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Last updated at 11:38 BST, Wednesday, 09 September 2009

Sport idioms: Balls

The Teacher

Introduction

In this video the Teacher plays some ball sports:

  1. Keep your eye on the ball
  2. It’s a whole new ball game
  3. On the ball

Video

Teacher's homework

Do you know someone who always keeps their eye on the ball? Perhaps you yourself are on the ball. Tell me about a time you did something that was a whole new ballgame.

Send me a few lines using these idioms and I'll publish the best ones.

This topic has now closed. Thanks for all your homework.

Alex, Latvia
When I met her I tried to keep my eye on the ball. When I kissed her, she said:" I'm a man!", well it was a whole new ball game for me. I ran away.

Hasan Dado, Syria
Hello teacher, I see that playing chess is a whole new ball game for those who don't know the rules, but the most important rule is keeping an eye on the ball, afterwards, they will see thta they are on the ball.

Wilson, BH - MG, Brazil
I started teaching this year. It is a whole new ball game for me. I often have to tell my students to keep their eye on the ball but I don't really have trouble with them as they are on the ball.

Luis, Spain
Very important people of this company dislake your way of managing the situation. You should keep your eye on the ball if you want to keep your job.

Luna, China
I had to keep my eye on the ball when I went to Canada lonely last summer. It's a whole new ball game for me to live in a foreign country, different language, culture,people etc.,.

Trang, Vietnam
I'm going to study in the UK. What a challenging experience, a whole new ball game for me. It must be very difficult to be on the ball in class but I will try my best to keep my eye on the ball.

Marina, Russia
I was planning to compete that day among juniors. However it was a whole new game when it turned out there was no junior section. That's why I had to compete among senior figure skaters.

Imane, Morocco
learning English was a whole new ball game to me, but step by step and with the help of my brother now i'm on the ball because i keep my eyes on the ball

Ha, Australia
Playing piano is completely a whole new ball game for me. I have to keep my eye on the ball. Hopefully, I can get it soon as Im on the ball :)

Luis, France
First of all thank you for this original way of teaching.Here I go...I had learned French at a languages school in Cuba. Then I improved my French speaking skills working as tour guide for French and Canadian (from Quebec) tourists. But it turned out to be a whole new ball game when I came to live in France. At first, I did have to keep my eye on the ball in order to understand what people were saying. Even so, I was not always on the ball !

Alessandro, Italy
When I study English, I try to keep my eye on the ball.I have never studied English at school, It's a whole new ball game for me.Instead with French, I'm on the ball.

Vin, India
learning through this interesting way is a new ball game for me.

Serhiy Donin, Ukraine
When you do your hometask it's quite difficult to keep your eyes on the ball, while someone is listening to music in a very loud way. In the end of 20-th June 2009 I played bowling at first time in my life. Although playing bowling was a whole new ball game for me, I took the second place twise and took the third once with four strikes in total! Studying jurisprudence is one of my most subjects, in which I always on the ball.

Jose Daniel, Venezuela
Hello,This section its so nice, i like so much. I can practice my english. In Venezuela the economic situation afect to everyone. Many professional people dont have job. The job oportunities are such slender.This is my case. I thougth when I come from Canada, I found a good job. Because before my travel I received excelents offers. Now when I to go the job interview, its necesary selling the must better about my labour experience. The labour market has competition a lot. Every apllicant keep your eye in the ball, in the interview they tray be the winner. Selling by themself

France
the trader is someone who have to keep his eye on the ball

Ha Chau, Viet Nam
Yesterday was the first time we had studied French. It was really a whole new ball game. I could hardly understand the lesson although I had been keeping my eye on the ball during the class. However, my friend Linh turned out to be so excellent. She understood the lesson thoroughly from the beginning to the end. Hmm....She was on the ball!

Atwood, Lublin, Poland
This bbc site is a totally different ballgame to me.

Jose Daniel, Venezuela
In my country many people has hight blood pressures problem. Its such daungerous helth afection. That problem to require people make consultation wicth specialist, diet and keep your eye on the ball. This problem will make heart attack and maybe death.

