THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A tough act to follow
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Someone or something so good that the next person or thing may struggle to match it.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Our previous team leader will be a tough act to follow.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Our previous team leader will be ________.
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A tough act to follow — Someone or something so good that the next person or thing may struggle to match it.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A tough act to follow” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
Someone or something so good that the next person or thing may struggle to match it.
Compare: Our previous team leader will be a tough act to follow.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it to praise an impressive performance, event or predecessor. It has a conversational tone and can suit workplace discussion.
More examples in context
- Last year’s concert was a tough act to follow.
- With such a clear presentation before mine, I had a tough act to follow.
Usage note
Tough describes the challenge of matching the standard, not an unpleasant personality. A hard act to follow is a useful variation.
A short conversation
A: How do you feel about organising this year’s festival?
B: Last year’s team is a tough act to follow.
A: You can build on what worked well.
One more practice question
Calling a retiring coach a tough act to follow usually means:
A. The coach has set a very high standard.
B. The coach is physically difficult to walk behind.
Check your answer
A. The next coach may find it hard to match the retiring coach’s achievements.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.