Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

Are you familiar with the expression "throwing a wrench, or a monkey wrench, in the works"?

A wrench is a tool that is used to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts.

To throw or to put a wrench in the works means to disrupt, ruin, or cause problems to a plan, activity or project. You throw a wrench in the works in order to prevent something from happening as planned.

Now, you can throw a spanner in the works, instead of a wrench. What's the difference? Well, if Americans want to ruin something, they throw a wrench in it. If British people want to cause a problem to a plan, they throw a spanner in the works.

Generally speaking, if you throw a wrench in the works, you're likely to make someone or some people very upset, angry, unhappy or disappointed.

Now, would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options, please listen carefully and choose the one that is TRUE. Ready?

When you throw a wrench in the works, you want the plan to be:

1. successful

2. not successful

3. completed