Alice, Italy
When my brother and I are alone at home, I have to keep my eye on the ball. It isn't a whole new ball game for me, in fact I'm addicted to, because my mother used to work a lot in the past and I used to look after my brother. No problem! I'm on the ball, so I can avoid every kind of problem.

Liliane, Brazil
I was wondering about skating over something. It seems me boring especially when I need get my skates on. Sometimes, when I ask someone don't skating over the issue I feel I'm skating on thin ice.

Bawazeer , Saudi Arabia
Once I didn't keep my eyes on the ball ,so I crashed my friend's car .It was a whole new ball game because his car wasn't behind mine . I was on the ball , I coulden't avoid that accident.

Pham Linh, Vietnam
when I study Macroeconomics, I have to keep my eyes on the ball because although I am on the ball, Macroeconomics is a whole new ball game for me.

Liliane, Brazil
My Dad is special for me. He always teaches me several important things. One of them is, when you find a situation that can be a whole new ball game, please keep your eye on the ball. I'm sure that you will be on the ball.

Whatiswhat24, England
Before I'd started writing, I told myself I'd have keep my eye on the ball because people from all over the world would be viewing my sentences. lol This website is so cool, which seams to be a whole new ball game to me.I bet you all are on the ball when it comes to learning the English language.Good luck with your studies,folks.Bye for now!

Zlatan, Sweden
Dear TeacherHello. My name is Zlatan. I am a ten-year-old boy living in Sweden.My favorite subject is mathmatics. But the thing is that I'm not that good at math even though I like math. One day, my teacher told me to come up on the blackboard and solve a problem that involves adding fractions by using the common denominator. But I wrote the wrong answer and my classmates laughed at me. I suppose all of my classmates are on the ball. They say that it's a piece of cake, but why can't I? I just can't get it. Or maybe I wonder if I kept my eyes on the ball during the class..

Lionel, Argentina
I'm a university student and it's now the first year in this entirely different and new school. I was really excited when I first visited the school but university life was much more different than I thought. For example, I found out that the lecture is dealing with really complicated matters and events. Oh, by the way, my major is Oriental and African History. Once the professor was giving a lecture on Korean history, and it was about the Korean war. Since I have never heard of it before, it was hard for me to understand what the professor was talking about. Now I realize that university life is a whole new ball game. I wish I could go back to my high school.

Elena, Italy
Last saturday night I played bowling with my friends for the first time so it was a whole new ballgame for me. When I did strike I was very amuzing, so I was on the ball.

Stephanie, China
I know i should keep my eye on the ball in order to pass the interview of company,although the new position is a whole new ballgame for me,i have the confidence that i will be on the ball when i get the new position.

Lili, Peru
When i learned to drive it was a whole new ball game, i had to keep my eye on the ball all the time now i feel that i'm on the ball.

Massa, Japan
Baking scones three weeks ago was a whole new ballgame to me. So, I looked at a cookery book and followed the instruction with my eyes kept on the ball. Now I can make best ones. I've been on the ball after all.

Nguyenzhang,Vietnam.
Dear Mr. Teacher,I am sorry for having a false start like this. but I find that Sometimes there are some mistakes in the homeworks that were sent to you. You still publish them. I am wondering that why you don't correct them for us and are they the best ones?

Weichiang, Taiwan
When it comes to swimming, I am really on the ball. However, snorkeling is a whole new ball game to me. Keeping my eye on the ball is a must to prevent overdose of seawater and minerals.

Hussain AL-asfoor, Arab World
I'm doing math in the university and I need to keep my eye on the ball while I'm solving the equations. The first year in the university was grate except some subjects such as college algebra with trigonometry which is a whole new ball game for me. I'm the best in class and I love math because it is a great fun for me. now I'm doing my last year project in advanced calculus and I'm on the ball, thanks god.

Zineb, Algeria
HI Teacher.thnx again for ur marvellous method of teaching.i've been learning korean for about 4 months that's why i started in making friendship with korean penpals aiming at improving my korean lge,but & through a chat with a native speaker i found out as it's a whole new ball game for me & that penpal asked me to do my best & to keep my eye on the ball!!!!afterwards i realized that i'm not on the ball.actually i was terribly depressed

Zerin,Turkey
My patients (children) keep their eye on the ball during their treatment with fear.I am on the ball and try to make them relieved with some games, little prizes and funny conversaiton, that is a whole new ballgame for them.

