idiom · informal
drop like flies
UK/drɒp laɪk flaɪz/US/drɑːp laɪk flaɪz/DROP·like·FLIES
to become ill or fall unconscious in large numbers very quickly
Examples
“During the heatwave, tourists were dropping like flies.”
“When the virus spread through the office, people began to drop like flies.”
“This is informal language; use cautiously in formal writing.”
Band 8 sentence
“When the contaminated food was served, attendees began to drop like flies, which forced the event to close early.”
Collocations
- drop like flies during the outbreak
- people dropped like flies
Common mistakes
drop like flys→drop like flies
People are dropping like flies (used in Task 2 essay without caution)→Many people fell ill in large numbers
Say it for a higher band
5get sick quickly→6fall ill in large numbers→7+drop like flies
Synonyms
fall ill in large numbers
succumb in large numbers
Easily confused
fall ill
“Many students fell ill after the festival.”
Related words
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In Health
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