[Idiom] How to use this idiom?

Status
Not open for further replies.

varmaswathy81

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Malayalam
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
Hi,

I want to know if the usage of this idiom is correct or not in the given sentence.

Writing a novel is like nailing jelly on the wall for him.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Well, "nailing jelly to the wall" is a pointless, impossible task. It can't be done. Every time you hammer the nail in, the jelly would just fall to the floor again.

Presumably, writing a novel has proved or is proving impossible for him.

It's probably not the idiom I would have chosen as writing a novel is a rather long-term activity. I would associate "nailing jelly to the wall" with something more short-lived.

Trying to keep chocolate in my fridge for longer than five minutes is like nailing jelly to the wall.
 
Last edited:

varmaswathy81

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Malayalam
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
Thanks for detailed explanation.
 

Fatma Ahmed Omar

New member
Joined
Mar 30, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Egypt
Current Location
Egypt
''like nailing jelly to the wall'' this idiom used when you want to describe an impossible task to do . So if you think that writing a novel is impossible you can say this idiom . But I think when someone start writing novels he/she will be able finally to write .
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top