Unit 2 Thinking and Learning

account for

explain the reason for something, be the cause of
She couldn’t account for the missing money

(give) an account of

a written or spoken description of an event
He gave a full account of what had happened that evening

take into account / take account of

consider something when making a decision
You must take into account her lack of experience

on account of

because of, owing to
They stayed indoors on account of the storm

(hang) in the balance

undecided, at risk, uncertain outcome
The future of the project hangs in the balance

strike a balance

find a compromise between two things
We need to strike a balance between work and leisure

upset/alter/redress the balance

change a situation to become unfair or more fair
The new law could upset the balance between employers and employees

basis for

the main reason or starting point for something
This evidence provides a basis for our conclusions

doubt as to / about

uncertainty or lack of belief concerning something
There is some doubt as to whether the plan will succeed

on the basis of / that

because of, using particular facts or ideas as a foundation
Decisions were made on the basis of available data

make a mental note (of/about)

remember something for the future without writing it down
I made a mental note of his phone number

mental arithmetic

doing calculations in your head without writing them down
She did the mental arithmetic quickly to check the total

have a one-track mind

think about only one thing, be obsessed with one idea
He has a one-track mind — all he can talk about is football

take your mind off

distract you from worrying or thinking about something
A walk in the park will help take your mind off the exam

in perspective

in correct relation to other things, seen in a balanced way
Put the problem in perspective, it’s not the end of the world

out of perspective

seen in a distorted or incorrect way
The report took isolated incidents out of perspective

a sense of perspective

ability to judge what is important and what is not
Travelling gave her a much-needed sense of perspective

beg the question

to assume the truth of what you are trying to prove or to raise a question
That argument just begs the question rather than proving it

raise the question (of)

cause someone to ask or think about something
This raises the question of how we will pay for it

a/no question of

whether something is possible or not permitted
There is no question of cancelling the trip

in question

being discussed or doubted
The facts in question are unclear

out of the question

impossible or not allowed
Going now is out of the question

without question/beyond question

certainly, without doubt
She is, without question, the best candidate

some question over / as to / about

some uncertainty about
There’s some question over the accuracy of the data

make sense (of)

be logical or understandable, understand
I can’t make sense of his behaviour

have the sense to

be sensible enough to do something
She had the sense to call a lawyer

in/one sense

from one point of view
In one sense, he was lucky to escape unharmed

set/put sb straight about

correct someone’s mistaken idea
Let me put you straight about what actually happened

set/get the record straight

correct a false statement so the truth is known
He wrote a letter to set the record straight

take a dim/poor view of

disapprove of something
The principal takes a poor view of students being late

come into view

become visible or apparent
The island came into view after an hour

in view of

considering something
In view of the weather, the event was postponed

with a view to

with the intention of achieving something
She moved to the city with a view to finding work

view on/about/that

opinion about something
What’s your view on the new policy?

conceive

form an idea or plan in the mind
He conceived the idea for the story while travelling

conceptualise

form into a concept
They conceptualised the project as a community hub

concept

general idea
The concept is simple

conception

the way something is thought about
Her conception of the problem was misleading

conceptual

relating to ideas
A conceptual framework was developed

(in)conceivable

able or not able to be imagined or believed
It’s conceivable that we could finish early

(in)conceivably

possibly or not possibly
Inconceivably, he survived the crash

conviction

a strong belief or the fact of being found guilty in law
She holds the conviction that everyone deserves a second chance

(in)decisively

in a way showing or not showing the ability to make decisions
The team acted decisively to avert the crisis

doubter

a person who is not sure something is true or will happen
There were many doubters at first, but the plan worked

judiciously

with good judgment
Spend the money judiciously

opinionated

certain about your beliefs and express them strongly
He’s too opinionated to admit he might be wrong

nonsensical

absurd, meaningless
His excuse was nonsensical

sensibly

in a sensible way
They acted sensibly in an emergency

thoughtless(ness)

acting without considering consequences, lack of consideration
His thoughtlessness upset her

de)sensitise

make less or more sensitive to something
Constant exposure can desensitise people to violence

reasonableness

the quality of being fair, practical, and sensible
They questioned the reasonableness of the demands

judiciary

the system of courts and judges
The judiciary must be independent

judiciousness

the quality of having or showing good judgment
Her judiciousness was admired

judicious

showing sound judgment
A judicious choice

judicial

relating to judges or courts
A judicial review was requested

(in)explicable

able or not able to be explained
His disappearance is inexplicable

inexplicably

in a way that is difficult to explain
Inexplicably, the lights went out

by sb’s side

next to someone, supporting
She stood by his side

on sb’s side

supporting someone
I’m on your side

on either side (of)

on both left and right of something
Trees stood on either side of the road

sense that

a feeling or awareness that something is true
I had a sense that she was unhappy

misapprehension

a false idea or misunderstanding
There is a common misapprehension that more money solves all problems

main/primary/major focus

the principal point or thing that is given most attention
The main focus of the meeting was budget cuts

pick sb’s brain(s)

ask someone questions to get information or advice
Can I pick your brain about the new software?

