Do you want to speak better American English? But before you can do it, there is one thing you must know. What is it? What is so special about American English?
So the verb 'hit' is basically for fighting, right? It comes with lots of actions, and when you hit you hit it with your hands or feet.
Yet in American English, (business) people use the verb 'hit' quite a lot:
But think about it. What does it mean? You hit it with your hand or what? I mean you can hit a person, a ball or whatever. But how did sales hit a new high? That is, sales are not a person, not even an animal. How is it possible for sales to hit something?
This is one of the ways Americans pick their choice of verbs. They want fighting, more fighting. Actually, they do not really fight. But they simply embed that style into the verbs they use.
When they want to say 'reach' a new high, they don't use 'reach'. They hit a new high.
When something bad happens to their company, they use 'hit' again:
Our company is hit hard by the rise of cost.
Believe it or not. There are actually fighting verbs in American English.
FIGHTING VERBS
What fighting verbs? Verbs that fight. You don't get it. Read the following sentences:
Don't hit each other.
Don't hit her head.
So the verb 'hit' is basically for fighting, right? It comes with lots of actions, and when you hit you hit it with your hands or feet.
Yet in American English, (business) people use the verb 'hit' quite a lot:
Our sales hit a new high last month.
But think about it. What does it mean? You hit it with your hand or what? I mean you can hit a person, a ball or whatever. But how did sales hit a new high? That is, sales are not a person, not even an animal. How is it possible for sales to hit something?
VERBS: THE AMERICAN STYLE
This is one of the ways Americans pick their choice of verbs. They want fighting, more fighting. Actually, they do not really fight. But they simply embed that style into the verbs they use.
When they want to say 'reach' a new high, they don't use 'reach'. They hit a new high.
When something bad happens to their company, they use 'hit' again:
Our company is hit hard by the rise of cost.
HIT IT THE AMERICAN WAY
Well, Americans really like the Fighting Verb 'hit' so much that they use it quite often. The following table shows some of the common ones:
Hit it big
|
to be successful
|
Hit the fan
|
to have bad effects
|
Hit the ground running
|
to begin a venture (with lots of energy)
|
WHERE IS THE IDEA FROM?
The idea of Fighting Verbs is from a new book to be published:
Grammar Rules Made Funny (1):
How to Make Sentences to Improve Your Spoken and Written American Business English
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