UNIT 2: PHRASES, PATTERNS & COLLOCATION C1 C2

account for

to explain the reason for something or be the cause of something; to form a particular amount or part of something: The increase in sales accounts for most of the company's recent growth.

(give) an account of

to describe or report something that has happened: She gave a detailed account of her journey across the desert.

take into account

to consider or include particular facts or circumstances when making a decision: You should take the weather into account before planning the trip.

take account of

to consider something when making a decision or judgment: The report takes account of the needs of local residents.

on account of

because of something: The match was cancelled on account of heavy rain.

by all accounts

according to what everyone says or believes: By all accounts, she is an excellent teacher.

on sb's account

because of someone or for someone's benefit: Please don't change your plans on my account.

associate sth with

to connect something in your mind with someone or something else: Many people associate summer with holidays and sunshine.

(hang) in the balance

to be in an uncertain situation in which the result may be good or bad: His future at the company hangs in the balance.

strike a balance

to find a satisfactory compromise between two opposite things: Parents must strike a balance between discipline and freedom.

upset/alter/redress the balance

to change or restore the way in which different elements are equally represented or arranged: The new policy could upset the balance between work and family life.

balance between/of

a situation in which different things are given equal importance or exist in the correct proportions: Finding a balance between work and relaxation is essential.

on balance

after considering all the advantages and disadvantages: On balance, I think moving abroad was the right decision.

off balance

in a position where you cannot keep your balance; surprised or confused by something unexpected: The unexpected question caught him off balance.

basis for

the reason or starting point for something: There is no scientific basis for this claim.

on a daily/temporary/etc basis

happening or done every day, temporarily, or according to another specified period or arrangement: The employees are evaluated on a monthly basis.

on the basis of/that

according to or using particular facts, ideas or principles: The decision was made on the basis of available evidence.

express belief(s)

to communicate or show that you believe something is true: The scientist expressed her belief that technology could solve the problem.

belief in/that

a feeling that something exists or is true, or that someone or something is good or right: Her belief in equality has never changed.

contrary to popular belief

different from what most people think is true: Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind.

beyond belief

so extreme or surprising that it is difficult to believe: The amount of damage caused by the storm was beyond belief.

in the belief that

because you believe that something is true: He acted in the belief that he was protecting his family.

popular/widely held/widespread/firm/strong/growing belief

an opinion or conviction that is accepted or shared by many people, or held with great confidence: There is a widespread belief that education can reduce poverty.

pick sb's brain(s)

to ask someone for information or advice because they know a lot about a particular subject: I need to pick your brains about starting a business.

rack your brain(s)

to think very hard in order to remember or find an answer: I racked my brains trying to remember where I had put my keys.

the brains behind

the person who is responsible for planning or organizing something, especially an intelligent or successful project: She is the brains behind the entire marketing campaign.

brainless

stupid or showing a lack of intelligence or thought: It was a brainless decision that put everyone at risk.

brainchild (of)

an idea, plan or invention that someone has developed: The new educational programme is the brainchild of a local teacher.

brainstorm

to have a group discussion in which everyone suggests ideas for solving a problem: We brainstormed ways to attract more customers.

brainwash

to force someone to accept particular beliefs or ideas by using continuous pressure: The cult attempted to brainwash its members.

brainwave

a sudden clever idea or solution to a problem: I had a brainwave and found a way to fix the computer.

bring sth to a conclusion

to bring something to an end, especially after considering or discussing it: The committee brought the investigation to a conclusion.

come to/arrive at/reach a conclusion

to make a decision or form an opinion after considering the facts: We reached the conclusion that more research was needed.

jump/leap to conclusions

to form an opinion or make a judgment too quickly, without enough information: Don't jump to conclusions before hearing both sides of the story.

in conclusion

used to introduce the final part of a speech, discussion or piece of writing: In conclusion, we must work together to protect the environment.

conclusion of

the end or final part of something: The conclusion of the meeting was followed by a short reception.

logical conclusion

a result or judgment that follows reasonably from the available facts: It is a logical conclusion that prices will rise when demand increases.

foregone conclusion

a result that is certain to happen or that is already decided: Given their excellent performance, victory seemed a foregone conclusion.

take into consideration

to think about something carefully before making a decision: You must take the cost of living into consideration when choosing a city.

give consideration to

to think carefully about something, especially before making a decision: The government should give consideration to alternative proposals.

show consideration for

to think about the needs or feelings of other people and behave kindly towards them: Good neighbours show consideration for one another.

under consideration

being thought about or discussed before a decision is made: Several proposals are currently under consideration.

for sb's consideration

intended to be examined or thought about by someone: I have submitted my application for the manager's consideration.

out of consideration for

because you want to avoid upsetting or inconveniencing someone: He lowered his voice out of consideration for the sleeping children.

doubt that

to feel uncertain or believe that something may not be true: I doubt that he will arrive on time.

have your doubts about

to feel uncertain or not completely convinced about something: I have my doubts about whether this plan will work.

cast doubt on

to make something seem uncertain or less likely to be true: The new evidence casts doubt on his original statement.

raise doubts

to cause people to feel uncertain about something: His inconsistent explanation raised doubts about his honesty.

in doubt

uncertain or not decided: Her ability to finish the project on time is in doubt.

doubt as to/about

a feeling of uncertainty about something: There is some doubt as to whether the information is accurate.

beyond (any) doubt

completely certain or unquestionably true: Her talent is beyond any doubt.

