By Fits And Starts for Dummies

"By Fits And Starts" means that something is done or happening in a sporadic or irregular manner, with periods of activity or progress followed by periods of inactivity or stagnation. It's like taking two steps forward and one step back, or making progress in small bursts but not consistently.

Let me give you an analogy to help you understand better. Imagine you're trying to climb up a steep hill. You start by taking a few energetic steps, but then you get tired and have to stop and catch your breath. After resting for a while, you gather the energy to take a few more steps, but then you need to stop again. You keep repeating this pattern of making small bursts of progress and then pausing to rest throughout your journey up the hill. This is similar to how "by fits and starts" works.

Now, let me explain with more detail using a real-life example. Let's say you have a friend who is trying to learn how to play the guitar. They might have moments where they practice diligently for a few days, learning new chords and playing songs. But then, for weeks, they may not touch the guitar at all. They start and stop their learning process in an irregular manner, without a consistent routine or regular practice. Their progress is not steady and continuous, but rather sporadic and inconsistent. This is another example of "by fits and starts."

So, when we use the phrase "by fits and starts," we are describing a situation or process that is characterized by irregular or sporadic progress, with periods of activity followed by periods of inactivity. It's like a stop-and-go kind of progress, where things happen in bursts or fits rather than a smooth and continuous flow. Hope this makes it clearer for you!