Listening exercises with “Mixed blessing”
If you say that something is a mixed blessing, it means that something has positive and negative aspects, advantages as well as disadvantages.
It is often used to point out that something which people assume is a very good thing also has some drawbacks or negative aspects. e.g. The new rail development may turn out to be a bit of a mixed blessing for the village. It will be much easier to get to London, but noise pollution is likely to increase. For this reason, this expression would usually be used with a slightly negative meaning.
Have a go at these micro-dictation exercises to hear this expression being used in context – how much can you understand?
Accent: North America
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About the sentence
Accent: Northern England
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About the sentence
Accent: Scotland
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About the sentence
An example of a mix blassing may be social media. Lately, it´s being said that even though they’re usefull to connect people in this digital age, they also used to spread baseless lies and distorted facts which may bring about harmful efectss on our societies and democracies. So, apparently, social media may be one of those things to be a mixed blessings. About the second question, I think that what easy comes, easy goes. I’ve heard of some people who have won the lottery and ended up in worse poverty. Perhaps because they haven’t seen such a huge amount of… Read more »
Sorry I got wrong in some sentences. I meant:
An example of a mixed blessing may be social media.
they’re also used to spread baseless lies and distorted facts
they don’t really care much about spending it ON trivial things. Other corrections are wellcome. Thanks! nice job!
Really good examples, and excellent English – your vocabulary is fantastic I think you’re right about the lottery. I think people becoming rich suddenly can paradoxically end up making them poorer in the long run. I think in this country, lottery winners are given the option of accepting all the money in one go, or receiving it in smaller amounts every month for the rest of their lives (almost like a salary). Maybe the latter option would be safer, but definitely less exciting. Apart from your corrections, I have a few others to make (mainly spelling) – usefull should be… Read more »
Thank you very much. Yes, you’re quite right, what comes easily, goes easily. The correct word I should have used is ‘easily’ because as any adverb it conveys the idea of HOW money come and go. Beside, adjectives give information about a noun, not about verbs. Thanks for all the corrections.
Useful, welcome, effects, easily!
un ejemplo podría ser vivir con los padres, seria muy agradable pero seria como tener dependencia de ellos en todo aspecto.
Perfect example of a mixed blessing Walter – and thanks for giving me some Spanish practice 😀
con respecto a ganar la loteria si puede ser una bendición mixta puesto que estarías bien económicamente pero podrías volverte ambicioso
Totally agree Walter – winning the lottery could definitely change your personality.
Well, agree about lottery absolutely. And my example of mixed blessing is living in a big city 🙂
And thanks for all your feedbacks – appreciate what you do
Many teenagers think that living by themselves is better than living with their parents, but I think it’s a mixed blessing. In one hand you have more privacy and freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want, but on the other hand, you have a lot of responsabilities to deal, scuh as bills, bills and bills to pay About winning the lottery… well if you know how to manage all the money, advantages will come and the money might last for years. If you spend everything, you will enjoy the prize for a short period, but you’ll have some… Read more »
Great examples Aline, well done 🙂
Careful with ‘on the one hand’.
Also, for this meaning you need to use deal with – “you have lots of responsibilities to deal with”.