(a) reasonable doubt

a level of uncertainty that would make a reasonable person hesitate to believe something, especially in a court of law: The jury must be convinced beyond reasonable doubt before finding him guilty.

without a doubt

certainly; used to emphasize that something is true: She is without a doubt the best candidate for the position.

open to doubt

not certain or not clearly established as true: The accuracy of these figures is open to doubt.

dream of/about/that

to imagine or hope for something, especially something pleasant or unlikely: She dreams of becoming a professional musician.

have a dream

to imagine or strongly hope for something that you want to achieve: He has a dream of opening his own restaurant.

a dream to

something that is very pleasant, desirable or ideal to experience or achieve: Working with such a talented team is a dream to me.

beyond your wildest dreams

much better, greater or more successful than you could ever have imagined: Her success was beyond her wildest dreams.

a dream come true

something that happens that you have always wanted to happen: Winning the scholarship was a dream come true.

in your dreams

used to say that something is impossible or very unlikely to happen: You think I'll lend you my new car? In your dreams!

like a dream

very easily, successfully or perfectly: The new system works like a dream.

focus on

to give special attention to a particular person or thing: The research focuses on the effects of climate change.

the focus of/for

the main subject or centre of interest, attention or activity: Education remains the main focus of the government's policy.

in focus

clearly visible and sharply defined in a photograph or through a camera or optical instrument: Make sure the subject is in focus before taking the picture.

out of focus

not clearly visible because the image is not sharp: The photograph was slightly out of focus.

focus group

a small group of people brought together to discuss a product, service or issue and give their opinions: The company invited a focus group to test its new product.

main/primary/major focus

the most important subject or area of attention: Improving public transport is the main focus of the new policy.

have/give the (false) impression that

to have or create a particular idea or feeling about something, which may not be accurate: His silence gave the false impression that he agreed with the decision.

do an impression (of)

to imitate the way someone speaks or behaves, especially to entertain people: He did a funny impression of his teacher.

create/make an impression (on sb)

to cause someone to form a particular opinion or feeling about you: Her confidence made a strong impression on the interviewers.

under the impression that

believing something to be true, although it may not be: I was under the impression that the meeting started at nine.

first impressions

the opinions or feelings you form about someone or something when you meet or see them for the first time: First impressions are important during a job interview.

make a mental note (of/about)

to remember something so that you can think about or deal with it later: I made a mental note of the restaurant's address.

mental arithmetic

the process of doing mathematical calculations in your head rather than on paper or with a calculator: Children should practise mental arithmetic every day.

mental illness

a condition that affects someone's mind, emotions or behaviour and causes difficulties in daily life: Mental illness should be treated with the same seriousness as physical illness.

mental age

the level of intellectual development that a person has, compared with the average for a particular age group: The test was designed to estimate the child's mental age.

mental health

the condition of someone's mind and emotions, including their psychological and emotional well

make up your mind

to decide what you want to do or choose: You need to make up your mind before the deadline.

cross/slip your mind

to be forgotten: I'm sorry I forgot to call you; it completely slipped my mind.

have/bear in mind

to remember or consider something when making a decision: Bear in mind that the journey may take several hours.

have a one-track mind

to think about one particular thing all the time

take your mind off

to make you stop thinking or worrying about something unpleasant: Listening to music helps take my mind off work.

bring to mind

to make you remember or think of someone or something: The smell of fresh bread brings my childhood to mind.

in two minds about

unable to decide between two possibilities: I'm in two minds about whether to accept the job offer.

on your mind

occupying your thoughts, especially because you are worried or concerned: You seem distracted; is something on your mind?

state of mind

the particular way someone is thinking or feeling at a given time: You should avoid making important decisions when you are in an emotional state of mind.

narrow/broad/open/absent

minded

under the misapprehension that

believing something that is not true: She was under the misapprehension that the course was free.

put into perspective

to compare something with other things so that its true importance or seriousness can be understood: Travelling abroad helped put my problems into perspective.

from another/a different/sb's/etc perspective

considering something from another person's or a different point of view: Try to see the situation from your colleague's perspective.

from the perspective of

considering something from the point of view of a particular person, group or situation: The issue looks different from the perspective of young people.

in perspective

in a way that shows the correct relationship or importance of things: The photograph shows the buildings in perspective.

out of perspective

not showing the correct relationship, size or importance of things: His fears were out of perspective and did not reflect the actual danger.

a sense of perspective

the ability to judge the real importance of something in relation to other things: Try to keep a sense of perspective when dealing with minor problems.

have principles

to have strong moral beliefs about what is right and wrong: She has principles and refuses to lie to protect herself.

stand by/stick to your principles

to continue to behave according to your moral beliefs, even when it is difficult: He stuck to his principles despite pressure from his colleagues.

principle of sth

a basic rule, idea or belief that explains how something works or should be done: The principle of equality should apply to everyone.

principle that

a basic belief or rule that a particular statement or idea is true: We follow the principle that everyone deserves equal opportunities.

in principle

in general, or as a basic idea, although practical details may still need to be considered: We agree with the proposal in principle.

a matter/an issue of principle

a situation in which someone's moral beliefs determine what they think is right or wrong: For her, refusing the offer was a matter of principle.