This mini episode teaches you the useful expression “in full swing.”
Episode 158 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you the expression “in full swing.” Send your questions about English and your suggestions for future episodes to EverybodyESL@gmail.com! (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
The expression I'm going to teach you today is in full swing. In full swing. That's in: i-n. Full: f-u-l-l. Swing: s-w-i-n-g. In full swing.
What does in full swing mean? In full swing means “at a high level of activity,” or “in the middle of activity,” or “at a time when something has been going on for a while.” That probably sounds a little bit confusing, but I don't think it will be confusing when you hear the phrase in full swing in a sentence.
When I arrived at the auditorium, the concert was in full swing. When I arrived at the auditorium, the concert was in full swing.
In other words, when I got to the auditorium, the concert was already going. The concert had already started. I arrived in the middle of the concert. The concert started at least a little while ago. It had been going on for a little while. It was already happening. I got there in the middle.
Here's another example: By 9 o’clock in the morning, the meeting was already in full swing. By 9 o’clock in the morning, the meeting was already in full swing.
In other words, by 9 o’clock in the morning, the meeting had already been going on for a little while. The meeting was already active. The meeting was already busy. It makes me think that many people are talking. Many people are trying to give their ideas and give their opinions, and people are interrupting each other. It makes me think that the meeting is already very busy, very active.
Well, that is in full swing—a very useful expression that I think you should know.