11 English Idioms for Work: Sports-Related Phrases You Need to Know

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1. 0:00So I'm not really a sports fan, not at all.
2. 0:04But if you could hear all my English conversations, you might be surprised by how many sports related idioms I use.
3. 0:12And not just because they're common, it's because they're so useful.
4. 0:17Think about it for a moment.
5. 0:19Sports events are full of dramatic moments, exhilarating accomplishments and crushing defeats.
6. 0:28These moments heighten our experiences and emotions.
7. 0:33So having language that can help us do that, that's what makes idioms so powerful and fun to use.
8. 0:40They communicate something that plain language just doesn't.
9. 0:44And I'll give you a quick example.
10. 0:46When someone says you knocked it out of the park, they're not just saying Good job. In baseball.
11. 0:53When a player hits the ball so hard that it flies over the fence and out of the park, it's exceptional.
12. 1:01It's an automatic home run and everyone in the stadium stands on their feet cheering. So if your boss says you knocked it out of the park,
13. 1:11they're telling you that what you did wasn't just good work, it was exceptional.
14. 1:17It was beyond expectations and everyone wants to celebrate with you.
15. 1:23So let's compare this idiom to the statement. You did a great job.
16. 1:28Both are positive of course, but telling someone you knocked out of the park heightens that experience an emotion, letting them know again that what they did was exceptional.
17. 1:40It's more powerful.
18. 1:42So today I want to share 11 of my favorite sports related idioms.
19. 1:46And truthfully, they're perfect for any conversation, whether you're at home just talking to friends and family or you're using
20. 1:54English at work. But to give some structure to these idioms today, to this lesson, I've organized them around themes that connect to the workplace.
21. 2:05In each case you'll discover not just what the idiom means, but also when and how to use them along with
22. 2:12when not to use them. So let's start right away with the first situation, starting a new project or a meeting.
23. 2:21Maybe you've been in a meeting with your manager or at a coffee chat with a client to discuss a project and you've heard someone say,
24. 2:29we need a game plan before we kick things off. And at that moment, others in the room nod their head like they understand exactly what that means.
25. 2:39And perhaps you get the general idea, but you're not totally sure is using language like game plan and kicking things off different from just saying, let's make a plan and start.
26. 2:51If you've got those kinds of questions, let's break these two idioms down.
27. 2:55We'll start with to have a game plan.
28. 2:57This means to have a clear strategy or plan before something begins and it comes from American football.
29. 3:04Before we get into the details of what this really means, I wanna give you an example. You might hear someone say, before we launch the service,
30. 3:12we need to have a strong game plan for marketing and sales. Now, having a game plan is more specific than simply saying,
31. 3:22we need a plan. In American football teams study their opponents.
32. 3:27They work to identify weaknesses and create detailed strategies before the game begins. As a result, when you say game plan in a meeting or conversation,
33. 3:38you're signaling that you want a thoughtful strategic approach, not just a casual idea. In this idiom,
34. 3:46it works particularly well in strategy meetings, project planning, and team discussions about new initiatives.
35. 3:54But there are also times to avoid it. For example, if you use something like this for really simple decisions, it can sound like you're overthinking things. For example, saying,
36. 4:05do we have a game plan for lunch?
37. 4:07Might sound odd because lunch doesn't really need a serious strategy.
38. 4:12Now, actually, wait a minute,
39. 4:15I should say that some English speakers actually do say things like, do we have a game plan for lunch today? But when they do it, they're saying it as kind of a joke.
40. 4:26They're making fun of the idea that lunch requires some super strategic planning.
41. 4:32So unless you're really comfortable with that kind of humor in English, it's safer to avoid it for those more trivial or simplistic
42. 4:41situations. And now let's move on to our second idiom.
43. 4:45This one is all about energy. To kick things off, in simple terms, this just means to start or begin something and it comes from soccer
44. 4:55or football, as most people call it.
45. 4:58I wanna give you again a quick example before we get into the details.
46. 5:02So at the beginning of a meeting, you might hear someone say, let's kick things off by having everyone on the team introduce themselves.
47. 5:10Now, let's compare that to saying, let's start the meeting of those two examples.
48. 5:16One is very neutral and the other, the idiom has this kind of energy or momentum behind it.
49. 5:23You can almost picture that first kick sending the ball down the field.
50. 5:28Again, there's energy, excitement, and momentum to it.
51. 5:31So it's perfect for the start of meetings, presentations, workshops, and even energetic team discussions.
52. 5:39But here's when it doesn't work in somber or serious situations, it's best to avoid this. For example, saying something like,
53. 5:48let's kick things off with a discussion about layoffs would sound insensitive because the words don't really match the tone or the reality of.
