To be on the ball

Learning English Conversations

BBC

Education, Language Learning

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 3 March 2015

⏱️ 2 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Learn a phrase to describe the ability to react quickly to things.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is a download from BBC Learning English.
0:03.0	To find out more, visit our website.
0:06.0	The English we speak.
0:09.0	From BBC learning English.
0:12.0	com. Hello and
0:13.7	welcome to the English we speak. I'm Rob and joining me today is Liz.
0:18.4	Hi everyone.
0:19.7	Eh?
0:20.7	Rob? My name is Lee not Liz I'm sorry Lee I'm not really on the ball this morning nice
0:28.7	phrase though why don't you go for a coffee and then you'll be on the ball for the English we speak?
0:35.5	Okay.
0:36.7	Right. Oh lovely. Okay, that's better.
0:39.5	I've had a nice cup of coffee and I'm ready to explain the meaning for today's the English
0:44.2	we speak. So here you go. When you're on the ball it means you are alert and
0:49.7	quick to react to things. It comes from sports, doesn't it? Yes, and there's another
0:56.0	phrase to keep your eye on the ball which has a very similar meaning. I guess we can
1:01.2	use it for any situation which is changing quickly so you need to be
1:05.4	focused and sharp. Indeed let's hear some examples. The interviewer raised tough
1:11.6	questions but Ma Yun was on the ball.
1:15.0	Financial management is not a job that everyone can do.
1:19.0	You have to keep your eye on the ball at all times.
1:22.0	And if you want to learn English well, you can stay on the ball with BBC learning English.com.
	...

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