Haven't a clue

[Sameer]

Test No. incompl/elem-31 "Responses (4)", question 4

Mike: 'Guess how much income tax I pay.'
Jane: '.........'

(a) I haven't a thought.
(b) I haven't a belief.
(c) I haven't a point.
(d) I haven't a clue.

Test No. incompl/elem-31 "Responses (4)", answer 4

Mike: 'Guess how much income tax I pay.'
Jane: 'I haven't a clue.'

Correct answer: (d) I haven't a clue.

Your answer was: incorrect
Mike: 'Guess how much income tax I pay.'
Jane: 'I haven't a point.'
_________________________

please explain this to me.

thanks

[Alan]

This means I have no idea. A clue is something that helps you find the answer to a puzzle or problem. A police detective looks for clues to help find the answer to a crime.
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Saule]

Hi Alan,

''I haven't a clue'' and ''I don't have a clue''. Are those two expressions grammatically correct?

[OxfordBlues]

'I don't have a clue' is the grammatically correct form but people shall likely understand that 'I haven't a clue' is actually short for 'I haven't got a clue.'
_________________
There's no such thing as an exception to the rule...

My blog: http://calleteach.wordpress.com

[Saule]

Thanks OxforBlues.

[Ahmad6889]

thanks again and again,.. , Alan
you are so kind :)

[Roman_(rf)]

Hello there. I'd like to ask the following question: Why can't we say: I haven't a thought?
Thanks a lot.

[Beeesneees]

Because the word 'thought' has a different meaning which does not work in this context.
_________________
"Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett

[Roman_(rf)]

Thanks one more time, but I thought that this phrase has the same meaning as I've no idea. Am I wrong?

[Torsten]

Yes Roman, "I have no clue" means "I have no idea". Понятия не имею.

TOEIC listening, question-response: How often do we have staff retreats?

[Beeesneees]

This sentence perfectly demonstrates that 'thought' and 'idea' are not always synonymous, because they both have several definitions which do not all match up.
_________________
"Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett