Hi,
I know that you can ‘take a hard line with someone’, but what about ‘about’?
“The teacher really takes a hard line about his course.” (He’s very strict.)
Thank you.
Ann225“The teacher really takes a hard line about his course.” (He’s very strict.)
It's possible, but to me it doesn't seem to mean that the teacher maintains strict discipline in the classroom, if that's what you're suggesting. It could mean that the teacher argues forcefully in favour of his course, e.g. that his course is the correct way to teach the subject, or is essential for all students, or something like that, depending on context.
Comments
If that's the intended meaning, then "takes a soft line about" is a confusing way of expressing it, in my view.
The teacher taking "a soft approach" doesn't necessarily mean that the course is easy. To describe the nature of the course, I would make the course the subject, not the teacher.
“The course takes a soft approach to the basics of maths.” (Not too much is required.)
This?
E.g.:
"The course is an easy introduction to the basics of maths." (positive connotation).
"The course is too easy." (negative connotation)