Phrasal verb
account for
Definition
phrasal verb. to explain the reason for something or to be the cause of a specific amount.
phrasal verb. to provide an explanation or justification for a situation; also used to denote the proportion or percentage of a total that a specific part represents.
Examples
“The bad weather accounts for the delay.”
“Small businesses account for more than half of the new jobs created in this city.”
“The CFO was asked to account for the discrepancy between the projected earnings and the actual quarterly revenue.”
Examples
simple
“The bad weather accounts for the delay.”
contextual
“Small businesses account for more than half of the new jobs created in this city.”
complex
“The CFO was asked to account for the discrepancy between the projected earnings and the actual quarterly revenue.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “account for” in context.
Verb
01. account for the discrepancy
“The accountant was asked to account for the discrepancy in the year-end balance sheet.”
verb + noun
02. account for the majority
“Renewable energy sources now account for the majority of the country's power generation.”
verb + noun
03. fail to account for
“The initial report failed to account for the sudden change in weather conditions.”
verb + infinitive
04. must account for
“When planning the budget, you must account for unexpected expenses.”
verb + prep
Adverb
05. largely account for
“Increased marketing efforts largely account for the recent spike in sales.”
adv + verb
06. partially account for
“A lack of sleep might partially account for your inability to concentrate today.”
adv + verb
Usage
usually followed by a noun phrase representing a cause, a reason, or a numerical value.
Teaching tip
distinguish between the 'explain' sense and the 'percentage' sense; the latter is very common in academic writing and data description tasks.
Pitfall
The rain accounts the accident.
The rain accounts for the accident.
the preposition 'for' is mandatory to link the verb to the cause or reason.
Phrasal verb
Particles
for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
account + for + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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