Alba, Brazil
Hello teacher.When I practice Pilates classes I need keep my eyes on the ball because it's a whole new ball to me, but at most part of the time I am on the ball...(literally)

Nusha & Tyoma, Sevastopol, Ukraine
Nusha: Once I had a guest teacher in my Irish dance class. There were so many people dancing, but he kept his eye on the ball, so he noticed every single mistake me made. Usually, I am on the ball in dancing, but that time I was totally confused since his teaching was a whole new ballgame to me.Tyoma: When I went to my economics lesson last Wednesday, I expected it to be a very serious class.But instead of that, our teacher started to play games which involved economic skills with us.I think it was a whole new ballgame to us all.

Odette, Switzerland
Having to look after my young twin sisters, because my parents went out for dinner, was an entirely new ball game for me.I know very little of these things so I had to keep my eye on the ball lest they should hurt themselves. I'm relieved because everything went fine at the end of the day.

Ellen, China
My lovely son is to two years old,I have to keep my eye on the ball for teaching him some general knowlesge because it is a whole new ball game for me. Yesterday I heard my sun said 小汽车 is a car ",I was very happy I think I am on the ball.

Ahmed,Kenya
Hello my very interesting and intelligent Teacher! I always keep my aye on the ball In order to discover if there are new English idioms in ˿LEARNINGENGLISH website. I am sure learning English will not be a whole new ballgame as long as you are my teacher! I like to be on the ball in every time you give us new English idioms.

Diego, Spain
In my new activity, meetings are very demanding. You allways need to keep your eyes on the ball and this is a whole new ball game for me. I only have been two months in my company and I´m really fed up. I´ll never get use this ridiculous meetings. Bye

Jesslyn Huang
I been sent to a new dept to set up the purchae dept cumputer system that was a whole new ballgame becouse i am a bookeeper.

Thyago, Brazil
One day I protest to my English teacher that I'm not able to understand the grammar rule he was trying to teach us. Suddenly, he said : - Hei boy! calm down. I'll explain again, but keep you eye on the ball now!-Ball? Would he mean board? I thought.-That idioms is a whole new ball game for you Sir? carry on the teacher, that was always on the ball.

Napoleon, China
It is highly suggested to keep you eye on the ball when Professor Smith starts to talk about something. You know, normally, he is disinclined to repeat what is already on the textbook. Therefore, the information given by him in person must be something very important, or something that is a whole new ball game to you. Well, this rule doesn't apply to me, because I am very interesting and intelligent student. To be short, I'm on the ball.

Asmaa, Egypt
Starting the career journey is a whole new ball game for me.The first step is always the most difficult one, so you should keep your eye on the ball and by the time you are going to find yourself on the ball.

Sin heon
a couple of days ago,i went to a bar to have beer with my multinational friends.my spanish friend told me ' when you toast with somebody, you'd better to keep your eyes on the the other's eye. that was a whole new ball game for me.

Daniel, China
when you are doing something which is a whole new ball game to you. Don't worry, just keep your eye on the ball because you are not the "on the ball" type of person.

Kyle,Scotland
You didn't keep your eye on the ball when you fell off that blue ball!!!!!!!

Theresa, China
Play ping-pon is a whole new ballgame to me. Last sunday, I began to learn. my coach asked me to keep eye on the ball, he said it was the essential skill we trained at begining. Even I already pay complete attention to the ball, I was still awkward with play. My coach encouraged me don't lose heart and he prised me was on teh ball, he said I would be better if I practice frequently. I am happy, cheer!

Nguyenzhang,Vietnam.
I used to think that getting married is a whole new ball game to me.However, I changed my mind when I met my boyfriend.For the troubles I got, he always keep his eyes on the ball when I told him and he was on the ball to find me the best solutions.

Vivian China
My father always keep his eye on the ball when he try a whole new ball game which he is interested in and it is not surprised for us to see him to be on the ball soon. I love my father.

Tanausu, The Canary Islands
Global warming: Weather's getting warmer so let's keep our eyes on the ball or surviving in the Earth it's going to be a whole new ball game for the new generation. We must change our habits as commuters. It's not necessary to be on the ball to understand that.

