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What does “sink or swim” mean?

Meaning, example sentence and a quick practice question.

C1

To succeed or fail entirely through your own efforts, without help

“They threw me in and it was sink or swim.”

From the C1 lesson A Piece of Cake (easy and difficult).

Quick check

What does “sink or swim” mean?

Teaching this phrase?“sink or swim” is part of a ready-to-teach lesson, with a reading, three exercises, speaking tasks and an answer key, in Everyday English Chunks C1 Pack 2 (Plans, Problems and Feelings).
See the C1 lesson pack

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