Step on it: The English We Speak - YouTube

Feifei: Welcome to The English We Speak.

It's Feifei here with Rob, and we're in a bit

of a rush…

Rob: …yes yes, I've hurt my foot and we've

got to get to hospital. Ouch!

Feifei: Ooo, it looks nasty Rob – all red

and swollen. It was a good job I was

driving by when you hurt it.

Rob: Yes yes, thanks for the lift, Feifei. But it

really is hurting, so could you step on it,

please?

Feifei: What?

Rob: Step on it!

Feifei: Oh, OK. If you say so.

Rob: Ow! That was painful – what did you

do that for?

Feifei: You said 'step on it' – I thought that

was an odd request, but I did.

Rob: No, Feifei! I meant drive faster –

that's what 'step on it' means. It's what

you say to someone to ask them to hurry.

That hurt so much.

Feifei: Oops, sorry! Right, well hold on

tight, Rob. I will step on it while we hear

some examples…

Taxi! Could you take me to the

station, please? And could step on it? I'm late!

Our coach told us to step on it if we

wanted to get to the match on time.

Please step on it, otherwise we're going to

miss the plane.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak from

BBC Learning English. And we're finding

out about the phrase 'step on it', which

means 'go faster' or 'hurry up'.

Well, we're nearly at the hospital, Rob.

Rob: Good good, because my foot hurts

so much – I need urgent medical

attention.

Feifei: How exactly did you hurt it?

Rob: I was playing football and another

player stepped on my big toe. It was so painful.

Feifei: What! So you've got me to 'step on

it' – and drive at high speed – because

someone stepped on your big toe?

This isn't an emergency, Rob - you can get out and walk.

Rob: That's not very nice.

Feifei: You had better step on it, Rob –

the casualty department shuts in five

minutes. Bye.

Rob: Bye.