Rajesh, Germany
Once a friend of mine gave me some compliment and said i was on the ball. Though i never played games with the balls...this sentence was a whole new ball game for me. Anyhow,i've learnt this usage now and wanna keep my eye on the ball by learning English

Ivan, Colombia
when you are practicing extreme sport is importan to keep your eye in the ball, the first time in an extreme spot is usually very different from what you had imagined, its a whole new game, but with time you will be on the ball.

Arale, Vietnam
I used to be really fantastic and enjoyable watching someone playing guitar. Then, I took a guitar course within 2 months. That was actually a whole new ball game and i gave up just right after one day :-( When in high school, I didn't keep my eye on the ball at all especially at Literature period but I was on the ball thinking about somewhat bad and dangerous

Yi,China
In my class, there is a boy who are always on the ball. So I asked him how he can do that. He told me that you will be always on the ball if you always keep your eye on the ball even though there is a whole new ballgame. I think he is right.

Mary, Kuwait
I've been learning English for 4 years and I can speak English well now.(quite well not very well). Yet back in old days, I had to start from A,b,c. It was WHOLE NEW BALL GAME for me.Both my parents are arabs so they don't know any English words except OK. But along with you "bbc learning english" I've improved my english step by step. So thank You and your teaching is brilliant.. I think you should become an actor which is a WHOLE NEW BALL GAME for you, still I'm warm to your acting skills.

Vita, Russia
My husband is keen on climbing up, the water sport is the whole new ball game for him. So when we decided to try, we were predicted to keep our yeys on the ball. It was quite difficult the first time, but we trained a lot, so we are on the ball now.

Eliana,Brazil
I used to play most of days in my school and for won the game I had to keep my eye on the ball,and for not stayed out of the game I keeping roling my life like was the ball,always keep straight.

Ye-jin, South Korea
Yesterday, I didn't keep my eye on the ball when I crossed the road. I almost got run over by a car.

Mary, Italy
We should always keep our eyes on the ball if we want to get on the ball but especially when things are a whole new ball game for us! :)

Camillo,italy
Like I want to stay on the ball on my job,with bbc i found a very good english teacher, i know i've to keep my eye on the ball to improuve the english language

Angel, Spain
Children´s upbringing is a whole new ball game for parents. My daughter Ines allways seems to be on the ball; however,my son Diego doesn´t and I need to keep my eye on the ball. I believe this is the most difficult task in my life. Thanks a lot.

Mohamed Elmetwally, Egypt
Once upon I was assigned to explain engineering drawing to some student, so I ask him to keep your eye on the ball, and that's was a whole new ball game for me, but the student was on the ball

Samuel, Taiwan
I used to play soccer, my parents wanted me to play tennis, but that's a whole new ball game. Luckily, I'm on the ball, and I'm in the tennis club now, but I still need to keep an eye on the ball or else it might hit me in the face.

Yuri, Philippines
A whole new ballgame happened when our company laid off some workers and hired more effecient and effective ones. We had to keep our eye's on the ball. We might be the next batch to be laid off.

Nita, Germany
Some weeks ago I was going to walk in Saxon Switzerland, but I ended up in climbing. I was scared. It was a whole new ball game.Now I am trying to find a new job. Therefore I keep my eye on the ball and read a lot of job offers.With your funny English lessons it is easy to be on the ball referring to learn English idioms.

Diego, Venezuela
Yes, indeed my own personality guides me in order to keep my eyes on the ball about my professional development. Two years ago I was doing a presentation about a topic totally different my boss asked me, so I was in a whole new ballgame.

Aleksandra, Poland
Wow, The Teacher is back! :)My workmates say, I am on the ball if it comes to learning new things. I wish it was true, I am still learning English and still make mistakes. I know I should keep my eye on the ball if I really want to improve my English. Now I focused on a new IT course instead. It is not a whole new ballgame for me, I know how to use the computer, just need some formal qualifications.

Raul, Spain
In this English class you must keep your eye on the ball to understand to the teacher. If you don't have any problem to understand him you are on the ball. Sometimes we are speaking about known something and the teacher says something completely different, it's a whole new ball game.

