Stop Wasting Time: How to Cut to the Chase 🕒

Intermediate Level | June 29, 2025

혼자서 기사를 소리 내어 읽거나 튜터를 따라 각 단락을 반복해서 읽으세요. 레벨...

Why You Should Cut to the Chase in English

Have you ever sat through a long meeting or read a long email and thought, “Just get to the point”? In English, we have a phrase for that: cut to the chase. It means to skip the small talk and go straight to the important part.

In today’s busy world, knowing how to be clear and direct is a valuable skill—especially in English. That’s why learning to cut to the chase is one of the most important habits for busy professionals. When you cut to the chase, you save time, show confidence, and help others focus.

What Does “Cut to the Chase” Mean? (And How to Use It Like a Pro)

This expression originally came from early movies, where directors wanted to skip long scenes and get straight to the exciting part—the chase scene. Now, we use it in conversation to say, “Let’s skip the extra stuff and go right to the main point.”

For example:

Instead of saying, “I was wondering if maybe you could help me,” you can cut to the chase and say, “Can you help me with this?”
Instead of starting a meeting with five minutes of small talk, you can say, “Let’s get started. Here’s what we need to decide.”

Why It’s Important for English Learners

As an English learner, you might feel pressure to say everything perfectly. You may try to sound polite by adding extra words, but too many words can actually confuse your message. Native speakers often appreciate clear, direct language—especially in professional settings.

Cutting to the chase shows that you:

Respect people’s time
Know what you want to say
Feel confident expressing your ideas

When to Be Direct (and When Not To)

Being direct is good—but be careful! It’s important to still sound polite and friendly. Use a warm tone and polite words like “please” and “thank you.”

For example:

Direct but rude: “Give me the file.”
Direct and polite: “Could you please send me the file?”

You can cut to the chase and be respectful. It’s all about your tone and your choice of words.

Quick Phrases to Help You Cut to the Chase

Here are some useful phrases you can use to speak more directly:

“Let’s get to the point.”
“The main thing is…”
“Here’s what I suggest.”
“What we need to decide is…”
“To be clear, I’m saying…”

Try practicing these in your own workplace conversations.

Vocabulary List

Cut to the chase (idiom) — Skip the small talk and go straight to the important part.
Example: Let’s cut to the chase and talk about next steps.
Valuable (adjective) — Useful or important.
Example: Time is a valuable resource.
Polite (adjective) — Showing respect and good manners.
Example: It’s polite to say “please” and “thank you.”
Tone (noun) — The way your voice sounds when you speak.
Example: His tone sounded angry.
Confuse (verb) — To make someone unsure or unclear.
Example: Too many words can confuse the listener.
Expression (noun) — A group of words used in a particular way.
Example: “Cut to the chase” is an expression used to speak directly.
Direct (adjective) — Clear and straight to the point.
Example: I like her direct style of communication.
Respect (verb) — To show care or regard for others.
Example: He respects his team’s time.
Professional (adjective) — Related to work or business behavior.
Example: She always speaks in a professional way.
Main point (noun phrase) — The most important idea.
Example: Let’s focus on the main point of this discussion.

5 Questions About the Article

What does “cut to the chase” mean?
Why is it helpful to speak directly in professional settings?
What is the danger of using too many words?
What’s the difference between being direct and being rude?
What are two phrases that help you cut to the chase?

5 Open-Ended Discussion Questions

Do you like it when people “cut to the chase”? Why or why not?
In your job, when is it good to be direct?
When should you be more polite and indirect?
What are some situations where cutting to the chase saved time?
How can you practice speaking clearly and directly in English?

📢 Want more tips like this? 👉 Sign up for the All About English Mastery Newsletter!

Follow our YouTube Channel @All_About_English for more great insights and tips.