Hello everyone thanks for clicking on this lesson. In this one we're going to look at phrases that are very close in the words that they use but actually mean very different things.

So I hope you enjoy this one, let's dig right in.

To Get Going vs. To Get Someone Going

What's the difference between the phrase 'to get going,' and the phrase 'to get someone going'? It's actually quite a big difference.

If you were to say 'we have to get going.' You're saying that we have to leave, we have to go from where we are now to where we need to be.

Another way of saying 'get going' is 'we have to head out.' 'We have to get cracking.' 'We have to get moving.' Whereas 'to get someone going' means to get someone riled up, to get someone frustrated.

If I said 'yeah, I really got him going.' It means that I got him flustered, I got to him.

To Count On vs. To Count Out

Another good one is 'to count on' versus 'to count out'. 'To count on' someone means that you're able to rely on them, that they're trustworthy, that they come through for you when you need them.

If I said 'I can really count on her.' I'm saying that she's reliable, that I'm able to place my trust in her. Whereas to 'count out' means to exclude or to leave someone out. A lot of times you'll use 'to count out' when you're talking about yourself. So if somebody came to me and asked 'do you wanna go to the movies on Friday? All of us are going.' I could say 'you know what? I'm busy count me out.' Another way of saying 'count me out' is 'I'm out' or 'I don't think I can.' 'I can't do it, count me out.'

So 'to count on' means that you can rely on someone, 'to count out' means that you're excluding someone.

Messing Around vs. Messing Up

Here's another good one, 'messing around' versus 'messing up.' If you're 'messing around' it means you're just having fun, you're not taking things too seriously, you're just having a good time.

Another way of saying 'messing around' is 'we're having fun,' 'we're having a good time.'

Now 'messing up' is basically making a mistake, making an error. If you 'mess something up', you've blown it, you've made a mistake, you've done something that you shouldn't have done. Alternative phrases for 'messing up' are 'slipping up,'  'blown it,' 'dropped the ball.'

So 'messing around' is having fun, not taking things too seriously, whereas 'messing up' is making a mistake.

To Have Fun With vs. To Make Fun Of

Here's another big one, 'to have fun with' someone versus 'to make fun of' someone. There is quite a big difference between these two phrases. 'To have fun with' someone means that you're enjoying your time together. You and them are both having a good time, having fun, enjoying yourselves. Whereas if you're 'making fun of' someone, 'to make fun of,' it means that you're laughing at them, you're having a laugh at their expense.

If you're 'making fun of' someone, they're probably not going to enjoy that. They're being teased or they may feel like you're being mean.

So 'to have fun with' someone means you're both having a good time, you're both enjoying yourselves. Whereas 'to make fun of' someone means you're teasing them, you're having a laugh at their expense.

It's Done vs I'm Done

'It's done' versus 'I'm done.' Again, a small change in the first word, 'it's' versus 'I'm.'

'It's done' means that something is complete, something is finished. It means something is over. Whereas if you were to say 'I'm done' you're saying 'I'm exhausted' or 'I'm tired'. You're saying that you have reached the end of what you're capable of doing. Or if we were to say 'he's done.' that means 'he's finished,' he's reached the end of his patience, or the end of what he's able to do.

'It's done' means something is finished, a task or a job. Whereas 'I'm done' means I've reached the end of what I can do.

To Get By vs. To Get On

So on to the next one. 'To get by' versus 'to get on.'

'To get by' has a couple of different meanings. If you 'get by' something it means you've gone around or that you've passed something physically. An example of this is 'I got by the desk and saw him in the elevator.' So you're physically getting around something or passing something. Another way of using the phrase 'to get by' is when talking about when you're able to do something, or when you have just enough of something to accomplish a task. So for example, 'when I was in university I was broke, but I had just enough money to get by.' in that sentence I'm saying that I was broke, but I was able to cope with what I had. Whereas 'to get on' means to get along with somebody. If two people 'get on' they have a good relationship. They get along. So you could say 'they were very different but they got on well.'

'To get by' means to move around something or to get past something. Or it means to have enough of something to cope. Whereas 'to get on' means to have a good relationship, for two people or a group to get along.

To Work Out vs. To Work On

So what's the difference between 'to work out' and 'to work on'? 'To work out' again has a couple of different meanings. One of them is to exercise. 'To work out,' to be physically active. Another one is to get to the resolution of a problem. To solve a problem or to get to an answer. So if you 'work something out' you've solved it, you've come to an understanding of what will work. So for example, you could say 'we wanted to get along, but it didn't work out.' You're saying that the relationship did not work. If something 'didn't work out.' it didn't go according to plan or how you might have hoped.

Whereas 'to work on' something means that you're working to improve something. So if you are going to 'work on' your public speaking skills, it means that you're trying to improve them. You're trying to sharpen them, you're trying to make them better.

