Twist someone's arm means persuade someone who didn't want to at first: I was planning a quiet evening, but my friends twisted my arm. Nobody actually gets hurt; it's playful. You don't have to twist my arm means you don't need to persuade me, I'd love to.
When would you say twist someone's arm?
Write a sentence — we'll check that the expression fits the situation and suggest what to fix.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
twist + possessive + arm / twist someone's arm to do something
- I was planning a quiet evening, but my friends twisted my arm and I joined the quiz.
- You will not have to twist my arm to try the new bakery.
- The organizer twisted his arm to give one more workshop before leaving.
What changed
First versionThey twisted me arm until I agreed to lead the team.
RevisionThey twisted my arm until I agreed to lead the team.
Me and my both point to the speaker, and in fast speech they're easy to mix up: twisted me arm. But before a noun you need a possessive: my arm, his arm, someone's arm.
Talk someone into doing something is the neutral way to say persuade: she talked me into joining. Twist someone's arm stresses that the person resisted for a while. Force means make someone do it, and there's no joke in that.
Your turn
Choose the possessive before arm: You do not need to twist ___ arm; I already want to go.
Show the answer
my — Before arm you need the possessive my. Me can't go before a noun.
Playfully accept a nice offer and show you don't need persuading, using you don't have to twist my arm.
You don't have to twist my arm to spend an afternoon at the book fair.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.