Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Go the extra mile

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Go the extra mile" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourEveryday Casual & Workplace collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Everyday Casual & Workplace

Go the extra mile

Go the extra mile
To make more effort than is expected, required, or standard in order to achieve something or help someone.
History & Origin

The phrase originates from the biblical Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus references a Roman law that allowed occupying soldiers to legally compel a citizen to carry their gear for one mile. Jesus advised his followers to surprise the soldiers by voluntarily carrying it a second mile instead. Over time, this specific historical instruction evolved into a universal idiom for exceeding basic requirements.

Examples
Workplace Email

I want to thank Sarah for going the extra mile on the quarterly report; she stayed late all week to ensure every data point was flawless.

Casual Conversation

The hotel staff really went the extra mile for our anniversary by leaving a handwritten note and fresh flowers in our room.

Academic Writing

While standard public health policies aim for basic compliance, exceptional programs go the extra mile by integrating community-led educational outreach.

News/Media

During the winter storm, local volunteers went the extra mile to deliver hot meals and warm blankets to elderly residents stranded without electricity.

Formal Speech

To achieve true excellence in our diplomatic efforts, we must be willing to go the extra mile to understand the cultural nuances of our international partners.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. The marathon runner had to go the extra mile because she accidentally missed the final turn on the racetrack.

B. Our customer support team is trained to go the extra mile by resolving complex issues even if it takes more time than a standard call.

C. I forgot my wallet at home, so I had to go the extra mile back to my apartment before the store closed.

D. He is highly lazy and always goes the extra mile to finish his assignments before the absolute deadline.