10 exercises — how "to put it bluntly" signals that a softened version of the truth is about to be dropped in favor of direct honesty.
Quick reference
To put it bluntly: signals a softened truth is about to be dropped for direct honesty
Fixed word order: "to" + "put" + "it" + "bluntly" — object "it" is required
Close synonym: "not to sugarcoat it"
Opposite: "to be diplomatic about it"
Register: neutral-to-informal, common in both spoken feedback and written reviews
0 / 18 completed
1 / 18
A code reviewer writes: "___ , this pull request shouldn't have passed review — it has no tests and swallows every exception." Which phrase best signals blunt, unsoftened honesty about to follow?
To put it bluntly is a fixed infinitive phrase meaning "to state this directly, without softening it." "To put it blunt" wrongly uses the adjective instead of the adverb, "to put bluntly it" scrambles the word order, and "for putting it bluntly" wrongly uses a gerund with "for."
2 / 18
Which sentence uses "to put it bluntly" correctly?
"To put it bluntly, this architecture won't scale past ten thousand users without a rewrite" correctly introduces a harsh, unsoftened technical assessment. It cannot introduce a bare future plan, a polite instruction, or a scheduled future event, since those aren't candid judgments.
3 / 18
Fill the blank: "___ , the current on-call rotation is unsustainable and people are going to burn out."
To put it bluntly has a fixed word order: "to" + "put" + "it" + "bluntly." The other options scramble this into invalid, meaningless sequences.
4 / 18
Which pair correctly distinguishes "to put it bluntly" from "to be diplomatic about it"?
"To put it bluntly, this code is unmaintainable" drops all softening. "To be diplomatic about it, this code has some room for improvement" deliberately softens the same underlying judgment. They're near opposites in tone despite describing similar content.
5 / 18
A performance review draft reads: "___ , the service has been down more than it's been up this quarter, and that's not acceptable." Which best completes the sentence?
To put it bluntly is the correct, fixed form. The other options scramble the required word order into invalid phrases.
6 / 18
Which sentence contains an error in the use of "to put it bluntly"?
"To put it bluntly that we discussed at the offsite, the server rebooted overnight" incorrectly attaches a relative clause and applies the phrase to a neutral factual event rather than a harsh judgment. "To put it bluntly" needs a following clause stating an unsoftened, candid assessment. The other three sentences use it correctly.
7 / 18
Choose the sentence where "to put it bluntly" is best replaced by "not to sugarcoat it" without changing the meaning.
"Not to sugarcoat it, we're losing customers because the checkout flow is broken on mobile" preserves the meaning exactly. The other options misuse the phrase as an urgency marker, an unrelated possessive-sounding construction, or a pairing with a specific future date.
8 / 18
A design doc states: "___ , the current schema is a mess, and every new feature makes it harder to untangle." Which best fits?
To put it bluntly is the correct, standard form — the infinitive "to put" plus object "it" plus adverb "bluntly." Option A wrongly uses the adjective. Option B wrongly uses a gerund. Option D wrongly drops the required object "it."
9 / 18
Which register note about "to put it bluntly" is accurate?
"To put it bluntly" works equally well in spoken feedback ("To put it bluntly, this isn't ready for production") and written performance reviews. It always signals that the speaker is dropping diplomatic softening in favor of direct honesty.
10 / 18
Which sentence best demonstrates "to put it bluntly" introducing an unsoftened, direct assessment?
"To put it bluntly, this feature was rushed, and the technical debt it created will cost us more than the deadline saved" is the textbook use: a direct, unsoftened judgment. The other options misuse the phrase as a command intensifier, insert it awkwardly mid-clause, or pair it incorrectly with a specific future date.
11 / 18
A senior developer, Mark, comments on a pull request: "To put it bluntly, this code is going to break everything. The error handling is non-existent.". Which phrase best signals blunt, unsoftened honesty about to follow?
This question tests understanding of 'to put it bluntly' as a direct expression. The scenario highlights a critical, blunt assessment, contrasting with softer phrasing options. The incorrect options represent attempts to dilute or soften the original meaning.
12 / 18
A senior developer, Mark, comments on a pull request: "To put it bluntly, this code is going to break everything. The error handling is non-existent.". Which phrase best signals blunt, unsoftened honesty about to follow?
This question tests understanding of 'to put it bluntly' as a direct expression. The scenario highlights a critical, blunt assessment, contrasting with softer phrasing options. The incorrect options represent attempts to dilute or soften the original meaning.
13 / 18
A senior developer, Mark, comments on a pull request: "To put it bluntly, this code is going to break everything. The error handling is non-existent.". Which phrase best signals blunt, unsoftened honesty about to follow?
This question tests understanding of 'to put it bluntly' as a direct expression. The scenario highlights a critical, blunt assessment, contrasting with softer phrasing options. The incorrect options represent attempts to dilute or soften the original meaning.
14 / 18
Sarah, the team lead, sends a Slack message to David after reviewing his recent API endpoint implementation: 'To put it bluntly, the rate limiting is completely absent. Any sudden spike in traffic will take this service down.' Which phrase best indicates Sarah's intention to deliver an immediate and critical assessment?
The phrase 'to put it bluntly' signals an intention to avoid softening the feedback. Option 2 correctly captures this by stating Sarah intends to highlight a critical flaw. Options A and B offer alternative interpretations of the message's intent, while option D is simply neutral observation. The key here is the directness implied by the opening phrase.
15 / 18
In a post-incident report, Alex writes: '___ , the lack of monitoring in the production environment directly contributed to the outage.'
'To put it bluntly' emphasizes a direct and unvarnished explanation. Option 1 accurately conveys this by stating the absence of monitoring was *the* key factor in the outage. The other options offer more diplomatic or tangential explanations.
16 / 18
During a stand-up meeting, Ben says: '___ , this feature is currently blocking all other workflows and causing significant delays.'
'To put it bluntly' is used to deliver a clear and immediate statement of concern. Option 2 correctly reflects this by stating the problem directly and without hedging. The other options are overly cautious or evasive in their phrasing.
17 / 18
A code reviewer leaves a comment on a PR: 'To put it bluntly, this function's memory usage is completely uncontrolled. It's going to cause serious issues as the data set grows.' Which of the following best captures the intended tone and purpose of this feedback?
The phrase 'to put it bluntly' indicates a direct and potentially forceful criticism. Option 1 accurately reflects this by describing the comment as a 'strongly worded critique.' The other options misinterpret the intent of the phrasing; it's not about gentle suggestions or informal notes.
18 / 18
You're writing a PR description for a major refactoring. You want to be upfront about the potential risks: 'To put it bluntly, this change introduces some breaking API behavior and requires thorough testing before deployment.' Which of the following is the MOST suitable approach?
'To put it bluntly' signals a need to be direct about potential issues. Option 2 – a clear warning with a call to action – best aligns with this intent. The other options downplay or misrepresent the severity of the changes.
What will I practise in ""To Put It Bluntly" as a Directness Marker — IT English Grammar"?
Practice using "to put it bluntly" to introduce an unsoftened, candid assessment in code reviews and performance feedback.
How many exercises are in this module?
This module has 18 multiple-choice exercises, each with instant feedback and a full explanation of the correct answer.
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Every exercise is written by the CoderSlingo team, drawing on real workplace English used in IT roles, then reviewed for accuracy and clarity.