Work & careers

hit a wall

suddenly stop making progress

To reach a point where you can no longer make progress, often because you are tired or have run out of ideas.

B2 common mostly spoken

expression

Hear it in real life

Have you finished the report?

Not yet. I hit a wall with the conclusion.

Play the conversation

I hit a wall while preparing for the exam, so I went for a short walk.

The mistake everyone makes

Not: I hit a wall ~~of ideas~~ while writing the report.

Say: I hit a wall while writing the report.

Learners may add “of ideas” by analogy with “a flood of ideas,” but it does not express reaching a point where progress stops.

Build it

How it fits in a sentence.

hit a wall; hit a wall while doing something

Your turn: say it out loud

I hit a wall while preparing for the exam, so I went for a short walk.

Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.

hit a wall

suddenly stop making progress

“I hit a wall while preparing for the exam, so I went for a short walk.”

heytardy

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