Speaker 1: Just in case you were wondering, this is another podcast
English lesson, And in case you like what I'm gonna
teach here, I'll give you some tips to help you
remember it. In any case, let's get going.
Speaker 2: Welcome to another Happy English podcast, coming to you from
New York City. And here's your English teacher, Michael.
Speaker 1: All right, thank you John, and thanks everyone. It's Michael
here from Happy English and I help people speak English better.
And this is Happy English Podcast Episode eight fifty. In
case you need this, Hello and welcome. Thanks for joining
me for another episode of the Happy English Podcast. I'm
your English teacher, Michael, and I'm really glad you're here
with me today. You know well, English is full of
these little expressions that seem simple but can really trip
you up if you don't fully understand how they work.
And today I want to help you out with a
handful of phrases that all use the words in and case.
In this lesson, we're going over expressions like in case
in case of just in case, in any case, in
that case, and whatever the case. These are super common
in daily English, and they each have their own little
twist when it comes to grammar and meaning. So let's
start with in case. This one basically means if something happens.
It's like preparing for a possibility. And here's the key.
After in case, we use a subject and a verb.
That's important, Like I always tell my students feel free
to email me in case you have any questions about
this lesson. See that in case is followed by you
have subject and verb. That's the usual pattern. Another one
I often use is I'll bring an umbrella in case
it rains. I'm not saying it's definitely gonna rain, but
maybe it will, so I'm preparing for that possibility. Same
idea here, I charged my phone last night in case
the power goes out today. I don't think it will,
but just to be safe, I charged it now. That
brings us to the next one, which is kind of related.
Just in case. Just in case is really the same
meaning as in case, but you know, putting just gives
it more emphasis. And just in case, well, it's something
we say all the time, like I brought a jacket
just in case it gets chilly tonight, or I left
early just in case there was traffic. It's that little
extra preparation that better safe than sorry, kind of vibe,
and you'll hear native speakers say this constantly. Sometimes we
can even say it without finishing the sentence, like are
you bringing your charger? Yeah, just in case, we don't
even have to say why. The meaning is totally clear
from the context. Of course. Next up is in case of.
This one's a little different because it's more formal and
commonly used in signs, instructions, or official language. And here's
the grammar point. In case of is followed by a noun,
not a sentence, no subject in verb. Here. For example,
you might see a sign in a hotel that says,
in case of fire, use the stairs, or in the subway,
in case of emergency, push the red button. Signs in
notices like this don't usually say in case it catches fire,
because again we're not using a full sentence after in
case of just a noun in case of fire, in
case of emergency, and so on. It it sounds a
little too formal for casual conversation. I wouldn't say in
case of rain, I'll bring an umbrella. That's grammatically correct,
but it sounds like something from a textbook. It's more
natural to say, I'll bring an umbrella in case it rains.
That's how we'd usually say it. The next one is
also pretty common in conversation. In that case, this one's
great when you're reacting to something new, when you hear
new information and now you're changing your decision or your plan.
Like let's say your friend says, hey, the restaurant is
fully booked, and you say, oh, in that case, let's
just order takeout. Or the museum is closed today. In
that case, let's go to the park instead. See what's happening.
In that case means because of what you just told me,
here's my new plan. It's a supernatural phrase for reacting
in conversations. Now here's a different twist. In any case,
this one means anyway or regardless of what happens. It's
a way to show that something will be true no
matter what. For example, let's say I'm trying to decide
whether to walk or take the train. It might rain later,
but it might not, but either way, I'm going. In
any case, I'm going to the concert, whether it rains
or not, Whether my friend cancels or not, I'm going.
In any case, I'm gonna go to the concert. It's
also used to move the conversation along, like I'm not
sure if Jack is coming or not. In any case,
we should get the meetings started. We use in any
case the way some people use anyhow or anyway. It
gives your sentence that nice. Let's move on feel now
before we wrap up, There's one more phrase I want
to teach you, and that's whatever the case. This one's
kind of like a cousin to in any case, and
we use it when we want to say that something
is true or will happen, no matter what the situation is.
For example, let's say you're not sure if it's gonna
rain or not. You might say, whatever the case, I'm
bringing an umbrella. Maybe it rains, maybe it doesn't, doesn't matter.
You're prepared either way. Or if you're not sure who's
coming to the party, but you've already decided you're gonna go,
you could say, whatever the case, I'm gonna go, so
see you they are. It has the same kind of
meaning as either way or no matter what. Like my
friend was going back and forth about what to wear
to the opera suit or no suit, and I told him, dude,
whatever the case, just wear something clean, simple, flexible, and supernatural.
Whatever the case is just one more way to show
that you've made up your mind, regardless of the situation.
All right, let's do a quick recap before we wrap up.
In case means if something happens. I brought a charger
in case my phone dies. Just in case has the
same meaning, but more emphasis. I brought snacks just in
case we get hungry in case of followed by a
noun is formal, often in signs in case of fire.
Use the stairs in any case means anyway, regardless in
any case. I'm going in that case is for reacting
to new info. Oh, the restaurant is closed. In that case,
will go somewhere else. Whatever the case means regardless of
the situation. I don't know who's coming to the party,
but whatever the case, I'm gonna go there. These are
small phrases, but they show up all the time in
natural English, and now you'll know exactly how to use
them in case someone asks, see what I did there?
Thanks as always for listening, and keep in mind the
best way to remember English like this and any other
word or phrase in English is to take that word
or phrase write it in a sentence that's true for
you or true in your world and then memorize your sentences.
And remember to check out my AI tutor. It's a
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