Name: Step on it: The English We Speak
Uploaded: 2021-04-13T21:01:20.000Z
Duration: 2 min 30 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

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

To-infinitive

Yes yes, I've hurt my foot and we've got to get to hospital. Ouch!

Ooo, it looks nasty Rob – all red and swollen. It was a good job I was driving by when you hurt it.

Yes yes, thanks for the lift, Feifei. But it really is hurting, so could you step on it, please?

Ow! That was painful – what did you do that for?

You said 'step on it' – I thought that was an odd request, but I did.

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.

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 you 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 gonna miss the plane.

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'.

Good good, because my foot hurts so much – I need urgent medical attention.

I was playing football and another player stepped on my big toe. It was so painful.

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.

You had better step on it, Rob – the casualty department shuts in five minutes. Bye.