ENGLISH
REFERENCE

care about sth

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. To think something is important and be interested in it. You often use it to talk about your feelings, values, or what worries you.

phr. v.. To consider something important, significant, or worthy of concern. This transitive phrasal verb expresses emotional investment or personal values regarding its object.


SIMPLE

She really cares about the environment.

CONTEXTUAL

He pretends not to care about his grades, but he secretly studies every night.

COMPLEX

While the board focused on quarterly profits, only the founder seemed to care about the long-term ethical implications of their new technology.

Particles
about
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
care + about + object
Usage

Typically followed by an issue, a person, or a principle that is important to the subject.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'care for', which can mean 'look after' (I care for my elderly parents) or 'like' (I don't care for spicy food).

Pitfall

I don't care for what you think.I don't care about what you think.'Care for' means to like or look after, while 'care about' means to consider something important.

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