In this unedited episode I share some of the thoughts that have been running through my head, talk about being busy and look at some vocabulary to describe busy times in your life. Video version available.
Audio Version
Video Version
Vocabulary Notes
How to talk about being busy in English
1. The word “busy”
Pronunciation
/bɪzi/ “Bizzy” – like “business”
Not “Buzzy”
Collocations
- A busy time
- To be extremely busy
- To be busy with something
- To be busy +ing
- To be too busy + infinitive
- awfully, extremely, really, terribly, very | exceptionally, particularly | desperately, frantically | a bit, fairly, pretty, quite, rather | constantly
2. Expressions for when you have too many things to do and you don’t have time for everything
- To have a lot to do (It’s possessive have, so don’t put it in the continuous form)
- To have an awful lot to do, to have a hell of a lot to do
- To have a lot of things to doTo have loads of things to do
- To have tons of things to do
- To have a lot on
- To have a lot going on
- To be rushed off your feet = Always in a hurry because you have so many things to do
- To be up to your ears/neck in work, admin, marking, assessments
- To be under a lot of pressure
- To work well under pressure
- To be snowed under (with something)
- To be swamped (with)
- To be overwhelmed
- To have your hands full
- To have a lot on your plate
A busy time
- A full day/month/year
- Hectic
- It’s all go (go go)
- Things are a bit mad/crazy/hectic/Full-on
- (to be in) a mad rush
3. Expressions for when being busy is good, because having time on your hands and doing nothing is bad
- To keep yourself busy
- I’m keeping myself busy