“He's going to hang back for a few weeks to tie up a few loose ends.”
You and your husband are moving across the country. You're going to move first, and your husband is going to come a few weeks later. You're explaining your plan to a friend on the phone:
He's going to hang back for a few weeks to tie up a few loose ends.
(someone) is going to (do something)
"___ is going to ___" is a basic way of talking about future plans.
English learners often over-use "will" when "going to" would be more appropriate. In general, when you want to talk about something that you've already decided to do, use "going to". If you've just decided something and want to announce your decision, use "will":
Next up is Steve. He's going to walk us through the new home page redesign.
Starbucks announced that they're going to offer free Internet access at all their locations.
hang back
To "hang back" means to not go somewhere or not participate. For example:
A: We're going out tonight. Do you want to come?
B: No, I'm not feeling well. I think I'll hang back this time.
"Hang back" is a casual expression. It's not really slang, but it's not extremely common either.
a few (something)
"A few" is a number that's not specific, but it usually means somewhere between 3-10. It's a little less formal than "several" and also sounds like a slightly lower number:
You may want to consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions.
tie up (some / a few) loose ends
"Loose ends" are things that haven't been finished or taken care of yet. For example, when you're moving, some loose ends might include:
selling your car
cancelling your bills
cleaning out your old house
returning things that you borrowed from your friends and neighbors
To "tie up" loose ends means to finish or take care of them.
It might help to imagine each responsibility as a string that's hanging loose. When you finish a responsibility, it's like tying up the string.
future, idioms, moving, phrasal verb
Reader Comments