So 'to work on' something means that you're trying to elevate what you're able to do. A word that's synonymous with 'work on' is 'improve.' You're trying to 'work on' your public speaking skills, and you're trying to 'improve' your speaking skills. These mean the same thing.

Any Time vs Any Day

Another phrase or word that is closely associated with another one is 'any time' and 'any day.'

'Any time' means no matter when. So 'you can call me anytime' means you can call me whenever you'd like. The time of day, the time of year doesn't matter. You can call me anytime. 'Anytime" also means 'you're welcome.' So in casual conversations a lot of times we will say 'anytime' instead of 'you're welcome.' So you give me this pen, I say 'thank you.' You say 'anytime.' You're saying 'you're welcome.'

'Any day' has a couple of different meanings and it's used all the time. So if you were to say 'any day' after a phrase, I'm saying that something is certain. For example I could say 'I prefer coffee over tea any day.' I'm saying that this is something that I really like. I strongly prefer coffee over tea. It's something that you're certain of. Another phrase in this context of 'any day' is 'no question,' or 'hands down'. So 'I prefer coffee over tea, no question.' Or 'I prefer coffee over tea hands down,' 'Any day is also used to mean that something is likely to happen soon. So you could say the phrase 'any day now', and that means that something is going happen immediately, or it's expected to happen immediately.

So you could say 'she's nine months pregnant. She's going to give birth any day now.' You're saying that she's going to give birth soon. You don't know when, but it's going to happen soon.

Hang In vs Hang On

There's also a big difference between 'hang in' and 'hang on.'

To 'hang in' means to endure, to last. If you're 'hanging in there,' you're able to cope or you're able to deal with what's happening. A common phrase might be 'I know it's been a long week, but thank you for hanging in there.' Thank you for staying. Thank you for coping. Thank you for dealing.

Whereas to 'hang on' means to physically hold something. To 'hang on' to this table. I'm hanging on to the table. Or it also means 'just hold on one moment.' So I could say 'you know what, I'm going to run to the kitchen and grab something. Hang on.' You're saying just wait one moment, hang on.

Hold Back vs. Hold On

Another big difference between two very similar phrases is to 'hold back' or to 'hold on.'

If you're 'holding back' you're hanging on to something that you could perhaps say or do. So you could say' you know what? When I saw her make fun of him I could see he was holding back.' So he was trying not to say something back. 

Whereas to 'hold on' has a couple of different meanings. Tt's similar to 'hang on,' meaning 'just one moment, hold on,' You could say 'we need to publish this ad, but hold on. I want to check with legal first.' So 'hold on' means stop, hold, put it on hold. 'Hold on' also means to physically grab something. So I'm physically holding onto this mug. To hold on.

To Break Down vs To Break Up

Another one is 'to break down' or 'to break up.'

So 'break down', 'break up.' 'To break down' has a couple of different meanings. The first is, if you 'break something down' you're making it into separate parts. If you 'break down' someone's argument, you are looking at what they're saying, the words, the ideas, the thoughts. You're making it into something more simple, the simple building blocks of the argument. 'Break down' also means to physically disassemble something. So if you were to 'break down' a cardboard box, you're flattening it, you're folding it up, you're breaking it down.

Whereas 'to break up' means to separate. So it's a very common English phrase, often used in

relationships. If two people separate, they go their separate ways, they 'break up.'

To Tune In vs To Tune Out

Two other phrases that are very close, but again because of their difference in one word actually mean very different things, and that is' to tune in' or 'to tune out.'

'To tune in' to something is to pay attention. You often hear this in English TV for example. "To tune in' to something is to turn on the TV and to watch. To pay attention. If you 'tune in' to something, you are listening or giving it your attention.

Whereas 'to tune out' is a phrase used to mean 'to ignore.' If you're 'tuning something out', you're completely ignoring it. You're not giving it any of your attention.

So 'to tune in' is to watch something. To pay attention. 'To tune out' is to ignore or to completely disregard what is being said or what is being displayed.

To Speak Up vs. To Speak Of

Another one is 'to speak up' or 'to speak of.'

'To speak up' means to make your voice heard. To say something when it might be needed or to advocate for yourself. 'To speak up' means that you're going say what you think. You're saying your true thoughts, 'to speak up' in a conversation for example.

Whereas 'to speak of' something is to talk about something. So 'speak up,' you're raising your voice, you're raising your hand, you're saying what you think. 'To speak of' means you're talking about something.

You could say 'in the meeting he was doing all the talking and I wanted to speak up.'

'Speak of' actually is part of a very common idiom which is 'speak of the devil'. So if you say 'speak of the devil' it means, what you were just talking about or a person you were just talking about just entered the room. So if you're talking about someone and you're laughing or you're having a conversation about them and they walk into the room, a common thing you'll hear is 'speak of the devil.' So that person just walked in, the devil, them, it's kind of a a strange thing to say. But it is a very common English expression, 'speak of the devil.'

Thanks so much for watching this lesson. I hope you really enjoyed it. Until next time, keep learning and we'll talk soon.