ENGLISH
REFERENCE

set out

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to start a long journey or to begin a task with a specific goal in mind.

phr. v.. to begin a journey or to initiate a course of action with a predetermined objective or intention.


SIMPLE

They set out at dawn to reach the mountain peak.

CONTEXTUAL

The young entrepreneur set out to change the way people buy groceries online.

COMPLEX

The explorers set out across the frozen tundra, fully aware that their supplies might not last the duration of the expedition.

Particles
out
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
set + out (+ on + object / + to + verb)
Usage

often followed by 'on' for journeys or 'to' plus an infinitive for goals.

Teaching tip

distinguish between the literal sense of starting a trip and the figurative sense of intending to achieve a result; the latter is common in academic and professional writing.

Pitfall

He set out his journey yesterday.He set out on his journey yesterday.when used for a journey, 'set out' requires the preposition 'on' before the noun phrase.

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