idiom · neutral

be ahead of the curve

UK/bi əˈhɛd əv ðə kɜːv/US/bi əˈhɛd əv ðə kɝv/be a·HEAD of the CURVE

speakingtask2

to be more advanced than others in knowledge, development, or trend forecasting

Examples

“By adopting AI early, the company was ahead of the curve when clients demanded automation.”

“Universities that teach coding now are ahead of the curve.”

“She always reads industry reports to stay ahead of the curve.”

Band 8 sentence

“By investing in AI early, the start-up was ahead of the curve when clients started demanding automation.”

Collocations

  • be ahead of the curve in technology
  • be ahead of the curve with new products

Word family

be ahead of the curve idiomstay ahead of the curve idiom (variant)

Common mistakes

ahead of curve→ahead of the curve

be ahead curve→be ahead of the curve

be in front of the curve→be ahead of the curve

Say it for a higher band

5be advanced→6be ahead of the game→7+be ahead of the curve

Synonyms

stay ahead of the game

Easily confused

stay ahead of the game

“Companies that innovate stay ahead of the game.”

Related words

get aheadseize the opportunitymake a name for oneselfstrike while the iron is hotget the ball rollinggo the extra milemake the gradeclimb the (career) ladder

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