ENGLISH
REFERENCE

good thing

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. You say 'it's a good thing' to show you are happy that something happened, because it prevented a problem.

fixed phr.. A fixed phrase used as a comment clause to express that a situation is fortunate, typically because it has averted a negative outcome.


SIMPLE

It's a good thing we brought an umbrella.

CONTEXTUAL

It's a good thing you called first, because the office is closed today.

COMPLEX

Given the sudden downturn, it was a very good thing that the company had diversified its investments years ago.

Usage

Often used in the pattern 'It's a good thing (that)...' to introduce a fortunate fact.

Teaching tip

Explain that 'It's a good thing...' is a functional equivalent of 'Luckily,...' or 'It's fortunate that...', but is more common in informal speech.

Pitfall

Is good thing you arrived early.It's a good thing you arrived early.This phrase requires the subject 'it' and the article 'a' before 'good thing'.

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