"stand a chance" vs "stand a place"

[Myrra]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #522 "English Slang Idioms (264)", question 3

"I don't think you should run for school president, Mike. I like you but I don't think you'll stand a .......... The other candidates are much more popular and have more money," Craig said.

(a) shot
(b) chance
(c) place
(d) placement

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #522 "English Slang Idioms (264)", answer 3

"I don't think you should run for school president, Mike. I like you but I don't think you'll stand a chance. The other candidates are much more popular and have more money," Craig said.

Correct answer: (b) chance
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Why not place?

Myrra

[Mister Micawber]

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'Stand a place' is not an English idiom-- in fact, I don't know what it might mean.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Lost_Soul]

Hi, MM

May "stand a place" mean "to protect the place from enemy, not allow the enemy to occupy it"?

Thanks!

[Benjamin]

[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

Good question about usage, Alex.

You wrote this:
"Yeah, I suppose I would stand a fat chance of finding "stand in a line" on the internet."

"Stand a fat chance" is basically an emphatic way to say "do not stand a chance" -- i.e. "the possibility (of something happening) is extremely unlikely".

I'd say 'stand a chance' is mostly used negatively or carries a negative sense:

- "I don't stand a chance of winning." (I believe there is no hope that I will win.)

- "Do I stand a chance of winning?" (This suggests that I am not particularly hopeful that I will win.)
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By the way, in AmE, both 'stand in line' and 'stand in a line' are used in reference to people in a 'queue', and these American usages are not difficult to research and verify. Unfortunately, on this site, it seems some people would rather categorize the valid AmE usage of 'stand in a line' as simply being 'incorrect'. It seems we don't stand a chance of having that other test sentence rectified.
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[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

Hi Alex

The expression 'fat chance' seems as though it should (literally) mean 'big chance', but 'fat chance' is typically used ironically/sarcastically.
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