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What does “at short notice” mean?
Meaning, example sentence and a quick practice question.
B2
With very little warning beforehand
“They asked me to come in at short notice.”
Say it smoothly: “at-short-no-tis”
From the B2 lesson Playing It by Ear (time and timing).
Quick check
What does “at short notice” mean?
Teaching this phrase?“at short notice” is part of a ready-to-teach lesson, with a reading, three exercises, speaking tasks and an answer key, in Everyday English Chunks B2 Pack 2 (Plans, Problems and Feelings).
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Related phrases
- play it by earto decide what to do as things happen, without a fixed plan
- call it a dayto stop doing something, usually for the day
- in the nick of timeat the very last possible moment
- a last-minute thingsomething arranged or decided very close to when it happens
- on timeat the correct, planned time; not late
- run lateto be behind schedule
- in advancebefore something happens, with planning
- at the last minutevery close to a deadline or event, often causing rush
- without any warningsuddenly, with no notice beforehand