idiom · informal

call the shots

UK/kɔːl ðə ʃɒts/US/kɔːl ðə ʃɑts/CALL·the·SHOTS

speakingtask2

to be the person who makes the important decisions; to control what happens

Examples

“In that small company, the founder still calls the shots.”

“She calls the shots on budget issues.”

“If you're the project manager, you usually call the shots.”

Band 8 sentence

“Although there are several partners, she ultimately calls the shots on strategic matters.”

Collocations

  • call the shots on + decision/issue
  • the boss calls the shots
  • let someone else call the shots

Word family

call the shots idiomcalls the shots / called the shots idiom (verb forms)

Common mistakes

He call the shots in the team.→He calls the shots in the team.

She is the one who calls shot.→She is the one who calls the shots.

Say it for a higher band

5be in charge→6make decisions→7+call the shots

Synonyms

be in charge

Easily confused

be in charge

“As head nurse, she is in charge of the ward.”

Related words

cut cornersgo the extra mileget your foot in the doorglass ceilingtake the initiativelearn the ropestake the bull by the hornshit the ground running

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