What happens in the video
Nadia practices a three-minute pitch, and Hana kindly says it's great, then admits she fell asleep twice. Later, Hana suggests a surprise demo. Nadia tells her the idea "totally flips the script," and Hana jokes that now she'll only fall asleep once. Watch the Short to hear all three film lines.
1 Flip the script.
Tone Casual and playful
Use it when someone does the opposite of what people expect, or when you suggest doing that. Keep it for friends and relaxed meetings. In a formal report it sounds too casual.
Flip the script, gangster.
For example:
A: Everyone starts their talk with a slide full of numbers.
B: So let's flip the script and start with a live demo.
A: I like that. Nobody will expect it.
2 This will turn things around for us.
Tone Hopeful and steady
Use it when things are going badly and you think a plan or event will make them better. Don't use it when things are already going well, because the phrase needs a bad situation first.
Hopefully, this will turn things around for us.
For example:
A: Sales have been slow for three months.
B: I know. But the new website goes live on Monday.
A: Good. This will turn things around for us.
3 Let's turn the tables on this guy.
Tone Bold and competitive
Use it when you are losing to a person or team and want to start winning. "This guy" is informal and a bit rough, so say "them" or a name if you want to be polite.
Let's turn the tables on this guy.
For example:
A: He beat us at every game last night.
B: Then let's turn the tables on this guy tonight.
4 This is a game changer.
Tone Excited but natural
Use it for a new tool, idea, or habit that changes how something works. People say it so often that it can sound like an ad, so save it for things that really make a big difference.
For example:
A: The app writes my meeting notes for me now.
B: Really? That's a game changer.
5 That changes everything.
Tone Serious and surprised
Use it when new information makes you see a whole situation differently. It works at work and at home. Don't use it for a small detail that changes very little.
For example:
A: The client can pay twice as much as we thought.
B: Wait, that changes everything.
6 Let's shake things up.
Tone Friendly and energetic
Use it when a routine feels boring and you want to try something new. It is relaxed and friendly. Avoid it when people need things to stay calm and stable.
For example:
A: Our Friday meetings feel the same every week.
B: Let's shake things up. We could meet outside this time.
7 We need to try a different approach.
Tone Calm and professional
Use it at work or in formal emails when the current plan isn't working. It is the safest choice for managers and clients because it has no slang.
For example:
A: The ads didn't bring any new customers.
B: Then we need to try a different approach.
8 Let's do something nobody expects.
Tone Playful and clear
Use it as a plain way to say "flip the script." Every word is easy to understand, so it works well with people who are still learning English.
For example:
A: Every team will give a normal presentation.
B: Let's do something nobody expects.
A: Like what?
B: Let's ask the audience to try it first.
9 Things are looking up.
Tone Warm and hopeful
Use it once a bad situation has started to get better. "This will turn things around" looks ahead to the change. "Things are looking up" says the change has already begun.
For example:
A: How's the new job going?
B: Hard at first, but things are looking up.
Common mistakes
-
Not quite
Let's turn the table on him.Better Let's turn the tables on him.
The phrase always uses the plural "tables." Use "on" before the person or group that was winning.
-
Not quite
This will turn around it for us.Better This will turn it around for us.
With a pronoun such as "it" or "things," put the pronoun between "turn" and "around." You can say "turn the business around" or "turn around the business," but never "turn around it."
-
Not quite
Your idea flips the scripts.Better Your idea flips the script.
The phrase is fixed, so "script" stays singular. Change only the verb form: flip, flips, flipped.
Quick quiz
Choose your answer for each question, then open the answer to check it.
-
Your team always opens with data, but today you open with a story. Which line fits best?
- Things are looking up.
- Flip the script.
- Let's turn the tables on this guy.
Show the answer (Question 1)
Answer: Flip the script. "Flip the script" means doing the opposite of what people expect.
-
A company has been losing money, and a new product launches tomorrow. What might the manager say?
- This will turn things around for us.
- Let's shake things up.
- That's a game changer.
Show the answer (Question 2)
Answer: This will turn things around for us. The line is about a bad situation that a plan is expected to improve.
-
What does "turn the tables on someone" mean?
- Move the furniture in a room
- Start winning against someone who was winning
- Ask someone for help
Show the answer (Question 3)
Answer: Start winning against someone who was winning The losing side starts winning, so the positions switch.
-
Which line is the safest choice in a formal email to a client?
- Let's turn the tables on this guy.
- Flip the script.
- We need to try a different approach.
Show the answer (Question 4)
Answer: We need to try a different approach. It is calm and professional and uses no slang.
-
Your situation has already started to improve. Which line describes that?
- Things are looking up.
- This will turn things around for us.
- Let's do something nobody expects.
Show the answer (Question 5)
Answer: Things are looking up. "Things are looking up" describes an improvement that has already begun, while "will turn things around" points to the future.
Questions learners ask
What does "flip the script" mean?
It means doing the opposite of what people expect, or changing a usual situation completely. In the Short, Nadia uses it to say that Hana's surprise demo idea changes the usual pitch. The phrase is casual, so use it with friends and coworkers you know well.
Is "game changer" formal or informal?
It's fairly neutral, and many people say it at work. But it is used so often that it can sound like marketing. If you need a plainer phrase, say "This makes a big difference."
What's the difference between "turn things around" and "turn the tables"?
"Turn things around" means a bad situation gets better, and no opponent is needed. "Turn the tables on someone" needs another person or team: you were losing to them, and now you start winning. Use the first one for problems and the second one for competitions.
Can I say "change the game" in English?
Yes. People say "This changes the game" about something that changes how things are done. But "game changer" and "That changes everything" are more common in everyday talk. Choose the line that matches your situation and how formal you need to be.
Film lines are short quotes used for language teaching. The dialogue belongs to its rightsholders. Hana and Nadia are animated characters made with Google Flow.
