What Is English in Pool? Side Spin, Squirt, Swerve and Throw Explained
The short version: english is side spin, from hitting the cue ball left or right of center. Its job is to change where the cue ball goes after it hits a rail. With right english it also does three things to the shot:
① Squirt: the cue ball starts off slightly to the left of where you aimed. ② Swerve: on the way it curves back to the right. ③ Throw: at contact it drags the object ball to the left.
How much of each you get depends on distance, speed and how much the butt is raised. That is why there is no single aiming adjustment for english, and why beginners should use it sparingly.
Why is it called "english"?
The word is American, and there is no firm record of where it came from. The usual explanation is that side spin was associated with English players in the 19th century. In Britain the same thing is simply called side. Hitting above or below center is not english: that is follow (top) and draw (screw), which the trainer's follow and draw drills cover.
The kinds of english: a quick chart
| Name | What it means | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Left / right english | Hit left or right of center, seen from behind the cue ball | The basic description |
| Inside english | On a cut, side on the half of the cue ball nearer the cut direction | Specific position routes; adds throw |
| Outside english | On a cut, side on the other half | Cancels cut throw; common on thin cuts |
| Running english | Spins the cue ball the way it travels along the rail | Wider rebound, more speed off the rail |
| Reverse english | The opposite of running | Narrower rebound, kills speed |
| Maximum english | As far from center as you can go without miscuing | About half the ball's radius for most players |
Three effects, three directions
"Left" and "right" here are relative to the cue ball's direction of travel: stand behind the cue ball, and your left hand is left.
1. Squirt: the cue ball is pushed away from the side you hit
When the tip hits the right side of the cue ball, the force doesn't go exactly through the center, so the cue ball leaves at a small angle to the left of the aim line. This is squirt, also called cue ball deflection.
- Size: typically between about half a degree and a little over two degrees, depending on the shaft and how much english you use. Over 2 m, 1.5° is about 5 cm, nearly the width of a 2¼ in ball, enough to miss a medium-length shot.
- What changes it: more english means more squirt. A lighter shaft end squirts less, which is what "low-deflection" shafts are built for. Squirt depends very little on speed, which matters for the back hand english method below.
2. Swerve: the cue ball curves towards the side you hit
A cue ball spinning to the right gradually curves to the right as the spin grips the cloth. This is swerve, and it works against squirt.
- The higher the butt, the more swerve. With a level cue it is small; raise the butt a lot and you have a massé.
- The slower the shot and the longer the distance, the more swerve. It needs time to develop, so a firm short shot barely curves.
- Cloth condition and humidity matter too, which is why english feels different on a strange table.
3. Throw: the object ball is dragged away from the side you hit
At contact, friction between the spinning cue ball and the object ball drags the object ball slightly to the left with right english. This is english-induced throw.
- Slow shots throw the most; at speed the contact is shorter and throw is smaller.
- It can reach a few degrees and depends on the balls: dirty or chalky balls grip more and throw more.
- Cut shots throw even without english, pushing the object ball slightly in the cue ball's direction, which is why thin cuts are so often undercut (see the cut angle chart).
How to aim with english
Put the three together. With right english, squirt sends the cue ball left, swerve brings it back right, and throw moves the object ball left. The net result depends on distance, speed and cue elevation:
| Shot | What dominates | With right english, adjust |
|---|---|---|
| Short, medium-firm or firmer, level cue | Squirt | Aim the cue a little to the right |
| Long and slow | Swerve cancels much of the squirt | Little or no adjustment |
| Slow, soft roll into the object ball | Throw grows | Allow for the object ball being pushed left |
This also explains why advice online seems to contradict itself. "Aim right for right english" and "aim left for right english" can both be true for the people giving them, because they play different distances and speeds, so a different effect dominates. Rather than memorize a rule, understand the three effects and test them at the speeds you actually play.
Back hand english: let the pivot cancel squirt
There is a way to cancel squirt, the hardest effect to judge, called back hand english:
- Line up the shot as if you were using no english, with the cue pointing at the center of the cue ball.
- Keep the bridge still and move only the grip hand (to the left, for right english), so the cue pivots around the bridge and the tip lands on the right of the cue ball.
- Shoot without any further adjustment.
The pivot angles the cue slightly to the right, which cancels the cue ball's squirt to the left. It is exact only when the bridge-to-tip distance equals the shaft's natural pivot length, often somewhere around 12 in (30 cm) for a standard shaft and longer for low-deflection shafts. To find yours, shoot a long straight shot with back hand english at medium speed. If the cue ball drifts left (for right english), the correction is not enough: move the bridge forward, closer to the cue ball. If it drifts right, move the bridge back. Where it runs straight is your pivot length.
Back hand english only fixes squirt. Swerve and throw are still there, so it works best on short-to-medium, firm shots with a level cue, which is exactly when those two are small.
Inside vs outside english on cut shots
On a cut to the left, the contact point is on the left front of the cue ball: left english is inside, right english is outside.
- Outside english spins the cue ball in the direction that cancels the cut's natural throw. Used in the right amount, the object ball barely gets dragged, so the same cut becomes more predictable.
- Inside english adds to the throw, so the object ball is pushed further off line, especially on slow shots. Use it when position demands it, not by default.
Running vs reverse english off a rail
English does its real work at the rail. Running english spins the cue ball the way it is travelling along the rail: it comes off at a wider angle and with more speed. Reverse english does the opposite: a narrower angle and less speed. Choosing between them is about where you want the cue ball to finish, which is why english is worth practicing once your follow and draw are reliable. The same corrections apply to kicks; see kick shots.
When to use english
- Don't, if you don't have to. If follow, draw, stun and speed can get you there, leave english out. Every extra variable costs pocketing percentage.
- When you must, choose the easy conditions: short distance, medium-firm speed, a level cue. Then squirt is the only big effect, and back hand english handles it.
- Long, slow shots with english are the hardest in the game. All three effects are significant and pull in different directions.
If you are still building fundamentals, put english after follow and draw in your practice; pool drills for beginners has an order with pass marks. Snooker players face the same physics on a longer table with smaller balls, which is why they use side even more carefully (snooker side spin).
Master follow and draw first
The AimGeometry trainer in your browser models follow, stun and draw: it draws the cue ball's curved path after contact and tells you after every shot how many degrees you were off. It does not model english yet, which fits the practice order above. The english lesson explains squirt, swerve and throw with diagrams.
Practice follow and draw →Or read the english physics lesson.
FAQ
What is english in pool?
Side spin, from hitting the cue ball left or right of center. It mostly changes the rebound off a rail, and it changes the aim through squirt, swerve and throw.
Why is it called english?
Nobody knows for sure. The common explanation links side spin with 19th-century English players; in Britain it is just called side.
What is inside english?
On a cut, side on the half of the cue ball nearer the cut direction. It adds throw. Outside english is the other half and cancels throw.
What is running english?
Side that spins the cue ball the way it is travelling along the rail: a wider rebound and more speed. Reverse english gives a narrower rebound and less speed.
Why do I miss when I use english?
Because squirt sends the cue ball off your aim line before it has gone an inch. Try back hand english on short, firm shots, and use plain ball whenever position allows.
Should beginners use english?
As little as possible. Learn follow, draw and speed first, then add english for rail angles they cannot give you.
Related reading: Pool Cut Angle Chart · Kick Shots in Pool · The 30° Rule · How to Aim in Pool · Snooker Side Spin
The size of squirt and the natural pivot length vary with the cue; figures are typical ranges, following Dr. Dave Alciatore's measurements (Colorado State University). The diagram is schematic. This article contains no sponsored or affiliate links.