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Successor Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

In a jiffy

Hello,

I would like to know whether both of the following sentences are correct. Thank you for your answers!

1. The shoe repairer is so quick he can fix the shoes in a jiffy.

2. The shoe repairer is so quick he can fix the shoes in an instant.
  

Top answer

Use the first sentence. "Jiffy" means "very quickly". An instant is a very, very short period.

— Yoong Liat

  • Use the first sentence.
  • "Jiffy" means "very quickly".
  • An instant is a very, very short period.
  • It implies 'immediately'.
  • So 'in an instant' doesn't work unless tthe shoe repairer is a magician.
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5 Answers
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Use the first sentence. "Jiffy" means "very quickly".

An instant is a very, very short period. It implies 'immediately'. So 'in an instant' doesn't work unless tthe shoe repairer is a magician.
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I can't agree here with you. Those sentences are both possible. In an instant can have a metaphorical meaning.
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Hi,

A couple more comments.

I would like to know whether both of the following sentences are correct. Thank you for your answers!

1. The shoe repairer is so quick he can fix the shoes in a jiffy. I think 'a jiffy' is British slang. I don't seem to hear it here in N. America.



2. The shoe repairer is so quick he can fix the shoes in an instant.
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I think "in a jiffy" can be heard in the U.S. -- it's a little old-fashioned, maybe, but it's certainly still around, especially in advertising. (I can think of "Jiffy Cake Mix" and "Jiffy Pop Popcorn," for instnace.)
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successorHello,

I would like to know whether both of the following sentences are correct. Thank you for your answers!

1. The shoe repairer is so quick he can fix the shoes in a jiffy.

2. The shoe repairer is so quick he can fix the shoes in an instant.

Both are correct in my opinion. Firstly, both jiffy and instant can be
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