idiom · neutral
pull strings
/pʊl strɪŋz/pull·STRINGS
speakingtask2
to use influence or personal connections to obtain an advantage or favor.
Examples
“He pulled strings to get his nephew into the university.”
“If you know someone in the hiring team, you can pull strings.”
“People who pull strings often avoid the usual application process.”
Band 8 sentence
“Although he lacked formal qualifications, he secured the role because he could pull a few strings at the company.”
Collocations
- pull strings to get someone a job
- pull a few strings
Word family
pull strings verb phrasepulled strings verb phrase (past)pulling strings verb phrase (gerund)
Common mistakes
pull a string→pull strings
pull the strings of→pull strings (for someone) / pull a few strings
Say it for a higher band
5use connections→6use influence→7+pull strings
Synonyms
use connections
pull a few strings
Easily confused
pull one's weight
“He pulled strings to get his friend the contract.”
Related words
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In Work
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