LearningEnglishConversations-20261020-TheEnglishWeSpeakLeaveToOnesOwnDevices

This BBC Learning English episode explains the idiom "leave to one's own devices." Hosts Feifei and Phil clarify that despite its name, it has nothing to do with gadgets. Instead, it means being left alone to manage tasks independently. The phrase carries two nuances: positive, implying trust in someone’s ability (like letting kids cook), or negative, suggesting abandonment without help (like a boss giving unclear instructions). Examples include delayed flights leaving passengers unsupported or enjoying working from home. They also note "fend for oneself" as a similar expression. Listening, reading, speaking, writing. It takes a lot to learn a language. Find programmes to boost each language skill on our website. Whether it's learning about academic writing, practising reading with exam-style questions, or beating speaking anxiety. Search programmes by skill on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, where we explain phrases and expressions used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them too. I'm Feifei. And I'm Phil. Your lunch looks interesting today. Yeah, my kids made it for me. It's leftovers from yesterday's dinner. They cooked it on their own? Yes, they really wanted to make something. We just left them to their own devices and they looked up a recipe, bought the ingredients and made it, all on their own. You used the expression leave to their own devices. I think we should have a look at that. It's a really interesting one, but it's got nothing to do with devices, has it? Well, certainly not in the way that we use that word today. If you're left to your own devices, it means that you're left on your own. Sometimes we use it to say that we trust people enough to do things on their own. We also sometimes use it to talk about being left without any help. So, you were able to leave your kids to their own devices because you trusted them. Another example is if your boss gives you a massive piece of work and doesn't explain anything about it, you might be unhappy that you've been left to your own devices. Let's hear some more people using the expression leave to one's own devices. The flight from Seoul was delayed for about two hours. We didn't have any information. They just left us to our own devices. I've got a few things to do before everyone else arrives, so can I just leave you to your own devices for a bit? Oh, I really love being left to my own devices, which is why I enjoy working from home so much. We've been learning the expression leave to one's own devices to talk about being left to do something on your own. We said that one meaning was to be left on your own without any help, and another expression that has that meaning is to be left to fend for oneself. Well, this is the end of the programme, but we're not just going to leave you to your own devices. We'll be back next time to help you learn more English phrases and expressions. See you then. Bye bye.