To solve the given problem, we need to select the most suitable phrase to fill in the blank in the sentence:
"If you had been a little more proactive, this golden opportunity would not have ____"
We have four options to consider:
- Escaped your fingers
- Slipped through your fingers
- Slipped through your head
- Escaped your hands
The phrase should express the idea of an opportunity being missed or not grasped, which is a common idiom in English. Let's analyze each option:
- Escaped your fingers: This phrase is not a standard idiom in English. The idea of something "escaping fingers" could be understood, but it's not commonly used to describe a missed opportunity.
- Slipped through your fingers: This is a well-known idiomatic expression meaning that something, such as an opportunity, has been lost or missed inadvertently. It fits the context perfectly.
- Slipped through your head: This is not a recognized idiom in English. Idioms involving something slipping through one's head do not usually convey the meaning of a missed opportunity.
- Escaped your hands: Similar to "escaped your fingers," this is not a standard idiom. The phrase "slipped through your fingers" is more conventionally used to express missing an opportunity.
Therefore, the phrase that best fits the sentence is:
Slipped through your fingers