54. 5:57That situation. Layoffs are worrisome and scary. They're upsetting.
55. 6:02So using a phrase that has energy and excitement behind it sounds wrong when talking about difficult news. Also,
56. 6:11this phrase only works at the beginning of something. Once you've started, you can't go back later and add this idiom in. For example,
57. 6:21imagine you're in a meeting, you've already been talking for 20 minutes, you've discussed the agenda and reviewed last week's progress. At that point,
58. 6:29you can't suddenly say, okay, let's kick things off. It's too late.
59. 6:34You've already started.
60. 6:35So this idiom is specifically for the moment that you begin something not for restarting or moving on to a new topic. Okay, once you've started a project or meeting,
61. 6:47the next challenge is working well with others.
62. 6:50And sometimes this means navigating disagreements and making sure that everyone has what they need to be successful. So with that in mind,
63. 6:59let's take a look at two idioms that you'll often hear when working with others.
64. 7:04The first is about reminding people that you're all working toward a shared goal.
65. 7:09And the second is making sure that everyone has fair or equal opportunity. So the first one is to be on the same team.
66. 7:18This means to collaborate with someone toward a shared goal.
67. 7:21You're working together with active cooperation and you have alignment in your purpose.
68. 7:28This particular idiom comes from team sports in general where everyone on the team is working together to win. So in a conversation at work,
69. 7:37you might hear someone say, I know we disagree about the design, but remember we're on the same team here.
70. 7:44I'm very much open to your thoughts and your concerns.
71. 7:47This idiom reminds people that despite disagreements or differences of opinion, all of you share a common goal.
72. 7:56As a result, it shifts focus from the conflict to collaboration.
73. 8:02And as you might guess, this idiom works well during disagreements when you need to remind your colleagues or team members of your shared goal, your shared purpose.
74. 8:12But there are also times to avoid it. In English speaking culture, especially at work, power dynamics can matter here.
75. 8:20While a team leader or boss might use this to remind the team of their shared goals, it doesn't work the other way around.
76. 8:30If a junior team member says this to senior colleagues, it can sound presumptuous or patronizing. On top of that,
77. 8:38we don't use this idiom when there's genuine conflict of interest.
78. 8:44Telling someone that we're on the same team just doesn't work.
79. 8:48If your interests truly are not aligned, for example, two companies working to negotiate a contract aren't necessarily
80. 8:57on the same team. They may have very different interests and goals in mind.
81. 9:02And now let's move on to our next one.
82. 9:05The second idiom in this category for working with others is to level the playing field.
83. 9:10This means to make the situation fair for everyone involved. And you might hear it in an example like this, the new policy levels,
84. 9:21the playing field by giving all employees access to basic AI training. Now to level the playing field means removing any unfair
85. 9:31advantages so that everyone has equal opportunity to succeed.
86. 9:35Imagine if in soccer or football, the field were tilted, forcing one team to play uphill while the other team plays downhill.
87. 9:45That would be totally unfair, right?
88. 9:48So leveling the playing field is all about creating those fair conditions for everyone. And as a result,
89. 9:56this is a perfect idiom to use in discussions on policies, resources, opportunities, and access. Okay, before we keep going,
90. 10:05I wanna make a quick comment. I know that 11 idioms can feel like a lot.
91. 10:10So in a moment I'm going to give you my recommendations of which idioms to start with, which ones to start learning and using first and why.
92. 10:20Also, I know that learning these idioms is just one part of the challenge.
93. 10:26The other part is actually using them in real conversations.
94. 10:30Doing that takes practice.
95. 10:32And if you're looking for a place to practice speaking English regularly, that's exactly what we do Inside my Confident Women community,
96. 10:41it's a women only space where you practice speaking English through real conversations with women from around the world.
97. 10:49Every month you get a new study guide, so you always know exactly what to practice, including vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and conversation topics.
98. 11:00And we focus on the kind of language you actually use in everyday life.
99. 11:05Once you have that monthly study guide, you also have opportunities to practice in workshops and casual conversation sessions that are available throughout the month.
100. 11:15What we do in the Confident Women community isn't just about watching video lessons and doing drills.
101. 11:21It's about using English regularly in a safe, supportive environment where mistakes are normal and speaking starts
102. 11:30to feel more natural, easier and even fun.
103. 11:34If you would love to learn more and join, you can get all the details@speakconfidentenglish.com slash community.
104. 11:41And now let's move on to our next situation. For this lesson, it's all about taking action and making decisions.
105. 11:49As the project moves forward, you'll need idioms for moments when someone has to make a decision, take responsibility or stay focused on what matters the most.