rack your brain(s)

try very hard to remember something
I racked my brains but couldn’t recall his name

brainwave

a sudden clever idea
I had a brainwave — let’s ask for an extension

foregone conclusion

a result that is certain to happen
Given their lead, the result seemed a foregone conclusion

give consideration to

think about carefully
We will give consideration to your proposal

show consideration for

be thoughtful or kind
Please show consideration for your neighbours

under consideration

being thought about
Your application is under consideration

for sb’s consideration

presented for someone’s judgement
Here is the report for your consideration

out of consideration for

because of thoughtfulness or respect for someone
Out of consideration for the sick child, they kept noise down

account (phr)

account for, (give) an account of, take into account, take account of, on account of, by all accounts, on sb's account

balance (phr)

(hang) in the balance, strike a balance, upset/alter/redress the balance, balance between/of, on balance, off balance

basis (phr)

basis for, on a daily/temporary/etc basis, on the basis of/that

belief (phr)

express belief(s), belief in that, contrary to popular belief, beyond belief, in the belief that, popular/widely held belief, rooted/firm/strong/growing belief

brain (phr)

pick sb's brain(s), rack your brain(s), the brains behind, brainless, brainchild (of), brainstorm, brainwash, brainwave

conclusion (phr)

bring sth to a conclusion, come to / arrive at / reach a conclusion, jump/leap to conclusions, in conclusion, conclusion of, logical conclusion, foregone conclusion

consideration (phr)

take into consideration, give consideration to, show consideration for, under consideration, for sb's consideration, out of consideration for

doubt (phr)

doubt that, have your doubts about, cast doubt on, raise doubts, in doubt, doubt as to / about, beyond (any) doubt, (a) reasonable doubt, without a doubt, open to doubt

dream (phr)

dream of/about/that, have a dream, a dream to, beyond your wildest dreams, a dream come true, in your dreams, like a dream

focus (phr)

focus on, the focus of/for, in focus, out of focus, focus group, main/primary/major focus

impression (phr)

have/give (the false) impression that, do an impression (of), create/make an impression (on sb), under the impression that, first impressions

mental (phr)

make a mental note (of/about), mental arithmetic, mental illness, mental age, mental health

mind (phr)

make up your mind, cross/slip your mind, have/bear in mind, have a one-track mind, take your mind off, bring to mind, in two minds about, on your mind, state of mind, narrow/broad/open/absent-minded

misapprehension (phr)

under the misapprehension that

perspective (phr)

put into perspective, from another / a different / sb's / etc perspective, from the perspective of, in perspective, out of perspective, a sense of perspective

principle (phr)

have principles, stand by / stick to your principles, principle of sth, principle that, in principle, a matter / an issue of principle, against sb's principles, set of principles

question (phr)

beg the question, raise the question (of), a/no question of, in question, out of the question, without question, beyond question, some question over / as to / about, awkward question

sense (phr)

sense that, see sense, make sense (of), have the sense to, come to your senses, a sense of, in/one sense, common sense

side (phr)

side with sb, take sides, see both sides (of an argument), look on the bright side, on the plus/minus side, by sb's side, on sb's side, on either side (of)

straight (phr)

set/put sb straight about, set/get the record straight, get/come straight to the point, get sth straight, think/see straight, straight talking, straight answer

view (phr)

see sth as, take the view that, take a dim/poor view of, come into view, in view of, with a view to, view on/about/that, in sb's view, viewpoint, point of vie

assess (v)

to carefully consider a situation, person or problem in order to make a judgement

assume (v)

to believe that something is true without proof

baffle (v)

if something baffles you, you cannot understand or explain it

biased (adj)

preferring one person, thing or idea to another in a way that is unfair

concentrate (v)

to give all your attention to the thing you are doing

consider (v)

to think about something carefully before making a decision

contemplate (v)

to consider doing something in the future