# carry out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/carry-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to do a task, job, or piece of work that you have planned or were told to do.

For teachers: to perform or complete a task, activity, or instruction. Transitive; frequently collocates with abstract nouns such as 'research', 'orders', or 'investigation'.

## Examples

- The scientists carry out experiments in the lab every day.
- The company decided to carry out a survey to find out what their customers really wanted from the new app.
- Despite the logistical challenges and the tightening budget, the engineering team managed to carry out the structural repairs before the onset of the winter storms.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The students made an experiment." but "The students carried out an experiment." — Learners often use 'make' for scientific or technical tasks due to L1 interference, but 'carry out' is the standard collocation for experiments.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is transitive and allows for the object to be placed between the verb and the particle.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'do' or 'perform'; 'carry out' is more formal than 'do' and is a high-frequency item in academic and professional writing.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.