Feifei Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Feifei…
Rob …and I’m Rob. And today, we’re going to use a common word in a slightly different way. It’s a preposition you’ve no doubt known for a long time.
Feifei Yes, our word is across. Of course, you can say things like: Rob is sitting across from me.
Rob Or: This food is popular across China.
Feifei But what about this: Rob, are you across the plan for tonight’s event?
Rob You’re not asking me if I’m sitting across or on the other side from a plan, are you?
Feifei No, when we use across in this way, it actually means ’to be familiar with’. If you’re across a plan, you’re familiar with it. You know what you need to know about it.
** Rob** We often talk about being across a subject. Especially a subject that is complex or changing. It indicates you know all the important things about the subject.
Feifei Let’s listen to some examples to help clarify how we use it.
Examples Professor Zhang is a specialist in the European economy. He’s across all the latest developments.
A: Did you come to last week’s meeting?
B: Afraid not, no.
A: OK, so you’re not across the new plan. Let me give you a quick summary.
A: Pete, I want to make sure you’re across the food for tomorrow. Now, remember two of our guests are vegetarian.
B: Got it.
Feifei This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. There we are. I hope you’re now across how we use this word ‘across’.
Rob Yes, you’re across ‘across’, so to speak!
Feifei Anyway, as I was asking earlier, Rob, are you across the plan for tonight’s event?
Rob That was just an example of how to use this phrase, right?
Feifei No, you really don’t know about it?
Rob What event?
** Feifei** This isn’t good. I thought you had sent out all the invitations?
** Rob** What are you talking about, Feifei?
Feifei Oh, just kidding! There’s no event tonight.
Rob That’s not funny! Now, getting back to the subject, if you want to stay across all the latest slang English expressions, do remember to listen to The English We Speak.
Feifei Bye.
** Rob** That really wasn’t funny.