106. 12:00So here we're going to look at three phrases that help us talk about those situations. And the first one is the ball is in your court.
107. 12:08This means it's your turn to take action or make a decision.
108. 12:13Here's a quick example. I've sent you all the documents, all the information you need, and now the ball is in your court.
109. 12:22This particular idiom comes from tennis, and I want you to think about a tennis game. When a ball is in your court, you must hit it back. It's your turn to act.
110. 12:32And this phrase or idiom clearly transfers that responsibility.
111. 12:37The speaker has done their part and now you must do yours.
112. 12:42So with that background in place, let's talk about when to use it.
113. 12:46It's great for following up on delayed responses or when you need to clearly transfer responsibility after you've completed your
114. 12:56part of a project. But similar to another idiom that we've discussed, we don't typically use this idiom when we're communicating with our superiors, just like the idiom to be on the same team.
115. 13:08This one is sensitive to those power dynamics.
116. 13:12If a junior employee were to say this to a team leader or their boss, it can sound a bit passive aggressive or presumptuous,
117. 13:20which means being excessively bold and confident and not really respecting the expected codes of conduct. Also,
118. 13:29we only use this if we've genuinely done everything required on our side. If you haven't completed your part of a project,
119. 13:38for example, this phrase wouldn't work. Now, next step, we have the idiom to step up to the plate.
120. 13:46This idiom means to take responsibility for something or accept a challenge, especially when it's needed like in an emergency situation.
121. 13:57It's another idiom that comes from baseball. And in baseball, stepping up to the plate means you're ready to bat,
122. 14:05you're taking your turn facing the challenge. And then in business, when we use this, it means that someone took initiative when it was needed,
123. 14:14the most often under difficult circumstances.
124. 14:18So you might hear it used like this when our manager was on long-term medical leave, Jenna stepped up to the plate and led the entire project.
125. 14:29It's the perfect idiom to use when praising someone who took initiative in a difficult circumstance or when describing someone who
126. 14:40accepted unexpected responsibility. Now, because we're talking about unexpected responsibilities or challenging circumstances,
127. 14:49we don't use this idiom for routine responsibilities.
128. 14:54This idiom is all about challenging situations that require courage or initiative, not just the everyday tasks that you're supposed to do.
129. 15:04On top of that, we tend not to use this idiom to describe our own actions.
130. 15:10Even if we did do something exceptional, for example, I wouldn't say I stepped up to the plate. Doing that can sound rather boastful.
131. 15:20But what if you do need to describe your own actions, your own initiative in something like a job interview or performance review?
132. 15:29In those circumstances, you can soften the language. Instead of saying, I stepped up to the plate, you would say, when the situation required it, I was able to step up and lead the team.
133. 15:41And now our third phrase for this category is to take one's eyes off the ball.
134. 15:48This means to lose focus or stop paying attention to something important.
135. 15:53Once again, it comes from baseball.
136. 15:55We have so many idioms from baseball in English, and I wanna give you an example of how to use this. You might hear someone say,
137. 16:04sales dropped because we took our eyes off the ball and we ignored our competitors. Of course, in baseball, if you're not watching the ball carefully,
138. 16:13you can't hit it, you can't catch it, and it might hit you. Ultimately, it means there was failure.
139. 16:19And this idiom warns that losing focus on what's important could lead to failure as a result,
140. 16:27it works really well when you're working with your team to analyze past mistakes or talk about what went wrong. It can also be used as a warning,
141. 16:37warning, your team of potential distractions. For example, let's not take our eyes off the ball.
142. 16:43Our priority is still the product launch. Now, here's just one situation when we want to be careful with this idiom.
143. 16:52We want to avoid direct accusations in giving feedback to someone else.
144. 16:57Saying something like You took your eyes off the ball, sounds harsh and accusatory.
145. 17:03A much better approach when giving critical feedback is to use a more collaborative word or inclusive word, the word we, even if it was someone else's mistake. So instead you might say,
146. 17:15we took our eyes off the ball in this situation. Now, not only do we sometimes have to deal with disagreements or reminding people of where to keep their focus,
147. 17:26sometimes we also need to negotiate and negotiations can get tough, which means we need language to describe what's happening when someone becomes
148. 17:36aggressive or changes the rules unfairly.
149. 17:39And there are two great idioms that help us talk about these difficult situations. The first one is to play hardball.
150. 17:46This means to use tough or aggressive tactics in negotiations, often being uncompromising or forceful to get what you want.
151. 17:57For example, someone might say the supplier is playing hardball with pricing, so we might need to find someone else.
