6 exercises — read sentences from real IT workplace situations and work out the meaning of common English expressions that non-native speakers often misunderstand.
Why these phrases matter
Native English speakers use these expressions constantly in Slack, emails, code reviews, and meetings.
Understanding them in context is essential — literal translation almost never works.
0 / 15 completed
1 / 15
A senior developer says in a standup:
"This PR has been in review for three days. I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but we're close to the release cut-off."
What does "step on anyone's toes" mean in this context?
"Step on someone's toes" — to offend someone or intrude on their responsibilities or work. Often used when you want to push forward without upsetting a colleague.
How it's used in IT contexts: • "I don't want to step on the DevOps team's toes by changing the pipeline config without asking." • "We need to raise this with procurement — but let's not step on the manager's toes, so CC her in the email."
Related expressions: • override someone — make a decision above someone's head • go over someone's head — escalate past your direct contact to their manager • overstep — act outside the boundaries of your role
Full sentence in plain English: "I don't want to be rude or pressure the reviewer, but we're running out of time before the release."
2 / 15
During a retrospective, a team member says:
"We keep reinventing the wheel every time we onboard a new engineer. There's no documentation, no runbook — everything lives in people's heads."
What does "reinventing the wheel" mean here?
"Reinvent the wheel" — to waste time and effort doing something that already exists or has already been solved. Implies unnecessary repetition of prior work.
IT context: This phrase is used when: • A team writes custom tooling instead of using a well-known library • A team rebuilds processes (like onboarding) every time without documentation • A team solves a solved problem from scratch without checking existing solutions
In the example: Every time a new engineer joins, the team has to explain everything from memory because there's no runbook or documentation — they keep "solving" the same problem.
Opposite phrases: • stand on the shoulders of giants — build on prior work • reuse existing solutions — use what's already been built • DRY principle — Don't Repeat Yourself (programming concept, but also used metaphorically)
How to use it: "Let's not reinvent the wheel — there's already a Terraform module for this. Let's fork it."
3 / 15
A product manager sends a message:
"The stakeholders are on the fence about the new pricing model. They want to see the numbers before committing."
What does "on the fence" mean?
"On the fence" — undecided; not yet committed to either side of a decision. The image is of someone sitting on a fence between two fields — not in either one.
IT business contexts: • "The client is on the fence about upgrading to the enterprise tier — the price jump is holding them back." • "We're still on the fence about which cloud provider to standardise on: AWS or GCP." • "Finance is on the fence — they want more data before approving the headcount."
Related expressions: • sit on the fence — deliberately avoid committing to a position • come off the fence — finally make a decision • hedge your bets — keep options open by not fully committing to one path • commit to a decision — formally choose and move forward
Plain English version: "Stakeholders haven't decided yet — they need data first."
4 / 15
A tech lead emails the team:
"I know everyone has a lot on their plate right now, but this critical bug needs to be patched before Friday's release window."
What does "a lot on their plate" mean?
"Have a lot on one's plate" — to have many tasks, responsibilities, or problems to deal with at the same time. Very common in workplace English.
IT usage: • "I know you have a lot on your plate this sprint, but can you review this PR by EOD?" • "The DevOps team already has a lot on their plate with the migration — let's not add more tickets." • "I put this on your plate — sorry for the last-minute ask."
Related time/workload expressions: • bandwidth — capacity to take on work: "I don't have the bandwidth for this right now." • at capacity — no room for more work • stretched thin — overloaded, doing too much at once • juggling too many things — managing multiple competing priorities • block off time — protect time in the calendar for focused work
Why this phrase matters: Used by managers acknowledging team load before making a request — it softens asks and shows awareness. Responding well: "I'll make room for it — can the deadline move to Monday?"
5 / 15
In a code review thread, a developer writes:
"This implementation is a bit over-engineered. Let's not boil the ocean here — we need an MVP for Thursday."
What does "boil the ocean" mean?
"Boil the ocean" — to attempt a task that is far too large, overambitious, or comprehensive when a simpler solution would work. The metaphor: boiling the entire ocean is impossible — don't try to solve everything at once.
IT contexts: • "We don't need to boil the ocean — just add basic auth for now and we can refine it later." • "The architecture proposal is boiling the ocean. Let's start with a vertical slice and iterate." • "The MVP doesn't need every feature — don't boil the ocean."
When it's said: • When a developer is over-engineering a solution • When a project scope keeps expanding (scope creep) • When planning takes longer than the actual work
Related phrases: • over-engineer — build something more complex than the problem needs • scope creep — unplanned expansion of project requirements • keep it simple / KISS principle — Keep It Simple, Stupid • MVP — Minimum Viable Product: smallest working solution that delivers value • good enough is good enough — don't perfect what only needs to work
6 / 15
A manager writes in a project update:
"We need to get everyone on the same page before the client call on Friday. There are still some open questions about scope."
What does "on the same page" mean?
"On the same page" — for everyone to share the same understanding, information, or expectations. It doesn't require agreement — just mutual understanding.
IT usage: • "Let's do a quick sync before the demo to make sure we're all on the same page." • "I want to make sure we're on the same page about performance expectations for this release." • "After the incident retro, the whole team is on the same page about the root cause."
Important distinction — "on the same page" vs. "in agreement": • On the same page = the same understanding of facts/situation • In agreement = everyone accepts or approves the same decision You can be on the same page and still disagree — but at least you're discussing the same thing.
