🪙 When the penny drops

#099

Jack Ellis
September 07, 2025

You know that moment in your favorite movie or TV show. That moment when a character suddenly realises something.

Something that changes everything.

Just like Joey did

Well there’s a name for that moment of realisation in English.

“The penny dropped”

It’s that instant when your thoughts click into place and everything becomes clear.

There are countless examples in films (as you can see at the bottom of the email.)

But the one that sticks in my mind is this scene from Inglorious Bastards.

It’s a British expression, but a great one that really captures the split-second shift.

Americans might be more likely to say it clicked or it hit me.

So next time you make an important realization, make sure to use one of these phrases.

The phrase comes from coin-operated clot machines. The penny dropping triggered the mechanism.

This week’s three tips:

SOMETHING TO AVOID 🫣

🤦🏻‍♀️ “I realised about the mistake”

You don’t need to add about. You can know about something, but you never realise about.

Did you know about this?

✅ “I realised the mistake”

So just say realise without any preposition.

I realise my aunt is bored of the drama

SOMETHING TO SOUND CONFIDENT 🧐

👔 Business expressions

“It dawned on me”

When you suddenly realise or understand something. (It’s like the light of day slowly appearing. A clear, natural moment of realisation.)

I kept rereading the contract, and then it dawned on me. The deadline was hidden in the fine print.

SOMETHING TO WATCH 👀

18 Powerful Moments When A Character Made A Startling Realization That Completely Shook Them

“What's the best moment where a character REALIZES something?” - @TheCinestheticFilm and TV fans are sharing their favorite moments of epiphany - when a character puts all the pieces into place and makes a startling discovery. From discovering who the true villain is to finding out that they are...

www.ranker.com/list/character-realization-movie-tv-moments/damon-davis

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