Alessio, Italy
Day by day, when I'm studying English, I always try to keep my eye on the ball. But sometimes I don't reach my daily target because every new English studying day is a whole new ball game for me! I hope one day I'll be on the ball with this language!

Vishwanath, India
In India, the popular game is cricket.Baseball is a whole new ball game for me. I have to always keep my eye on the ball and with constant practice i will be on the ball.

Bingfeng, China
I attended a course about how to profit from stock trading a few days ago. I kept my eye on the ball throughtout the whole class, and I thought I was on the ball and understood everything the trainer taught. However, it was a whole new ball game when I practised in the real stock market. When you put real money on it, your emotion started to take over the control of your actiion.

Pauline, France
When I went to Spain for the first time. I went alone and I was 16. It was a whole new ballgame.To learn spanish I was on the ball.My brother is always keeping his eye on the ball when he is playing video games. It's imposible to talk with him

Bertrand, Belgium
This curse is a whole new ball game for me .I'ld like to go in UK for christmas so this curse 'll hell me to learn english as quick as possible, so i have to keep my eye on the ball to understand the lessons very well.I hope that i'm on the ball.

Ciro, Brazil
One have to keep the eye on the ball for being on the ball, but stay there for a long time its a whole new game.

Tin, Myanmar
My nephew is five years old now and very palyful boy. Keep our eye on the ball when he came back from school but he is on the ball. I want to be an accountant but Accounting is whole new ball game because I am a teacher now.

Gustavo Boechat
Hi Teacher and everybody,Whenever I have the opportunity to watch and listen this amazing programme I keep my eye on the ball. I really wanna understand each statement and learn more, week after week what is presented. Sometimes, I have to say some expressions are completely strange to me. By the way, it is a whole new ball game!In the other hand, some expressions I can get easily. In that case, I am on the ball!Warm regards,

Andrea, Italy
In order to understand your lessons I need to keep my eyes on the ball.And it's quite sure that tryng to write in japan idioms will be a whole new ball game. About English let me say that I'm on the ball.

Thai, Vietnam
Keep your eye on the ball when you are driving or you 'll break the traffic law.

Pham Linh, Vietnam
Studying at University is mostly different from studying in highs-school(at least in my country). For my little sister, it seems to be a whole new ball game. However, nothing can stop her because she is really on the ball and always keeps her eyes on the ball.

Thomas, France
Ah, I always keep my eye on the ball when it comes to your lessons, Teacher !For I am on the ball when learning and practising foreign languages !By the way, I was once forced to take the underground train in Paris so as to go to a New Year's Eve party. The Paris underground is a real labyrinth, it's so dark and packed with people ! That was a whole new ballgame for me.

Luwenxin,China
Once my teacher asked my friend to prepare a speech competition.But when he arrived at the hall,the teacher told him that it was a quiz.It was a whole new ball game.But he didn't feel nervous,because he was on the ball.He kept his eye on the ball and won the game.

Ashley
Watching English movie which is no subtitle is sometimes a whole new ball game to me. I need to keep my eye on the ball to understand the story.I will be on the ball in the future.

Binh, Vietnam
I'm a tutor, i have a little student named Nam, he is on the ball while studying. However, he never keeps his eye on the ball till we play a game he knows at school or he discovers before studying, and being in his game is really a whole new ballgame.

Janetzhuang,China
To make myself successful,I have to keep my eye on the ball

Cole Yau, Malaysia
In Malaysia, people are on the ball when we are talking in Malay. But it will be a whole new ball game when someone is using English for a certain speech. Everyone will have to keep their eye on the ball in order to understand the talk.

Sarah,China
Learning English on the Internet is a whole new ball game for me,but I am on the ball now.And if I keep my eye on the ball,I know I will conquer English.

Tran Phuong Linh, Vietnam
How to becoming the best student in a class? Maybe you are on the ball. But you also have to keep your eye on the ball because initially everything is a whole new ball game.

Ju, Egypt
I was supposed to work as a translator after I graduated of the Faculty of Languages. However, I joined the customer care department in a huge company. That was a whole new ball game for me. Nevertheless, I managed to learn how to properly do this job for I was remarkably on the ball.

