious issues.
Sarah: That's right. But I do often find it difficult to between the mundane and the profound.
Katryn: It has to be a smooth transition.
Sarah: So can we talk about Rousseau now?
Complete the discussion using expressions used in the conversation you just heard!
Choose the most appropriate idiom in each case. Choose the answers that make the most sense in the context of the discussion!
Katryn: ...so anyway, I told her that I was washing my hair that night.
Sarah: Ok, that's enough chit chat. Let's switch gears 1.
Katryn: Okay, that's fair enough 2. I know you prefer to talk about serious issues.
Sarah: That's right. But I do often find it difficult to bridge the gap 3 between the mundane and the profound.
Katryn: It has to be a smooth transition.
Sarah: So can we talk about Rousseau now?
Choose the most appropriate idiom in each case. Choose the answers that make the most sense in the context of the discussion!
Katryn: ...so anyway, I told her that I was washing my hair that night.
Sarah: Ok, that's enough chit chat. Let's switch gears 1.
Katryn: Okay, that's fair enough 2. I know you prefer to talk about serious issues.
Sarah: That's right. But I do often find it difficult to bridge the gap 3 between the mundane and the profound.
Katryn: It has to be a smooth transition.
Sarah: So can we talk about Rousseau now?
1 switch gears: "Switch gears" is the best choice here. In this context, "to switch gears" means to change the tone of a discussion, or to begin another topic. Example: "We've been talking about football for long enough now: it's time to switch gears and discuss rugby". Note that "to switch gears" in a car is to literally move the gear stick to allow the car to go faster or to slow it down.
1 bridge the gap: To "bridge a cap" is to link two ore more ideas. It does not make sense here.
2 fair enough: "Fair enough" is the best choice. We use this common, familiar expression to say that we understand what another person has said, and accept it. Example: "-I'm leaving my husband because he smells bad. -Fair enough."
2 gauging your reaction: This does not make sense here. To "gauge someone's reaction" is to measure or estimate their response: it does not belong here.
3 bridge the gap: "Bridge the gap" is the most appropriate answer here. To "bridge a gap" is to link or join two ideas, or to unite two elements. It can be used either literally: "We need to bridge the gap across the ravine", or metaphorically: 'Music bridges the gap between the rich and the poor members of this society.
3 pass round: To "pass (something) round" is to hand it from one person to another. Example: "Pass the photo round so that your friends can see it". It does not make sense here.
Exercise 2
Flying tips!
If you fly too slowly, the aircraft may . If this happens, increase to regain airspeed.
Before you land on the , make sure you lower your landing .
If you fly too slowly, the aircraft may . If this happens, increase to regain airspeed.
Before you land on the , make sure you lower your landing .
Flying tips!
If you fly too slowly, the aircraft may stall 1. If this happens, increase throttle 2 to regain airspeed.
Before you land on the runway 3, make sure you lower your landing gear 4.
If you fly too slowly, the aircraft may stall 1. If this happens, increase throttle 2 to regain airspeed.
Before you land on the runway 3, make sure you lower your landing gear 4.
1 stall: "To stall", in aeronautical terms, is to fly so slowly that the plane no longer generates "lift" or upward force. As a result, the plane starts to lose altitude. "To stall" can be used in other contexts: "to stall a car" is to accidentally stop a car's engine. Example: I STALLED the car before the traffic lights; you can also "stall someone", which means to purposefully delay someone. Example: I managed to STALL my father for a few minutes while my brother hid the broken vase.
1 throttle: "Throttle" is not something that an aircraft "does", it is the valve that regulates speed.
1 runway: "Runway" is not something that an aircraft "does", it is the long stretch of surface that aircraft use to land and take off.
1 gear: "Gear" is not something that an aircraft "does", the "landing gear" is the wheels that are lowered to allow an aircraft to land safely.
2 throttle: The "throttle" is the valve that regulates how much fuel is burnt in an internal combustion engine, controlling the speed of the aircraft. It is similar to "the gas" or accelerator pedal in a car. "To increase throttle" is to accelerate or increase speed.
2 stall: "Stall" is not something that can be increased, "to stall" is to fly too slowly and lose altitude.
2 runway: "runway" is not something that can be increased to regain speed - a "runway" is the long stretch of surface that aircraft use to land and take off.
2 gear: "Gear" is not something that can be increased to regain speed - the "landing gear" means the wheels that are lowered to allow an aircraft to land safely. However, the term "gear" does have a different meaning: "gears" describe the mechanism which allows a vehicle to change between different speeds (first gear, reverse gear etc). In this context, one might "change or switch (not increase) gear" to regain speed.
3 runway: The runway is the long length of flat, tarmacked surface that airplanes use to accelerate before take off and decelerate after landing.
3 throttle: It is impossible "to land on a throttle" - "throttle" is the valve that regulates speed.
3 stall: It is impossible "to land on a stall" - "to stall" is to fly too slowly and lose altitude.
3 gear: It is impossible "to land on a gear" - - the "landing gear" is the wheels that are lowered to allow an aircraft to land safely.
4 gear: This is correct. The "landing gear" is the unit(s) positioned on the underside of the aircraft that holds the wheels. The landing gear is withdrawn after take off and lowered before landing.
4 throttle: We can't "lower landing throttle" - "throttle" is the valve that regulates speed.
4 runway: We can't "lower landing runaway" - a "runway" is the long stretch of surface that aircraft use to land and take off.
4 stall: We can't "lower landing stall" - "to stall" is to fly too slowly and lose altitude.
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