152. 18:04Hardball is literally baseball as opposed to softball, which is played with a softer, larger ball. And when we use this idiom,
153. 18:13we mean that someone is being tough and uncompromising.
154. 18:18So when can you use this idiom?
155. 18:20This one is perfect for describing how others negotiate.
156. 18:24If they have a negotiation style that is very tough or forceful, you might also use it to warn team members about aggressive negotiators.
157. 18:34For example, be prepared. They're known for playing hardball, but here's when to avoid this idiom.
158. 18:41We don't want to use it in situations requiring diplomacy.
159. 18:45Because this idiom focuses on aggression and difficult tactics, it can escalate tension when in the diplomatic situation, the goal is to deescalate.
160. 18:58Now something else that increases tension is our next idiom.
161. 19:02To move the goalposts, this one means to change the rules or the requirements unfairly.
162. 19:09And usually after something has already started or been agreed upon, for example, someone might say, I finally met all the requirements for the promotion that I've been working
163. 19:19toward for more than a year. But in our meeting today, my manager moved the goalposts and said, I need another year of leadership experience.
164. 19:30That situation would be super frustrating, right? And of course, in sports, the goalposts where you score are fixed, they don't move.
165. 19:39And if someone did move them during the game, that would be pretty unfair.
166. 19:45So this idiom is all about expressing the frustration that we feel when we've agreed to one set of rules and then someone changes them
167. 19:55unexpectedly or unfairly. But when does it not work?
168. 19:59Well, not all requirement changes are about moving the goalposts.
169. 20:05Sometimes an adjustment is reasonable or necessary due to external changes that are totally out of your control, like weather events or economic challenges.
170. 20:16And because this idiom shows that frustration and it suggests an unfair approach, we don't use it for changes that are legitimate or necessary.
171. 20:28Alright, we've reached our final category. Well, we're going to focus on phrases for those intense final moments of a project when you're racing against a deadline or celebrating
172. 20:41exceptional results.
173. 20:43And the first one here is to be down to the wire.
174. 20:47This means to continue until the very last moment before a deadline or when the outcome is uncertain until that
175. 20:57final moment. And this one, it comes from horse racing.
176. 21:01The wire is the finish line.
177. 21:04And when horses are down to the wire, the race is so close that you don't know who will win until that very last second. So here's an example of how we might use it.
178. 21:16You might say we were down to the wire, but we finished the report just before the deadline.
179. 21:23Compare that idiom to saying we barely made the deadline Of those two phrases, one simply states of fact, well,
180. 21:33the other recreates that tension at the end of a race, you can almost feel that sprint to the finish line. And as a result,
181. 21:43this idiom works perfectly for situations that have tight deadlines or when you're sharing experiences of high pressure situations.
182. 21:53You might also use it to explain why something felt so stressful.
183. 21:58For example, we were down to the wire because the client changed requirements at the very last minute. Now, are there any circumstances when you shouldn't use this idiom?
184. 22:09Not really. But of course, if you finish something with time to spare, you've got extra time because you finished days or weeks in advance, of course this idiom doesn't work. Also,
185. 22:21this idiom is definitely all about that urgency, that sprint to the finish, but it's also about success.
186. 22:30You did make it in the end, so it's not appropriate to use this idiom if a deadline is missed.
187. 22:37And finally, our last idiom is to knock it out of the park.
188. 22:42As I'm sure you remember, this is the idiom we talked about at the very beginning today.
189. 22:46And as a quick reminder, it means to do something exceptionally well.
190. 22:50It's all about that moment when someone hits the ball over the fence and everyone stands and cheers.
191. 22:58It's a rare but incredible moment, and that's why we use this idiom to compliment or praise others
192. 23:06exceptional work. For example, in a team meeting, you might say to someone, Maria, you knocked it out of the park with your presentation.
193. 23:14The board members loved it.
194. 23:17That compliment doesn't only suggest that Maria did a fantastic job, but it also suggests that her work is benefiting everyone.
195. 23:26The whole team wins. Now, when it comes to this idiom, we usually don't use it to describe our own work,
196. 23:35and we don't use it for things that are routine tasks. Instead, it's best to reserve this as a compliment for those exceptional moments.
197. 23:46Now, if someone compliments you with this particular idiom, the best way to respond is simply with, thank you. I'm really glad it went well,
198. 23:55or Thank you. The team worked hard on this together. Okay, now that you have these 11 idioms, let's talk about how to start using them in real conversations and
199. 24:06which ones to start with. If all these idioms are new to you, here's what I don't want you to do.
200. 24:13I don't want you to try to memorize them all today and start using them tomorrow. That approach never really works. Instead,
201. 24:22it more often leads to feeling stuck in the moment when you're trying to remember an idiom that you learned in this video, but can't find it in the moment. Instead, here's what works.