Related expressions: • align / alignment — very common in IT: "Let's align on the architecture before we start coding." • sync up — have a quick meeting to share information • loop someone in — include someone in communication so they stay informed • bring up to speed — give someone missing context
7 / 15
Sarah, a senior engineer, commented in a code review: 'This function is too complex. Let's simplify it and reduce the number of operations.' What does 'reduce the number of operations' mean in this context?
'Reduce the number of operations' refers to optimizing the code's efficiency. It means simplifying the logic and minimizing unnecessary calculations or steps within the function, likely aiming for faster execution and reduced resource usage. It's a common practice in performance optimization.
8 / 15
"We're hitting a wall with this feature. It's like we're trying to force a square peg into a round hole." What does this expression mean in relation to software development?
This idiom signifies that the development team or process is encountering significant obstacles and limitations. The 'square peg' represents a requirement or approach that doesn't fit within the constraints of the existing system or available resources, creating resistance and difficulty in progress. It highlights a fundamental mismatch.
9 / 15
"The API is returning 429 Too Many Requests." What does this message indicate about the user's request?
A '429 Too Many Requests' HTTP status code signals that the server has temporarily refused the request because the client sent too many requests in a given amount of time. This is often due to rate limiting mechanisms designed to prevent abuse or overload. It's a common response when an API limit is exceeded.
10 / 15
"We need to refactor this legacy code. It's a tangled mess!" What does 'refactor' mean in this context?
'Refactor' refers to improving the internal structure of existing code without altering its external behavior. It's about cleaning up poorly written code, simplifying logic, and enhancing readability – making it easier to maintain and extend in the future. The core functionality remains untouched.
11 / 15
Alex (a junior developer) posted this comment on a code review: 'I'm not sure about this approach. It's adding a lot of unnecessary complexity to the function. Let's keep it simple and focus on the core functionality.' What does 'unnecessary complexity' mean in this context?
'Unnecessary complexity' refers to adding features or functionality that aren't essential to the core purpose of the code. The common misconception is thinking it always means more lines of code, but it's about extraneous features that add difficulty without providing benefit. Alex is advocating for a focused approach – reducing complexity improves readability and maintainability.
12 / 15
Ben (a team lead) writes in a Slack message: 'Okay, after reviewing the latest build, it looks like we're hitting a 500 error rate. The API is consistently returning 'Too Many Requests'. We need to investigate this urgently.' What does 'Too Many Requests' indicate about the issue?
The HTTP status code '429 Too Many Requests' signifies that the server received the request but was unable to process it due to exceeding rate limits. This typically happens when a client makes too many requests in a short period, overwhelming the API's capacity. It doesn't necessarily indicate a problem with the code itself or the database connection.
13 / 15
Chloe (a product manager) sends this message to the team: 'The stakeholders are requesting an immediate fix for the performance issue. They want a solution before the end of the day – no excuses!' What does 'no excuses' mean in this scenario?
'No excuses' is a directive emphasizing urgency and accountability. In this context, Chloe expects the team to immediately address the performance issue without rationalizing any potential delays or shortcomings. It's a strong statement conveying the importance of swift action.
14 / 15
David (a senior developer) writes in a PR description: 'This refactor simplifies the data processing logic significantly. We've removed several redundant checks and streamlined the flow. Let's aim for improved efficiency.' What does 'streamlined the flow' mean?
'Streamlined the flow' refers to making a process or workflow simpler and more efficient. In this context, it means reducing the number of steps or operations involved in data processing, leading to faster execution and improved performance. The goal is to remove redundancies and optimize the overall logic.
15 / 15
Emily (a developer) writes in a code review: 'This component is pulling data from multiple sources. It's leading to inconsistencies and making it difficult to maintain. We need to consolidate the data into a single source.' What does 'consolidate the data' mean?
'Consolidate the data' means to combine information from multiple sources into a single, unified source. This approach addresses inconsistencies by ensuring all data originates from one location, simplifying maintenance and improving reliability. It's about creating a single point of truth for the data.
What does the "IT Phrases in Context" vocabulary exercise cover?
This exercise tests real IT vocabulary related to it phrases in context through 15 multiple-choice questions, each built from realistic workplace sentences rather than abstract definitions.
Is this vocabulary exercise free to use?
Yes. Every exercise on CoderSlingo, including this one, is completely free — no account, sign-up, or payment required.
How many questions does this exercise have?
This exercise has 15 questions. Each one shows a real-world sentence or scenario with multiple-choice options and an explanation once you answer.
What happens after I answer a question?
You'll see immediate feedback showing whether your answer was correct, along with a short explanation of why — then a button to move to the next question, and a full results screen at the end.
Can I retry the exercise if I get questions wrong?
Yes. Once you reach the results screen, click "Try again" to reset your answers and go through the exercise from the start as many times as you like.
Do I need to create an account to take this exercise?
No account is needed. Your answers are scored in your browser during the session — nothing is saved to a server, so you can jump straight in.
Is my progress saved if I leave the page?
No — progress within an exercise resets if you navigate away or reload. Each exercise is short enough to complete in a few minutes in one sitting.
Are these vocabulary exercises connected to other topics?
Yes — browse the full vocabulary exercises hub to find related modules covering adjacent IT topics and roles.
How is this different from reading a glossary or blog article?
Exercises like this one are active recall drills — you have to choose the correct term or phrasing yourself, which builds retention faster than passively reading a definition.
Where can I find more vocabulary exercises?
Browse the full Vocabulary exercises hub for hundreds of modules covering Agile, DevOps, security, databases, architecture, and more — organised by IT role and skill.