Learn English Expressions: JUST IN CASE

What does "in case" mean? When do we use it? In this video, you will learn about this commonly used expression. This lesson is part vocabulary and part grammar. After watching, you will be able to use "in case" properly in a sentence, which will be very useful for expressing a request, a condition, a particular event, and more. Take my quiz at the end of the video to practice using "in case". You can watch the video more than once in case you forget something.

TAKE THE QUIZ ON THIS LESSON HERE:

WATCH ANOTHER VIDEO NOW:
1. How to use ABOUT TO:

2. WHILE or MEANWHILE?

TRANSCRIPT

Hello. My name is Emma and in today's video I am going to teach you about a very important piece of vocabulary -- it's also very important when it comes to grammar -- and that is the expression: "Just in case" or we can also say: "in case". So, we use this a lot in English, so it's very... It's something very important for you to learn. So let's talk about what it means and how we use it.

So, we use: "in case" or "just in case"-we use both-when we are talking about doing something to prevent a problem. Okay? So we're talking about... Or doing something to prepare for a problem. So, we're looking at a problem and we're looking at preparation or prevention of that problem. Okay? So, for example: "Tonight, I am going to a restaurant." I'm very excited. Now, the problem is I get cold very easily, and when I'm cold I'm not a very nice person; I get very cranky, and I'm not a good person to be with when I'm cold. So my problem is I get cold easily. What is my prevention or preparation for this problem? Well: "I will bring a sweater just in case I get cold." Okay? And that way I will have a great time at the restaurant, hopefully. So my problem is being cold, and my preparation is I'm going to bring a sweater. So, as you can see, if you think about life, we have a lot of these types of problems and we do a lot of things to prepare for these types of problems.

So let's look at some other examples. Okay, a problem is when it rains... Okay? A lot of the times when it rains, you know, I don't like getting wet, so what do I do? Well, my preparation or prevention is I bring an umbrella, or maybe I'll bring a rain jacket. Okay? So: "I will bring an umbrella just in case it rains." Another problem is if you work at 9am, you know, a lot of the times there's a lot of cars; everybody's going to work at the same time, there's a lot of traffic. And if there's a lot of traffic maybe you'll be late for work. So what will you do for this problem? So, traffic is the problem or maybe going to work late is the problem, but what you can do to prevent or prepare for this problem is you can leave your house early. So: "I leave my house early every day just in case there's traffic."

Another example of a problem is maybe you're going to visit your friend, and your friend gives you their address. Now, if you don't write down their address, you're going to be lost. I don't know where they live. I need to go to my friends' house, I forget their address; I don't know where they live. So this is the problem. Especially if you're very forgetful like me or you always forget people's phone numbers or, you know, where people live, this is a big problem. So what do you do to prevent this problem? Well, you write down their address. Okay? On a piece of paper, your friend tells you their address, you write it down. Why do you write it down? "You write down their address just in case you forget it." Okay? You forget their address.

So I've just given you some examples of where we would use "just in case". There are a lot of examples for "just in case". I want you to think about your life. Is there something that happens every day to you, maybe you have some sort of problem or something you worry about? So think about that for a second. Is there something you worry about every day, and what do you do to prepare for that or to prevent a problem from happening? Okay? Maybe, you know, you're worried about failing your test, so you might create a study group just in case. Okay? Or maybe, you know, your teacher gives you homework. Maybe you will do the homework just in case they want to see it. So, you see what I'm saying? There's a lot of problems you might have, and a lot of preventions or preparations you do for those problems. So try to think of one in your own life. Okay, so now we are going to look at the grammar of "just in case" or "in case".

Okay, so we've already looked at what are problems, and how we prepare or prevent problems. Now let's look at some examples of: How do we create this sentence in a grammatical fashion? So, I have here the sentence: "I will bring an umbrella in case it rains." […]

[vikrantsharma]

Your accent is very clear and easy to understand. Keep up the good work.
Love you teacher.

[cybergal]

I like the way you teach Emma, simple and easy ..

[FreeSale]

Emma, you’re the perfect teacher! Thanks so much!

[SSmith-vvur]

Nice video-- it's great to explain all the little expressions that are used so often.

[mevlutakdag]

Brilliant. It is easy to get, thank you Emma. I used to think there is a problem with the sentence when i saw a sentence with in case because of the tenses. Now everything is ok. You are a good teacher.

[jonasalvesmarques]

Emma, I really enjoyed this class. Teaching is a special art, and only special people gets transmitting with excellence like you do it.

[indrasaputra]

I love how did you teach, I can understand every single word that you were explain to us clearly.

[anglophileenglover]

I am an English language teacher and I love your style and always looking forward to something special from you. Love you Dear Teacher

[wediblata]

I love your accent and teaching, very clear and too easy to understand.i appreciate you, thank you so much

[ushanthaamarasinghe]

To be totally honest with you i have been getting trouble with "in case" and yet now i feel cool just because you taught about "in case" so that we are able to get it easily. So all i have got to do now is make scentences about "just in case" just in case i forget it. Keep making teacher now and down the road you are the best teacher i have not yet to meet.

[nejlaradpour]

Thanks Emma. I, be had problem with using the expression “ just in case “. Specially with the tens of the verbs . You are the best . Thanks again💕😘

[MagnoRochaPlus]

the best and most charismatic teacher of all. We love you!

[manojjayawardena]

You are the best English Teacher on YouTube

[murtadamubarak]

I like the way you teach Emma, simple and easy

[pablosimon]

Te amo!!..te amoooo..!!😍😍😍..You are the best. Saludos Desde playa d Carmen, Quintana Roo México.

[josealbayero]

Hi Emma, thank you so much for teaching us english. I am learning so much from you.

[nelsonpierreperez]

You are the best teacher Emma. God bless you.

[aminahasani]

I love the way you speak and explain thing very clearly and understundably.

[m.js.a.b.]

Wow, you're a good teacher, thanks Emma for yours videos, God bless you.

[creativevideoinnovation]

I really want to appreciate your teaching styles because of you focus on very point to point