BBC Learning English
Keep Your English Up To Date
10th November 2009
Blame storming
Brain storming is a method of creating ideas where a group of people sit down and make
random suggestions, writing down everything that comes into their heads. The theory is that
this should result in creative ideas, and lots of them.
Blame storming is quite similar, but more specific. Blame storming is a method of
collectively finding someone to blame for a mistake that no one is willing to confess to.
Blame storming is where a group or organisation gets together to pick out a suitable excuse or
scapegoat. You might say that after a good blame storming session, the government decided
to blame the current problems with the economy on factors beyond their control/the global
recession/the previous government etc.
Companies often indulge in blame storming; so do families. But politicians are the real blame
storming champions!
Mark Shea has been a teacher and teacher trainer for eighteen years. He has taught English
and trained teachers extensively in Asia and South America, and is a qualified examiner for
the University of Cambridge oral examinations. He is currently working with journalists at
the World Service and is the author of the BBC College of Journalism's online English tutor.
Keep Your English Up To Date © British Broadcasting Corporation 2009
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