Ret's Weekend English Roundup ✦ Week 46, 2026

View this lesson in your browser WEEK 46 • 2026 A five-minute English lesson for your weekend THIS WEEK'S EXPRESSION Be sleeping at the wheel idiomatic expression | /biː ˈsliːpɪŋ ət ðə wiːl/ MEANING Be sleeping at the wheel means to fail to pay attention to something you are responsible for, allowing problems to develop or opportunities to pass. En français : Manquer de vigilance ; ne pas être à la hauteur de ses responsabilités ; laisser passer les problèmes sans réagir. How is it used? The image is of a driver who is not watching the road. Figuratively, it criticises someone who should be alert and taking action. Be asleep at the wheel is the standard dictionary form; be sleeping at the wheel is also used. The expression can sound accusatory, so use it carefully at work. Useful pattern: [Person or organisation] + is/was/has been + sleeping at the wheel. Example: The management has been sleeping at the wheel. SEE IT IN CONTEXT 1 The company ignored repeated customer complaints. Its managers were sleeping at the wheel. 2 Our competitors have launched three new services while we have done nothing. We have been sleeping at the wheel. 3 Nobody checked the renewal date, and our website went offline. Someone was asleep at the wheel. QUICK CHECK A manager receives several warnings about a delivery problem but takes no action. A colleague says, “She was sleeping at the wheel.” What does the colleague mean? A. She was waiting for more detailed instructions. B. She was dealing with another urgent delivery. C. She was failing to address a problem she oversaw. D. She was asking someone else to review the warnings. Answer: C. She had responsibility for the situation but failed to respond to the warnings. YOUR TURN Complete the sentences, then give your own example: The team was sleeping at the wheel when ________. If we ignore ________, we could be accused of sleeping at the wheel. Describe a situation where someone was asleep at the wheel. Reply to this email with your own sentence. I read every reply. Hear the expression in real English → Listen to several speakers. Notice how at the is usually unstressed, while sleeping and wheel carry the main stress. EXPLORE FURTHER WordReference • Linguee • Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries • Reverso Context Enjoyed this lesson? Share it by email • Subscribe Unsubscribe • View online © November 2026 Rethabile Masilo • Ret's Word of the Day