English idiom · informal · spoken · BrE & AmE

keep your eye on the ball: meaning and examples

keep your eye on the ball means stay focused on the main goal.

Memory hook: Build a clear mental picture from “keep your eye on the ball” and connect it to this meaning: stay focused on the main goal.

How to use “keep your eye on the ball”

Common mistake: Treat “keep your eye on the ball” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

Learn it in context

This expression belongs to Lesson 25, where you can compare it with other idioms about master mix and practise it interactively.

Open the full lesson →

Related tools

Compare similar expressions