IELTS Speaking for Success - 🔎 Idioms: To bend over backwards

Episode Date: April 25, 2024

"To bend over backwards" means to make a big effort or go out of your way to help someone or achieve something, even if it's difficult or uncomfortable. The origin of this phrase is a bit unclear, but it's thought to come from the physical act of bending your body backwards, which can be really hard and uncomfortable. So, when you say someone is "bending over backwards," it's like saying they're doing something really hard or uncomfortable to help out or get something done. Tune in and have a great day! - Get exclusive episodes on IELTS Speaking parts 1, 2, and 3: https://linktr.ee/sfspremium Book a class with Rory here: https://successwithielts.com/rory Our course on Phrasal Verbs: https://successwithielts.com/podcourses Find an IELTS Speaking Partner: https://links.successwithielts.com/ieltspartner Our social media: https://linktr.ee/successwithielts © 2024 Podcourses LLP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Capital One, we're more than just a credit card company. We're people just like you who believe in the power of yes. Yes to new opportunities. Yes to second chances. Yes to a fresh start. That's why we've helped over 4 million Canadians get access to a credit card. Because at Capital One, we say yes, so you don't have to hear another no. What will you do with your yes?

Get the yes you've been waiting for at Capital One.ca.ca. slash yes. Terms and conditions apply. Hello and welcome to our series of episodes on idioms. Maria and I have specially selected different idioms to talk about lots of different areas in your life to bring up your level of English to a high standard. First of all, I'm going to give an example, paraphrasing the idiom. Rory will guess the idiom and then we will give you the meaning, the origin and more examples. I know what idioms we are going to be talking about, but I haven't seen the sentences and I have no idea what order they are going to be in.

So, Rory, I've been trying very hard to help you with your birthday party. I've been trying super hard to help you with your party. Have you been bending over backwards? Yeah. To bend over backwards. I can also say to lean over backwards. So to bend or to lean backwards. over backwards, but usually bend.

And the idiom means to try very hard to do something, so to do whatever it takes to help someone. And this one comes from gymnastics, where bending over backwards is an important skill that requires a lot of effort to meet the requirements. She can say, I would bend over backwards for my family, for my friends. Or my company is bending over backwards

to satisfy my needs. But also, Rory, it can mean that you help too much. So you put in too much effort, which is like not good. It's kind of like too much. So it's a bit negative, yeah? Or you feel it's too much. I have been bending over backwards. Yeah, like I've been bending over backwards trying to solve your problems.

Like I've been putting too much effort. Right. So very often it's not a good. idea to bend over backwards to solve other people's problems. Can I say I don't want to bend over backwards? Absolutely, especially if you have clear boundaries. For example. Don't bend over backwards just to please other people, especially if they're ungrateful. If the context is someone from the bank calls you and wants you to buy this service and the person on the phone did a lot to make you happy, to make you get the service.

Then they're bending over backwards to please you. Yeah, so the person on the phone has been bending over backwards to please me. You can also use it about games, like if you play video games. So video games companies bend over backwards to give their players the best experience, yeah? Companies, people, bend over backwards. And we usually use it. with like, I've been bending over backwards with present perfect continuous.

Rory, what about you? Give us an example about yourself. Anything that you've been putting too much effort in? No, I mean, I used to bend over backwards to please my previous employers, but I don't do that now because I work for myself. Well, thank you very much for listening. We'll come back to you in our next episode. Bye.