Curioustab Logo Curioustab
Home » General Knowledge » English

Improve the underlined idiom in the sentence: He has the irritating habit of playing his own trumpet all the time.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: blowing his own trumpet

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:

This question tests your knowledge of English idioms and phrases. The given sentence uses a slightly incorrect form of a well known idiom about boasting. You have to choose the option that gives the standard, accepted idiomatic expression. Examiners often include such questions to see whether candidates can recognise and correct subtle errors in common phrases.


Given Data / Assumptions:

- Original sentence: He has the irritating habit of playing his own trumpet all the time. - The highlighted expression is playing his own trumpet. - Options include different verbs before his own trumpet. - The intended meaning is that he constantly praises himself.


Concept / Approach:

The correct English idiom for boasting about oneself is blowing his own trumpet (or blowing one own trumpet). It means to praise oneself loudly and repeatedly. The use of playing his own trumpet is non standard and sounds odd to native speakers. Therefore, the task is to replace playing with blowing, which restores the recognised idiom and preserves the meaning of the sentence.


Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Identify the meaning of the sentence: it describes someone who keeps talking about his own achievements in an irritating way. 2. Recall the idiom blow one own trumpet, which is commonly used to mean boast excessively. 3. Option A offers blowing his own trumpet, which matches the standard idiom exactly. 4. Option B, pumping his own trumpet, is not an idiom and sounds unnatural. 5. Option C, bringing up his own trumpet, also does not exist as a set expression in English. 6. Option D, No improvement, would preserve the incorrect form playing his own trumpet, which is not accepted in standard usage. 7. Therefore, the correct improvement is blowing his own trumpet.


Verification / Alternative check:

Test the idiom in different sentences. For example, She is always blowing her own trumpet about her exam results. This is a natural and frequently used sentence. If you try She is always playing her own trumpet, it sounds like she is literally playing a musical instrument rather than boasting. This shows why blowing is the key verb in the idiom. Dictionaries and learning materials on idioms also list blowing one own trumpet as the fixed phrase for self praise.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Pumping his own trumpet: Does not exist as an idiom; the combination of pumping and trumpet suggests physical action unrelated to self praise. Bringing up his own trumpet: Bringing up means raising a topic or nurturing a child, and has no idiomatic link with trumpet or boasting. No improvement: Keeps a non idiomatic and confusing phrase, which is exactly what the question asks you to correct.


Common Pitfalls:

Learners sometimes mix verbs within idioms, especially when they remember the image but not the exact wording. To handle idiom questions successfully, it is important to learn common expressions as fixed chunks, not as separate words. Whenever you come across idioms in reading or in exam practice, note their exact structure and do not change the verbs or prepositions inside them.


Final Answer:

The corrected idiom is blowing his own trumpet.

← Previous Question Next Question→

More Questions from English

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion