Today, we're gonna learn a great expression and the different variations of it so we can avoid mistakes using this expression.

And today, we're learning this expression, get a jump on.

You can also say, get the jump on.

So you can use the article "a" or the article "the." And they mean the same thing.

The expressions "get a jump on" and "get the jump on" mean to take advantage by acting fast, by doing it quickly, by being the first one.

You can get a jump on somebody or you can get a jump on something, and you can say, get a jump on or get the jump on.

Let's hear some examples.

They get a jump on them for change.

Well, if we want to get a jump on them, we'd better get going to Kenya.

What? - The other pieces...

You're lucky to get a jump on them, actually.

I just want to get a jump on traffic.

You gotta jump on it with the trip over to Danver's in the morning.

Yeah. Well, why did you get a jump on it and pretend like I'm not?

Way up. We need to get the jump on him.

If I move first, I can get the jump on him.

It must just be local lawyers and accountants who saw the news and want to get a jump on it.

I would like to get a jump on John Glenn's trajectory.

I'll get the jump on you.

You get the jump on winter.

I can get the jump on everybody.

Example of something: traffic.

They better leave early if they want to get a jump on traffic.

It means they better leave early, they should leave early to get the advantage by being there first.

So there's less traffic.

So they better leave early if they want to get a jump on traffic.

All right.

And you should, they should leave early.

If they wanna get a jump on traffic. Let's practice.

Should they leave early if they wanna get a jump on traffic?

That's right.

They should leave early if they want to get a jump on traffic.

Example, the company released their new software earlier, earlier than planned, earlier than expected.

Why? To get a jump on the competition, to get a jump on the competitors, to do it first and get the advantage.

So the company released their software early to get the jump on the competition.

Let's practice.

Why did the company release their software early?

That's right.

The company released their software early to get the jump on the competition.

And sometimes we use the verb have.

Example, they have the jump on us. That means they're ahead of us.

If we're competing for something, they are in the lead, they have to jump on us.

Let's hear an example of the expression "have the jump on."

He does have the jump on us.

He said he does have the jump on us.

It means he's ahead of us in a competition or whatever we're competing for.

He's ahead and we're behind.

He does have the jump on us.

And when you use the verb have, you have to use article "the," have the jump on.

We don't have the option of saying "have a jump on."

It's only with the article "the." He does have the jump on us.

I cannot say have a jump.

Why not?

Well, in America, we don't say have a jump.

We only say have the jump, have the jump on somebody, have the jump on something.

We never say have a jump.

But in England, in the UK, in Britain, have a jump means to have sex.

So don't say that.

What?

Well, you know? - What she means is that we're gonna have a jump.

Does that mean I can't have a jump then? - Looks that way.

He imagined to have a jump of that on.

Only use the article "the." Have the jump.

He does have the jump on us.

But more commonly, the expression is used with "get," and you can use either article, "get the jump on" or "get a jump on."

It means to have the advantage because you acted first, because you did it early.

Thank you for watching.

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