Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leslie]

Hi,

I know that 'be sb's strong point/suit' is used to mean somebody's ability or quality. And it is usually negative.
I'd like to know its counterpart. Are there any idioms used to mean somebody's ability or quality but is usually positive. Could anyone please list a few idioms if there are any.

Thanks in advance.

Leslie
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Less Is Blessed

[Philo Kevetch]

Hello Leslie -

'strong suit/point' is quite positive...someones' 'strong suit' is their best quality or ability. Philo

[2006]

''be somebody's strong point/strong suitsuit'' is not negative. It's what somebody is good at (doing), or it's a good quality that someone has. For example, Working with numbers is his strong suit.

An idiom with similar meaning is "right up one's alley". That means suited to one's abilities or interests, exactly the type of thing one knows a lot about or likes to do. Harry knows a lot about computers and software, so this job is right up his alley.
( mostly from THE FREE DICTIONARY and Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms)

[CP]