Writing Book 6 · Lesson 18
Metaphors and idioms — bring the words back
You have met these and used them; now you use them where they actually belong.
The words
a double-edged sword
good and bad both
a stumbling block
an obstacle
the tip of the iceberg
only a small part
a vicious circle
a problem feeding itself
cast doubt on
make less certain
Watch how it is built
1a double-edged sword means about the same as good and bad both.
The rule is a double-edged sword.
2a stumbling block means about the same as an obstacle.
Cost is a stumbling block.
3the tip of the iceberg means about the same as only a small part.
This is the tip of the iceberg.
Two ways to say it
✗ The rule is good and bad both. — this is not wrong, but it is everyday talk.
✓ The rule is a double-edged sword. — this is how a writer says it.
Ask yourself: “Is this the exact word, or the nearest one I already knew?”
Remember
A stumbling block, a grey area, the tip of the iceberg.
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