Hello and welcome to the English we speak where we explain phrases used by fluent English speakers

so that you can use them as well. I'm Fay Fay Faye and I'm Beth. How are you Faye Faye?

I'm very well thank you. The expression we're looking at in this program

It's something your friend set to you recently isn't it? It's stomping ground

It is. Yeah, so I recently went to Newcastle, that's in the north of England, and I told a friend

about my trip and she said, that's my stomping ground. Now she goes there a lot because it's where her grandparents live but I had no idea.

So she means she is very familiar with Newcastle.

Stomping Ground is a place to break it down.

Stomp means to walk with heavy steps.

And ground is the floor.

Stomping ground means a place where you live in or spend a lot of time in.

Imagine a place you've walked in a lot, just like your friend.

So for example, I went back to my hometown for a holiday recently and I walked past my primary school which used to be my stomping ground and it brought a lot of childhood memories.

Lovely.

Beth, can we use stompingground for any kind of place?

Well, it does need to be a place that you have a personal connection to.

So another example, I recently saw a picture of the park that I used to play in when I was young and they've changed everything the climbing frames different the swings are different and I thought oh that was my stomping ground as a kid and it's all different

no what a shame here are some more examples of stomping ground of Stumping Ground. I went to the local pub with my brother at the weekend.

It was our Stumping Ground back in the day.

Wow, imagine seeing you here!

I didn't know you lived near here.

This is my stomping ground.

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