you should swallow all the class material

[alpacinou]

Hello

In my language, when someone studies and learns something in a perfect way, we say something that literally translates to, "she has swallowed all the material I have taught her". It means she has learnt them and "mastered" them completely.

Is there a similar expression in English which means you completely master the stuff/material the teacher has taught you?

Also, is material correct in this context?

 

[GoesStation]

She was drinking from a fire hose.

"Material" is the right word.

 

[Yankee]

She was drinking from a fire hose. WOW! I've been around for a long time, but I've never heard that expression used in any sense. (AmE)

"Material" is the right word.

Yankee.

 

[Tarheel]

Hello

In my language, when someone studies and learns something in a perfect way, we say something that literally translates to, "she has swallowed all the material I have taught her". It means she has learnt it and "mastered" it completely.

Is there a similar expression in English which means you completely mastered the stuff/material the teacher has taught you?

Also, is material correct in this context?

I don't know what it means to learn something in a perfect way.

 

[alpacinou]

She was drinking from a fire hose.

I'm sorry but I don't understand what that has to do with learning and mastering something.

 

[GoesStation]

I'm sorry but I don't understand what that has to do with learning and mastering something.

The image is of someone successfully taking in a huge stream of something. A fire hose produces an enormous stream of water; in the metaphor, the listener substitutes information for water.

It's widely used in many aspects of life having to do with information.

 

[Skrej]

The fire hose one is a new one for me, but there's also 'soaked it up like a sponge'.

 

[GoesStation]

The fire hose one is a new one for me, but there's also 'soaked it up like a sponge'.

I'm surprised it's not widely known. The expression comes up frequently at technical conferences.

 

[alpacinou]

The fire hose one is a new one for me, but there's also 'soaked it up like a sponge'.

I like this:-D. Can it be found in dictionaries? Is this okay?

You should soak up all the material in the class like a sponge.

 

[Tarheel]

You can't find everything in dictionaries. Especially phrases. You might try the internet. Google "soaked up like a sponge".

 

[emsr2d2]

I've never heard the one about the fire hose. I like the one about the sponge although I've generally heard "She absorbs information like a sponge".

 

[alpacinou]

Is this okay and natural?

You should soak up all the material in the class like a sponge.

 

[Skrej]

It's okay, but like ems mentioned in post #11, we usually use it in third person. It's a bit unusual to use it in 2nd person and as a suggestion.

 

[alpacinou]

It's okay, but like ems mentioned in post #11, we usually use it in third person. It's a bit unusual to use it in 2nd person and as a suggestion.

I think I will use it, unnatural though it may be.

 

[emsr2d2]

The ability to absorb/soak up information is just that - an ability. You can't tell someone to do it. They either learn that way or they don't. I really wouldn't use it as an imperative if I were you.

 

[Tarheel]

Is this okay and natural?

You should soak up all the material in the class like a sponge.

If someone said that to me I might say:

I can't do that. I'm not a sponge. Furthermore, I might not want or need to remember everything. I need to remember the most important things. It does help if I write things down. I need to make sure I remember the most most important things. I can't remember everything.