The English We Speak: Think on your feet
Learning English Conversations
BBC
4.6 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 28 April 2026
⏱️ 3 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Sometimes you need to think quickly, like for a job or to answer a question. Thinking on your feet means to do just this! Learn how to use this expression with Feifei and Phil.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.7 | Do you struggle to understand conversations in English? |
| 0:11.4 | Want to listen to something that's easy and fun? |
| 0:15.8 | In real easy English, our presenters have a real conversation in easy English to help you learn. |
| 0:24.2 | Search Learning Easy English on your podcast app or visit our website to watch the video version, |
| 0:31.8 | BBC LearningEnglish.com. |
| 0:34.8 | Hello and welcome to the English We Speak, where we explain phrases and expressions used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them too. |
| 0:45.1 | I'm Faye Faye and I'm Phil. |
| 0:47.5 | Faye, what would you rather be? |
| 0:50.2 | An eagle or a bear and why? |
| 0:53.5 | What? |
| 0:54.5 | Quickly, what's your answer? |
| 0:55.9 | How'd you explain it? |
| 0:57.9 | Maybe a bear, but what on earth was that, Phil? |
| 1:02.3 | Well, I've just been reading a book about the world's worst job interview questions. |
| 1:08.1 | And apparently, that's a good one to see how well people think on their feet. Did I get the job? questions. And apparently that's a good one to see how well people think on their |
| 1:12.1 | feet. Did I get the job? Never mind. Maybe we should learn that expression, think on your feet. |
| 1:19.4 | I'm sitting down, so can you think on your feet when you're not on your feet? |
| 1:24.5 | I mean, it's a good question, but yes, you can. It's not literal. |
| 1:28.4 | If you can think on your feet, it means you can think quickly and make a decision when you're |
| 1:33.7 | under pressure. |
| 1:34.9 | Yes, I'm not sure about that interview question, but being able to think on your feet is |
... |
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