Becky, TW
Nowadays, the circumstance is difficult so everyone is on the ball that it's important to work harder than before. At the same time, we all need to keep our eyes on the ball for every new assigned job because that may be a whole new ball game.

Algeria
learnig english for me is a whole new ball game! I have to keep ma eye on the ball to be on the ball. I hope so?

Tony,China
Swimming is a quite new ball game for me. I am not on the ball when I tried to swim.But I believe if I keep practising, I will be on the ball soon.

Ornella, France
I was watching the video (probably to become more intelligent and cultured) and suddenly, overwhelmed by despair, I thought it would be a whole new ball game to be taught by this kind of teacher in a real school.But, you must be thinking why???Well, because he's on the ball of course!

Ismail, Iraq
I am very intersting in learning exelent english language ,so I am put my eye on the ball .But its a whole new ball game because my work in diffrent fields .I am on the ball help me

Madeeha, Pakistan
I always gave suggestions to hira to keep her eye on the ball as GMAT is not not an easy exam to pass, rather its a whole new ball game for her but it seems shes pretty much on the ball.

Chi, Vietnam
I am very lazy and don't keep my eye on the ball, but my grade is pretty high because I am on the ball. I've never thought that I can sing until my friends called for me and went to karaoke together. I realized that was a whole new ballgame

Lastdaughter, China
Firstly,flamenco just like a whole new ball game to me.After practicing,the teacher said that im gifted and im on the ball.Now,i can't wait to dance flamenco to keep your eye on the ball.

Yu-shan Carol Lee, Taiwan
Let you keep an eye on the ball is a totally mistake.It's not easy to be on the ball within one min.It's a good choice to experience a whole new ballgame.

Mapi ,Peru
Learning English is sometimes a whole new ball game, because there are new topics to study, but i keep my eye on the ball en spite of the difficulty.

Jae-Woong Park, South Korea
I have learnt Clarinet a little from my Uni senior in Wind band. But I could not be the person on the ball, because that was almost whole new game for me at that time.

Gladys Angles, Mexico
When I speak with my husband I have to turn off the tv because I need he has the eye on the ball.In a karaoke party I`m in a whole new ballgame, because I´m shy.When someone ask me to give a class at the church I`m on the ball

Cristiano, Brazil
The olimpic games in Rio de janeiro will be a whole new ball game to south america

Zuhal,Turkey
Hello,if we keep our eye on the ball in science books,lt won't be a whole new ball game to understand possibilities how the earth came into being.and l am not really on the ball

Fabrizio, Italy
Am I wrong if I consider the idiom "on the ball" to be used as well when you're watching a movie and you immagine how it'll be before it ends?

Raquel, Spain
You always are on the ball...but now you don't see what is going to happen, you must keep your eye on the ball if you want to be promoted, Peter is working hard to achieve the same promotion.

Deww, Thailand
I keep my eye on the ball to study this programme.

Crystal, Hong Kong
When I was small, my mum always said "Keep your eye on the ball!Don't switch on television when you are doing homwork!"However, it is a whole new ball game for my little sister. It's because she is a clever girl and do everything on the ball.

Helen, Georgia
In my country you are in a whole new ball game each time you are driving. I know, I must keep my eye on the ball while I'm among these crasy drivers who see no lines on the road, but it's realy hard to be always on the ball. So good bye and I hope I'll be alive to see your next lesson.

Helen, China
Five months ago,when I first went to Britain to study English,I found it was a whole new ball game.So I always kept my eye on the ball to keep up with my colleagues.Fortunately,I was on the ball to adjust mysel[ to it as soon as possible.I really enjoyed my staying there.

RenRihuiď, China
People engaged in oral interpretation have to always keep their eye on the ball. They listen, transform two languages in brain within seconds.In this sense, excellent interpretors are on the ball.Although I have been learning English for years,it will be a whole new ball game to me if i am asked to be a Chinese-English oral interpretor.

Shanky, India
keep eyes on tha ball means to concentrate on your goal.or we can say that to give attention. such as a marketing student keep their eyes on tha ball in order to become good student.i am student of science but when i took admission in mba that was whole new game for me.

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