Phrasal verb
mark down
Definition
phrasal verb. to reduce the price of something, usually for a sale. You also use it when a teacher gives you a lower grade because of a mistake.
phrasal verb. To reduce the retail price of an item; also used to describe the act of lowering a student's grade or score. The verb is transitive and optionally separable.
Examples
“The store marked down the shoes by thirty percent.”
“Retailers often mark down seasonal items at the end of the month to clear out old inventory.”
“The examiner noted that while the candidate's oral fluency was impressive, they were marked down for consistent grammatical inaccuracies during the formal presentation.”
Examples
simple
“The store marked down the shoes by thirty percent.”
contextual
“Retailers often mark down seasonal items at the end of the month to clear out old inventory.”
complex
“The examiner noted that while the candidate's oral fluency was impressive, they were marked down for consistent grammatical inaccuracies during the formal presentation.”
Usage
You can put the object between 'mark' and 'down', especially when using pronouns like 'it' or 'them'.
Teaching tip
Use a shopping catalog or a graded essay to demonstrate the two main senses; it provides a good opportunity to teach the antonym 'mark up'.
Pitfall
They marked down it.
They marked it down.
When the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down
Separability
optional
Pattern
mark + down + 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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