All Ears English Podcast – Episode 2471

"Out of Energy or Out of Power? What’s the Difference?"

Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Aubrey Carter
Date: September 2, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Lindsay and Aubrey tackle a common confusion among English learners: the difference between saying "out of energy" and "out of power." Using real-life examples and lively role play, they explain how these expressions are correctly used in American English, especially when talking about losing electricity at home or in the office. The discussion includes practical vocabulary, everyday idioms, and handy phrasal verbs, equipping listeners to handle power-related situations and connect naturally in conversations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Story Behind the Topic

• Inspired by a Student Error: The episode is sparked by a recent event in their "Open Conversation Club," where a student, after losing electricity, returned and said, "I ran out of energy," intending to mean the power went out.
  • Aubrey: "Of course, we do use energy a lot to mean electrical power. So you would think you could say that." (03:02)
  • Lindsay: "When we say I ran out of energy, you would think the student was saying physically." (03:16)
  • Aubrey: "Exactly right. That they had run out of energy. They're tired, they need a granola bar." (03:21)

2. When "Energy" Means Electricity—and When It Doesn't

• Contexts Where 'Energy' Refers to Electricity:
  • "The storm knocked out the energy supply to thousands of homes." (04:18)
  • "Solar panels can convert sunlight into electrical energy." (05:02)
  • "She turned off the lights to save energy." (06:02)
  • Usually appears as "energy supply," "electrical energy," or within the context of sustainable or renewable resources.
• BUT:
  You can't say, "I'm out of energy" to report a power outage. It specifically refers to personal tiredness or lack of stamina.

3. Idiomatic Use: "Out of Energy"

• Personal Only:
  "Out of energy" only means a person is exhausted, not that the electricity is gone.
  • Aubrey: "This means it's only used to mean that a person has run out of energy. They... don't have enough calories in their system, they're tired." (06:11)
  • Lindsay: "That's usually...when I hike...mid morning, halfway through the hike and all of a sudden I get kind of shaky...Then I'm good." (06:34-06:50)

4. Correct Ways to Say "The Power Went Out"

Aubrey and Lindsay provide several native expressions for power loss:

a) "The power died"

• Lindsay: "Our power died during the lightning storm. We had to use candles for three hours." (07:47)
• Note: "Died" also applies to devices (e.g., "My phone died").
• Aubrey: "If you say the power died, then you mean it cut off. It turned off." (07:52)

b) Phrasal Verbs: "Cut out," "Went out," "Shut off"

• Aubrey: "Did your power cut out last night? Ours was out from 8 to 10." (08:39)
• Lindsay: "Power cut off? Yeah, I guess cut off would be a little bit more like they cut off the power. Someone did it on purpose." (09:03)
• Aubrey: "'The power was cut off' would mean...the power company...cut power...If it's 'went out,' Our power just went out, I'll have to call you back." (09:10-09:55)
• Lindsay: "Or the power shut off. Hopefully it'll be back on soon." (10:47)

c) Using "Electricity" or "Lights"

• "The electricity cut out while we were on vacation." (12:24)
• "We don't just say power...We can also say the lights cut out or the electricity cut out." (11:55)

d) "Power outage"

• Lindsay: "The power company announced a scheduled power outage for tonight at midnight." (12:46)
• Aubrey: "There might be a scheduled power outage. But we can use this as well to describe something that happens unannounced." (12:56)

e) Bonus Vocabulary: "Flickered"

• "The power flickered a few times, but I didn't think it would go out completely." (16:24)
• Aubrey: "This means it's quickly going in and out...we say the power is flickering." (16:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On energy and snacks:
  • Aubrey: "That's what we mean when we say I ran out of energy...they need a granola bar." (03:21)
• Cultural Connection:
  • Aubrey: "I remember growing up we lost power once for like six hours and we lit candles and we were telling stories and I feel like everyone has a memory like that." (16:54)
  • Lindsay: "It's almost like a snowstorm, right?...you huddle together, make snowmen..." (17:15)
• ESL Learner Reality:
  • Aubrey: "If you drop off a call and it's because the power cut out, you need to know what to say...you can describe this and this will help you avoid this potential error of saying that you ran out of energy." (17:50)
• Lighthearted Banter:
  • Lindsay: "I love that it's granola bar every time. That's the go to." (18:15)
  • Aubrey: "Eat a granola bar if you're out of energy." (18:20)

Timestamps: Important Segments

• [01:44] Opening banter: personal stories of power outages
• [02:47] The story of the student error—“ran out of energy”
• [04:06] When "energy" is (and isn’t) used for electricity in English
• [06:11] Why “out of energy” only works for people, not power outages
• [07:38] Correct phrases for power loss ("the power died", "cut out", etc.)
• [11:55] Using “lights” and “electricity” in place of “power”
• [12:46] "Power outage" and its use for scheduled and unscheduled events
• [14:52] Role-play: conversation during a storm and a power loss
• [16:48] Bonus word: “flickered” to describe quick on-off power
• [16:54] Takeaways: Practical uses, connecting through shared experiences

Role-Play Segment (14:52–16:21)

A natural, illustrative dialogue shows useful vocabulary in context:

• Lindsay: "Oh, no. The lights just cut out."
• Aubrey: "Oh, the microwave shut off too. I think the power went out."
• Lindsay: "Let me check the fuse box... I guess there was a power outage in the area."
• Aubrey: "Hopefully it won't last long. The oven lost power too, and the lasagna's only halfway cooked!"
• Lindsay: "Oh, this storm's pretty bad. The power flickered a few times earlier, but I didn't think it would go out completely."
• Aubrey: "Let's just light some candles and hope they fix it soon."

Practical Takeaways

• "Out of energy" = feeling tired, not a loss of electricity.
• To say you lost electricity:
  • "My power died/cut out/went out/shut off."
  • "The lights/electricity cut out/shut off/went out."
  • "There was a power outage."
• "Cut out," "went out," and "shut off" are all natural; "cut off" implies intentional (e.g., by the power company).
• "Flickered" is a great word for power that repeatedly turns off/on quickly.
• Use these expressions to connect with others in daily life and professional scenarios.

Cultural/Practical Contexts

• Power outages are universal and can become moments to connect and share experiences.
• American cities sometimes have scheduled blackouts; familiarity with these phrases is particularly useful for international business and travel.

Connection, not perfection!
Learning how to express everyday problems (like power outages) helps English learners form genuine connections and participate naturally in casual and work-related conversations.