Have Egg On Your Face - Idiom Of The Day For IELTS

This IELTS idiom “Have Egg On Your Face” is perfect for responding to questions about a silly or a foolish mistake you made. The idiom directly means to get caught in an awkward situation when something you planned did not go as you planned.

In this blog of ours, you will perfectly learn how to use “Have Egg On Your Face” accurately in your answers, with sample sentences, meanings, and context-based practice exercises to boost your IELTS exam’s lexical resource band score.

Meaning of the 'Have Egg On Your Face' IELTS Idiom

This idiom ‘Have Egg On Your Face’ means to be left feeling stupid or embarrassed because of something you did. In other words, it is to be embarrassed or to look foolish because of an act you did or said that went wrong or that it turned out to be incorrect.

Where Did the Idiom 'Have Egg On Your Face' Come From?

The idiom of "have egg on your face" is likely believed to have originated in American English in the late 19th or the early 20th century. With its roots in stage performances and stand up comedy shows, where the performers were sometimes hit with eggs as a clear sign of public humiliation. 

One another belief is that the idiom came from the image of a person looking silly or messy after eating as in, with egg literally on their face. Over the time, this phrase came to mean feeling embarrassed, or ashamed, especially after making a mistake in front of others.

Synonyms of the 'Have Egg On Your Face' Idiom

• Look foolish
• Be caught off guard
• Make a fool out of yourself
• Be proven wrong

Antonyms of the 'Have Egg On Your Face' Idiom

• Saving your face
• Be praised
• Be admired
• Be right all along
• Gain respect

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using the 'Have Egg On Your Face' Idiom

• Using it literally 

This is a figurative expression and it does not mean that someone actually has food on their face. 

For Example: 

Incorrect Usage: She had an egg on her face after breakfast. 

Correct Usage: She had egg on her face after her ideas failed in the monthly meeting. 

• Using it in formal writing without a proper context 

This is an informal idiom and hence you must avoid using it in formal academic writing unless it is properly framed. 

For Example: 

Incorrect Usage: This essay explains why certain governments have egg on their faces. 

Correct Usage: Some individuals argue that certain governments and their sudden policy reversal left them looking foolish in front of their citizens.

• Mixing it up with other unrelated idioms 

Do not confuse this idiom with expressions like “walk on eggshells” (which means to be careful), since others have their own different meanings.

A Sample Scenario to Use the Idiom 'Have Egg On Your Face'

Imagine you are attending an important team meeting at your work place. At this time, one of your colleagues tries to confidently present a new marketing strategy as he was dismissing others' ideas and claiming that his idea was the best. But halfway through the year, his strategy completely flops, and there is a negative feedback from clients. During the next team meeting, everyone looks at that person, as he admits his mistake sheepishly.

You could say:

“After talking down the others and pushing his idea, Rishi really had egg on his face when the whole campaign failed.”

Examples to Understand the Usage of the 'Have Egg On Your Face' Idiom in Sentences

• “I had egg on my face because of all the stupid things that I did when I was drunk last night.”
• “If you don’t stop shouting angrily at your colleagues, you definitely have egg on your face. “
• “After Jan’s private video has uploaded on Youtube, she has egg on her face when somebody talks about it”

Practice Exercise

Exercise 1

Instruction: Write a small paragraph for this IELTS Speaking question by using the idiom "Have Egg On Your Face."

Question: Describe a time period when you had to work very hard for something.

Exercise 2

Instruction: Write a paragraph that clearly uses the idiom "Have Egg On Your Face."

Question: Some people believe that success mainly depends on hard work, while others think factors like talent or luck play a bigger role. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Practice Exercise: Answer Key

Exercise 1

This month, I had to study day and night to win an inter-cultural college debate competition. I had to memorize facts, practice delivery, and even skipped family and friendly outings. But when the big day arrived, I actually misread the topic and produced the wrong argument. I felt sad and definitely had egg on my face in front of the audience and judges. This was really a tough lesson on reading instructions carefully.

Exercise 2

While some individuals argue that talent or luck can lead to direct success, other people believe that consistent hard work is even more reliable. Moreover, depending very much on talent without proper preparation can backfire. For instance, a gifted public speaker might think they do not need to rehearse, but during their actual speech, they might tend to forget key points and end up having egg on their face.

Some More Example Sentences Based On the 'Have Egg On Your Face' Idiom 

• After bragging about finishing the test first, she had egg on her face when she came in with a fail mark.
• The company had egg on its face when its huge and famous product launch turned out to be a disaster.
• He had egg on his face after accusing the wrong person of cheating in the final test.
• Rinku had an egg on her face when the facts proved her bold claims were false.
• My cousin was so sure that she had locked the door. But when her house got robbed, she had egg on her face.

Also Check:

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• A Leopard Cannot Change His Spots – Idiom of the Day for IELTS  
• Play It By Ear Idiom: Meaning, Origin, Usage & Exercises  
• The most Common Idioms to Boost Your IELTS Score – Topic : Help and encouragement