To cut your teeth

Feifei Hello I’m Feifei and this is The English We Speak. With me today is Rob…

Rob Hello everyone.

Feifei Rob, are you OK - you look in pain?

Rob I am - I’ve just been to the dentist. Ouch.

Feifei Hmm, not my favourite place - but I guess you had to go to research today’s piece of authentic English?

Rob Excuse me?

Feifei Well today’s expression is ‘to cut your teeth’ - and dentists look at teeth?

Rob Sorry Feifei, that’s one tooth-related expression that doesn’t need a dentist. When you ‘cut your teeth’ you get your first experience doing something in a particular job.

Feifei Oh really. So it’s like work experience?

Rob Yes, that’s one way of learning a new skill which you might use later in your job. I cut my teeth in radio production by working in local radio….

Feifei … and you’re still cutting your teeth now Rob?!

Rob Ha ha, let’s hear some examples of this phrase shall we?

Examples Dan cut his teeth on a local newspaper before landing a job on a national daily.

He cut his teeth running the junior football club before becoming a professional referee.

Feifei So ‘to cut your teeth’ means to acquire initial practice or experience in a particular job or activity. We could say it’s where you get your basic skills.

Rob Correct - so where do you think you cut your teeth for this job Fefei?

Feifei I cut my media teeth at university.

Rob Ouch!

Feifei
Sorry, what did I say?

Rob No it’s not you - it’s this filling I had done - that’s why I went to the dentist. He really was rough.

Feifei Rob, I think you should go home and rest.

Rob Maybe!

Both
Bye!