What Does “move sth along” Mean?
“Move something along” means to make progress or help something continue moving forward, especially in a process or activity.
Introduction
The phrase “move sth along” is a common phrasal verb in English that means to encourage progress or speed up a task. Whether in work, conversations, or projects, people use it to describe the act of pushing something forward to avoid delays. Understanding the move sth along meaning can help learners communicate more naturally and clearly when discussing progress or urgency. It’s useful in both formal and informal settings, making it a versatile expression to add to your English vocabulary.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: move something along
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1 (intermediate)
- Short meaning: to make progress or help something progress
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Move something along” is a separable phrasal verb. This means the object can be placed between “move” and “along” or after “along.”
- move something along
- move along something
Examples:
- We need to move the project along quickly.
- We need to move along the project quickly.
Both forms are correct, but the first is more common.
How to Use “move sth along”?
You use “move sth along” when you want to express that you are helping a task, project, or conversation to progress faster or continue without delay. It can be used in professional settings, casual talks, or any situation involving progress.
It often appears when discussing work deadlines, meetings, or any process that needs to keep moving forward.
Examples
Here are some natural examples of how to use “move sth along in a sentence”:
- To move the meeting along, let’s stick to the agenda.
- She called the client to move the deal along.
- The manager asked the team to move the project along before the deadline.
- Can you move the paperwork along? We need to finish it today.
- We should move the conversation along to cover all the topics.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the position of the object or use the phrase incorrectly. Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: Move along the report quickly.
- Correct: Move the report along quickly.
- Incorrect: Please move along fast this task.
- Correct: Please move this task along fast.
Remember, the object (something) usually comes right after “move” or at the end of the phrase.
Differences / Synonyms
There are similar phrasal verbs like “speed up,” “push forward,” and “get something done,” but they have slight differences:
- Speed up: Focuses on increasing speed, not necessarily progress.
- Push forward: Emphasizes effort to continue despite difficulties.
- Get something done: Focuses on completing a task rather than progressing it.
“Move sth along” is more about encouraging steady progress rather than rushing or finishing immediately.
Common Collocations
We often use “move sth along” with common objects related to tasks or processes:
- move the project along – help a project progress
- move the meeting along – keep a meeting on schedule
- move the paperwork along – process documents faster
- move the discussion along – keep a conversation progressing
- move the deal along – encourage progress in negotiations
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of move sth along:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation showing “move sth along” in use:
Alice: The deadline is next week. How is the report coming?
Bob: We’re a bit behind, but I’m trying to move it along.
Alice: Great! Let me know if you need help to speed things up.
Practice
Try to complete the sentence with the correct phrase:
- We need to _______ the project _______ to meet the deadline.
- Can you help me _______ the paperwork _______?
- The manager asked us to _______ the meeting _______.
FAQs
- What does “move something along” mean? It means to help something progress or continue without delay.
- Is “move sth along” formal or informal? It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
- Can I say “move along the task”? It’s better to say “move the task along.”
- Is “move sth along” separable? Yes, you can separate the object from the phrasal verb.
- What are synonyms for “move sth along”? Speed up, push forward, or get something done.
