Grammar fix
break the ice
start talking
to do or say something to make people feel more comfortable and willing to talk, especially when they first meet or in a new situation.
collocationB1common
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
Telling a funny story helped break the ice at the party.
In group discussions, I usually ask a simple question to break the ice and make everyone feel more comfortable.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I told a joke to break ice.
Say: I told a joke to break the ice.
It's 'break THE ice' — the 'the' is fixed.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Break the ice' is the set idiom for easing first-meeting tension; the paraphrase is clinical.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
break the ice
- help
- to
- a good way to
- icebreaker