202. 24:33Choose three idioms to focus on first, just three.
203. 24:38When you're selective, it leads to better memory so that you can use these idioms in the moment, in the conversation when you need them,
204. 24:48and it reduces the potential for confusion or mixing them up.
205. 24:53Now, if you're not sure which three to choose first, I'll give you my recommendations in a moment.
206. 24:59But I wanna give you an alternative suggestion.
207. 25:02You could also choose three idioms that you particularly liked from this lesson or idioms that you immediately recognized today
208. 25:11because they're often used in your workplace.
209. 25:15If you recognized some idioms, start with those first.
210. 25:19And then once you've chosen your three idioms, I want to give you a way to not just learn them, but actually be able to use them in your English conversations.
211. 25:29And I have a three step approach.
212. 25:32The first step is simply listen for these phrasal verbs over the next week or two weeks.
213. 25:39Pay attention to conversations and podcasts.
214. 25:43Listen for these idioms. Every time you hear someone else in English, notice who uses it, when did they use it, and how did others respond?
215. 25:54Taking the time to actively listen and observe, it teaches you the natural context of the idiom. For example, if you choose down to the wire,
216. 26:05you might start noticing it in conversations and emails.
217. 26:09And you might notice that people use it when they just barely made the deadline or when they're explaining why something was so stressful.
218. 26:20This observation builds your understanding of when it fits naturally into conversations. And then step two is to begin practicing it, using it in conversations,
219. 26:32but particularly in low stakes situations. First, what that means is don't try to use a new idiom in an important high pressure situation right away,
220. 26:43like a presentation to your CEO or a meeting with a difficult client.
221. 26:48Instead, start in comfortable low pressure situations where making a mistake doesn't matter as much.
222. 26:55And the reason this is important is if you use the idiom awkwardly in a casual email to a colleague, it's really no big deal.
223. 27:04But if you use it incorrectly in front of your boss or a client, you risk damaging credibility in an important moment.
224. 27:14Practicing in comfortable situations first builds up your confidence, and once you've used the idiom successfully multiple times,
225. 27:24that's when you can start to use it anytime you want.
226. 27:27And that leads me to step number three.
227. 27:30Use each idiom multiple times before moving on to new idioms on the list.
228. 27:36Aim to use each idiom five or 10 times over a period of two or three weeks.
229. 27:44Doing this develops automatic natural usage of the idiom, and you'll know when you're ready to add new idioms to your vocabulary.
230. 27:53When you start using the first three without really thinking about them, they just feel natural. You just use them. They're not memorized or scripted.
231. 28:03This three step approach works because it prevents overwhelm. Three, idioms is manageable, but 11 can feel impossible or overwhelming.
232. 28:14It also builds confidence through repetition. And finally, it develops cultural judgment.
233. 28:21As you observe how others use these idioms and practice them yourself, you learn when they work and when they don't.
234. 28:29That kind of judgment is essential for more complex idioms and complicated conversations. Now, as I said, if you're not sure which idioms to start with,
235. 28:40here are my recommendations and why. First, I would recommend down to the wire.
236. 28:45This is an easy one to recognize when to use again, it's perfect for any tight deadline.
237. 28:53And unlike some of the other idioms we've discussed, it doesn't require reading complex social dynamics.
238. 29:01You either had a tight deadline or you didn't. That's it.
239. 29:05The second one I would recommend is to knock it out of the park.
240. 29:08You'll hear this one again and again as a form of praise, and it's wonderful to use to compliment others in the workplace or even
241. 29:18to compliment your son or daughter, your nephew, your niece, your grandchild.
242. 29:22When they've done something exceptional, it's a safe, positive idiom to use.
243. 29:28And then third, I would recommend to kick things off again, this one works.
244. 29:33Anytime you're starting something, whether it's a meeting, a presentation, a project, or an event, it's energetic, straightforward.
245. 29:41And easy to use, and the context is always clear.
246. 29:45You are beginning something.
247. 29:47So these three idioms are easy to recognize when to use.
248. 29:51They work in most professional and also casual conversations, and they help you participate naturally in conversations around you.
249. 30:00Then when you're comfortable with those first three idioms, add three more before we finish up today. Very briefly, I would love to hear from you.
250. 30:10I want to know which three idioms you're going to start with.
251. 30:13Try sharing one of them with me in the comments below.
252. 30:17You could even include your own example sentence. As always, if you found this particular lesson helpful to you, don't forget to subscribe or follow wherever you're listening or watching from
253. 30:28today. Thank you so much for joining me, and I look forward to seeing you next time.