go the extra mile
make additional effort beyond what's required
In Spanish
make additional effort beyond what's required
Examples
- She always goes the extra mile for her clients.
- When planning the event, Mark went the extra mile to ensure everything was perfect.
- The teacher always goes the extra mile to help struggling students succeed.
When it's used
This idiom is used in both professional and personal contexts to describe going above and beyond expectations. It is common in everyday speech and does not carry a formal tone, though it is highly appreciated in work settings.
The common mistake
A common mistake is to translate directly from Spanish, resulting in 'go more than beyond' or 'go beyond', which do not convey the same meaning in English. Learners also sometimes mistakenly inflect it, saying 'went the extra miles'.
Related idioms
FROM WHAT YOU READ TO WHAT YOU SAY
Recognising it isn't the same as using it
Reading an idiom and understanding it is step one. Dropping it into a conversation, at the right moment, without stopping to think, is another — and that only comes from speaking.
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