Idiom: "quick off the mark"

[Elga]

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #25 "Mark Idioms", question 4

There wasn't much time to waste and in order to secure a place, you had to be quick off the mark.

(a) ready in the queue
(b) aware in the queue
(c) be first in the queue
(d) be along in the queue

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #25 "Mark Idioms", answer 4

There wasn't much time to waste and in order to secure a place, you had to be be first in the queue.

Correct answer: (c) be first in the queue

Your answer was: incorrect
There wasn't much time to waste and in order to secure a place, you had to be be along in the queue.
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Idiom: "quick off the mark"
What is quick off?

Elga

[Alan]

Hi,

This means quick to get away first from the starting point as in a race.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Onlineenglish]

The mark is the starting line in chalk. You put your fingers on it before you start to race. This is where quick off the mark comes from. Another form of it is quick off the block. The block in this case is the peg or block in the ground and upon which you place your foot when you are ready to start a race.

People should place pictures against idioms, they are then far easier to understand.

So whats your picture for raining cats an dogs

Rob

[Haihao]

Hi,

[Alan]

Hi,

You seem to delight in challenging every answer almost for the sake of it. I am sure you understand the spirit of the expression and the description of it.

A
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Haihao]

Hi,

Thank you very much all the time for your ever and again convincing and exhilarating interpretations for me.

But I didn't really delight in challenging the answers (although they are very challenging :)) but maybe a little bit too much treated them like a 'life and death' and wanted them to be a 'black and white'.

haihao