Bob's Short English Lessons

Learn the English Phrases TO KEEP AN EYE ON and TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR

May 07, 2021 Bob the Canadian Season 1 Episode 127
Bob's Short English Lessons
Learn the English Phrases TO KEEP AN EYE ON and TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR
Show Notes Transcript

Read along to practice your English and to learn the English phrases TO KEEP AN EYE ON and TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR

In this English lesson I wanted to help you learn the English phrase to keep an eye on. In English, if you are going to keep an eye on someone or keep an eye on something, it means you're going to watch it. A good example is this. If you put a pan of water on the stove to boil the water, you want to keep an eye on that pot of water, because when it starts to boil, you wanna take it off the stove. Maybe you are in charge of some children. Maybe you've gone to the park with your kids or a niece or nephew, you want to keep an eye on them while they are playing, because you don't want them to accidentally get hurt or do something that they're not supposed to. So in English, when you keep an eye on someone, or when you keep an eye on something, it means you're going to watch them or it.

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The other phrase I wanted to teach you today is the phrase to keep an eye out for. This is a little bit different. And I actually used this phrase in yesterday's lesson. And I think I used the wrong one. I think I should've said, "Keep an eye on." And instead I said, "Keep an eye out for." When you keep an eye out for someone or something, it means you're waiting for them or you're waiting for that thing. Here's a good example. When I order something online, sometimes I will keep an eye out for the delivery truck. So that means while I'm working on my computer, I look outside every once in a while, I keep an eye out for the delivery truck, because I'm waiting for the delivery truck to come. Maybe, another good example would be this. Maybe in your neighborhood, bad things have been happening. And the police have said, "Please keep an eye out "for suspicious activity." What they're saying is that they want you to kind of look outside every once in a while to see if anything bad is happening.

So to review, the phrase to keep an eye on someone or to keep an eye on something means to watch. You know, usually like you're in charge or you're doing something and you want to watch it to make sure nothing goes wrong, to make sure that, again, the example with the water boiling, you want to keep an eye on it, because you want to take it off the stove when it's done. But when you want to keep an eye out for someone or something, it means that you're waiting for them to arrive, or you're waiting for that thing to happen. So you want to keep an eye out for it. Hopefully that made some sense. That was, I think, a pretty good explanation, but maybe when I get inside to edit this, I'll think differently, but I think it was pretty good.

Hey, let's look at a comment from a previous video, and I love this comment. It's from Snazzy. And the comment is this, "Keep smiling, stay safe." And my response is you too.

So thank you, Snazzy, for that comment. I wanted to use this comment, 'cause I wanted to make sure that people knew that I don't always choose the longest comments or the comments that are the best example of English writing. I don't look for comments that where I'm like, "Wow, this person is awesome and amazing at English. "I'll use their comment." I like all comments. So this comment from Snazzy is short and sweet. It's to the point. It's probably one of my favorite comments this week. Keep smiling and stay safe.

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In this English lesson I wanted to help you learn the English phrase to keep an eye on. In English, if you are going to keep an eye on someone or keep an eye on something, it means you're going to watch it. A good example is this. If you put a pan of water on the stove to boil the water, you want to keep an eye on that pot of water, because when it starts to boil, you wanna take it off the stove. Maybe you are in charge of some children. Maybe you've gone to the park with your kids or a niece or nephew, you want to keep an eye on them while they are playing, because you don't want them to accidentally get hurt or do something that they're not supposed to. So in English, when you keep an eye on someone, or when you keep an eye on something, it means you're going to watch them or it.

The other phrase I wanted to teach you today is the phrase to keep an eye out for. This is a little bit different. And I actually used this phrase in yesterday's lesson. And I think I used the wrong one. I think I should've said, "Keep an eye on." And instead I said, "Keep an eye out for." When you keep an eye out for someone or something, it means you're waiting for them or you're waiting for that thing. Here's a good example. When I order something online, sometimes I will keep an eye out for the delivery truck. So that means while I'm working on my computer, I look outside every once in a while, I keep an eye out for the delivery truck, because I'm waiting for the delivery truck to come. Maybe, another good example would be this. Maybe in your neighborhood, bad things have been happening. And the police have said, "Please keep an eye out "for suspicious activity." What they're saying is that they want you to kind of look outside every once in a while to see if anything bad is happening.

So to review, the phrase to keep an eye on someone or to keep an eye on something means to watch. You know, usually like you're in charge or you're doing something and you want to watch it to make sure nothing goes wrong, to make sure that, again, the example with the water boiling, you want to keep an eye on it, because you want to take it off the stove when it's done. But when you want to keep an eye out for someone or something, it means that you're waiting for them to arrive, or you're waiting for that thing to happen. So you want to keep an eye out for it. Hopefully that made some sense. That was, I think, a pretty good explanation, but maybe when I get inside to edit this, I'll think differently, but I think it was pretty good.

Hey, let's look at a comment from a previous video, and I love this comment. It's from Snazzy. And the comment is this, "Keep smiling, stay safe." And my response is you too.

So thank you, Snazzy, for that comment. I wanted to use this comment, 'cause I wanted to make sure that people knew that I don't always choose the longest comments or the comments that are the best example of English writing. I don't look for comments that where I'm like, "Wow, this person is awesome and amazing at English. "I'll use their comment." I like all comments. So this comment from Snazzy is short and sweet. It's to the point. It's probably one of my favorite comments this week. Keep smiling and stay safe. That's a great comment, Snazzy, so thanks again. So yes, and not only is it a great comment, in terms of being somewhat straight forward, it's also very wise, isn't it? If you can think about going through your day and two things are really important right now, keep smiling, stay in a positive mood, try to be happy about the things that are happening around you that you enjoy and try not to worry too much about the things you can't control. And then stay safe, as always, I think it's important right now because we're in a pandemic, that you stay safe as much as possible. Jen's actually out right now getting groceries. We have decided that when we go to get groceries, only one of us will go, because things are quite restricted here in Ontario, Canada right now.

So anyways, keep smiling, stay safe, bye.