Stay on top of

To “stay on top of” something means to be continuously aware of it and give it your regular attention.

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Stay on top of

Today’s expression is “stay on top of.” If your car is full of sensors, your car might be able to tell you when parts are about to break down or when you need service. This extra information will help consumers stay on top of maintenance, kind of like how airlines stay on top of maintaining their fleets of aircraft.

It’s important to stay on top of maintenance. If you don’t change the oil, rotate the tires, check the brakes, replace the belts, and replace the filters, then you could run into problems on the road. If you stay on top of all that maintenance, though, you probably won’t have many problems.

By now you might have guessed that to “stay on top of” your car’s maintenance is to be continuously aware of it and give it your regular attention. It doesn’t mean that you’re always only thinking about your car—although that may be the case for some of you! But it does mean that you don’t ignore maintenance and that when something is needed, you pay attention and do what’s necessary.

“Stay on top of” is something you can use in many parts of your life. We all know people whose financial lives are a mess: they don’t know how much they make, they don’t know how much they spend, they don’t seem to be making any progress in their financial lives. However, we also probably know people who stay on top of their finances. They track their spending, they have spending and savings goals, they are aware of their income and expenses and pay frequent attention to it.

Some of you, I know, stay on top of the financial markets. You track what’s going on with stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, and such. Again, it doesn’t mean this dominates your life. But you stay on top of the markets: you are generally aware of what’s going on, you’re looking for opportunities, you take action when it’s appropriate.

This is a good time to mention that we use “stay on top of” when there’s some action required. For example, I’m watching a college basketball tournament as I write this. I’m watching, but I’m not taking any action; I’m just enjoying the games. But the reporters on television are staying on top of all the games. They need to be constantly aware of what’s going on so they can report the news during halftime shows and during the games. They are staying on top of all the action: they’re monitoring it and taking notes so they can report on it later.

It’s almost April 15, a big day on the calendar in the US: that’s when our taxes are due. If you’re a tax accountant, here or elsewhere, you need to stay on top of changes to the tax code. If you’re going to help clients file their taxes each year, you need to know about all the new tax rules each year. So you stay on top of developments in the tax code.

We can use this for professionals in any industry. Fitness trainers will stay on top of the latest scientific research into physical fitness so they can give their clients the best possible advice. Web developers will stay on top of changes to major software platforms and tools at their disposal. A hotel general manager will stay on top of the latest health and safety rules as well as trends in the travel industry post-COVID. In each case, the professionals are monitoring what’s going on, staying informed, and taking action when necessary.

JR’s song of the week

Today’s song of the week is called “Blood” by the Australian indie folk band The Middle East. The song is mellow and sad, about loss and separation in a single family. “Blood” by the band The Middle East is the song of the week. Thanks, JR!

See you next time!

That’s all for today. I just remembered, as I was thinking of examples, that I don’t always stay on top of maintenance in my apartment. I’m supposed to change the filter on the furnace once a month. They say to do it on the first of every month, and I haven’t done it since January. It’s hard to stay on top of all these things! So I’m going to do that after I get done recording this lesson.

One great way to stay on top of your English is to practice with us in Plain English Plus+ . Below each video lesson and expression, our Plus members are practicing what they’re learning, writing their own examples and staying on top of all the expressions they’re learning. Our quizzes and exercises also help you stay on top of your English—you can work on pronunciation, listening, vocabulary, lots of stuff. Lots of different ways to stay on top of your English as a member of Plain English Plus+ . Curious about that? Come check us out at PlainEnglish.com/Plus . We’d love to have you as part of the membership.

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