The English We Speak: On their toes

Learning English Conversations

BBC

Language Learning, Education

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 9 December 2025

⏱️ 3 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This expression is about causing someone else to stay alert and ready for anything. Learn how to use it here.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, radio, podcasts.
0:05.5	Have you signed up to our Learning English newsletter yet?
0:09.2	Get weekly updates about our latest programs, tips for learning and quizzes, all from our BBC
0:16.1	Learning English presenters.
0:18.2	Follow the link in the notes for this episode to sign up.
0:21.7	Hello and welcome to the English We Speak, where we explain expressions used by fluent English
0:28.0	speakers so that you can use them too. I'm Fafi and I thought Georgie was going to join me today.
0:35.7	Boo! Oh, you were hiding under the desk.
0:38.9	Why did you do that?
0:40.4	We're supposed to be recording a program.
0:43.1	Faye Faye, I love playing jokes on people.
0:45.9	You should never get too relaxed around here.
0:48.0	I'm just trying to keep you on your toes.
0:50.2	Keep me on my toes.
0:52.4	Well, shall we learn that expression then? I think that's a good idea. If you keep someone on my toes. Well, shall we learn that expression then?
0:54.8	I think that's a good idea.
0:56.7	If you keep someone on their toes,
0:58.5	it means you do something to make sure a person stays alert.
1:02.7	Think about it literally.
1:04.0	If you're standing or walking around on your toes,
1:06.9	you're slightly tense and ready to move rather than being relaxed.
1:10.7	You're ready for anything that might happen.
	...

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