“This thing is such a piece of junk!”

English Lesson: This thing is such a piece of junk!

Your car often has engine problems. Now you're trying to start your car, but it won't work. This is what you say to yourself.

This thing is such a piece of junk!

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this/that thing

People use the phrase "this thing" or "that thing" when talking about an object that they don't like very much:

Take that thing off your head. You know good and well you're not supposed to wear hats in the building.

But seriously, it's time you got rid of that thing.

a piece of junk

"Junk" is old machines or pieces of metal that have been thrown away. When you call something "a piece of junk", it either means that

  • it's been thrown away, or
  • you think that it's not good and should be thrown away

Things that people often call "pieces of junk" are:

  • old cars
  • old computers
  • old cell phones