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Difficulty: Very hardIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Complete the sentence below by entering the correct word required to complete the idiomatic expression.

Answer:Following the unexpected failure of the internal audit, the financial controller was hauled over the 【coals】 by the executive board for gross negligence.

Answer

coals
The idiomatic phrase 'to be hauled over the coals' means to be severely reprimanded, criticized, or lectured for a serious mistake. In the context of the sentence, the financial controller faces intense criticism from the board after a failed audit, making 'coals' the only lexically valid word to complete the idiom.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence to identify the idiomatic meaning required.
The context describes an executive being severely reprimanded or criticized by a governing board following a major institutional failure.
Phrases like 'gross negligence' and 'executive board' indicate a scenario involving severe scolding or formal reprimand.
2
Identify the fixed English idiomatic expression that fits the structural frame 'hauled over the ...'.
The correct fixed idiomatic phrase is 'to haul (or be hauled) over the coals'.
Idioms are fixed lexical items whose constituents cannot be replaced by literal synonyms or related terms without corrupting the expression.

Key Concept

Fixed idiomatic expressions and structural collocation in English lexis
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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