Selecting from the given alternatives, fill in the blank in the following sentence with the correct idiom with the meaning 'to do the things that one has told to do, especially when he reaches a position of power'.
Politicians ought to ______ to retain their dignity and popularity.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
walk the talk
Explanation
The idiom "walk the talk" means to back up your words with actions, or to do the things you have told others you would do. In the context of the sentence, it perfectly describes the expectation that politicians should follow through on their campaign promises once they reach a position of power in order to keep their dignity and public support.
The other options are incorrect variations or misspellings designed to confuse you. The phrase "talk the walk" reverses the idiom incorrectly. Options like "talk the wail" and "wake the talk" are nonsensical phrases that do not exist in standard English vocabulary.
Key Point
Idiomatic expressions rely on a precise, unalterable order of words. The phrase originates from the longer expression "walk the walk and talk the talk," where "walking" represents your concrete actions and "talking" represents your declarations. Therefore, aligning your actions with your words is always phrased as "walking the talk."