Meaning trap
hang on
persist despite difficulty
to continue or persevere in a difficult or challenging situation, often when it would be easier to give up.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to continue or persevere in a difficult or challenging situation, often when it would be easier to give up.
'hang on' also has the more basic meaning 'wait for a short time'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Despite the setbacks, she managed to hang on until the end of the project.resilience
- In difficult economic climates, small businesses often have to hang on through periods of uncertainty in order to survive.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: hang on (in/through something)
WrongHang on to the difficult times.
RightHang on through the difficult times. / Just hang on in there.
This 'persist' sense is 'hang on (in there)'. 'Hang on TO' means physically grip or keep something.
Patternhang on (in/through something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Hang on (in there)' is the natural, encouraging phrase for enduring. 'Persevere despite adversity' is a motto, not speech.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
hang on (in there)in therea bit longersomehowtill payday
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('wait for a short time'), this sense is figurative and refers to continuing through adversity, not simply pausing or waiting.
Related
- hang on (wait for a short time) — 'hang on' also has the more basic meaning 'wait for a short time'; this is the advanced sense.