backlog: meaning and explanation
A backlog is a word we use to describe any work, jobs, or chores that we need to work through or complete.
This word communicates the idea that this work has built up or accumulated, maybe because we cannot work quickly enough to keep up with the new work, or maybe because we were away or busy and unable to complete the tasks.
You can specify what kind of work has built up by saying ‘an email backlog’ or ‘a backlog of emails’.
When we talk about doing the work, it is common to talk about working through a backlog or clearing a backlog. e.g. After 6 hours, I had finally worked through my backlog of work and could focus on that afternoon’s meeting.
Have a go at these micro-dictation exercises to hear this expression being used in context – how much can you understand?
Listening exercises
Micro-listening #1
Accent: North America
About the sentence
…I spent my first day back at work trying to clear…
Notice the two useful verb patterns to spend time doing something and to try to do something.
Micro-listening #2
Accent: Ireland
About the sentence
…The website was down over the weekend…
If a website is down, then it is not working. e.g. Everyone is panicking because Facebook is down again.
Micro-listening #3
Accent: England (RP)
About the sentence
…turned out to be extremely popular…
The phrasal verb to turn out can be used to describe an unexpected result. e.g. I thought the film would be awful, but it turned out to be really enjoyable.
You can learn more about this phrasal verb here.
Extra practice
Here are some questions/links to help you learn the new vocabulary:
- Can you think of a time when you had to clear a massive backlog? What caused it?
- The origin of this idiom makes it easier to understand the meaning. Can you find out where the word ‘backlog’ comes from?
Photo by Pär Pärsson on Unsplash
