What Does โCarry sb throughโ Mean?
โCarry sb throughโ means to help someone survive or manage a difficult time or situation, often by providing support or resources.
Introduction
The phrasal verb โcarry sb throughโ is commonly used in English to describe the act of supporting someone during challenging moments. Whether itโs emotional, financial, or physical support, this phrase highlights the idea of helping another person overcome obstacles. Understanding the carry sb through meaning is useful for learners because it appears frequently in both spoken and written English. By mastering this phrase, you can express empathy and assistance clearly and naturally.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: carry somebody through
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to help someone survive or cope with a difficult period
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โCarry sb throughโ is a transitive phrasal verb and is separable. You can place the object (somebody) between โcarryโ and โthroughโ or after the whole phrase.
- carry someone through
- carry through someone
Both forms are correct, but the first is more common.
How to Use โCarry sb throughโ?
Use โcarry sb throughโ when you want to describe helping someone get through tough times. It often involves emotional support, practical help, or financial aid. For example, you might say, โHer friends carried her through the difficult months after the accident.โ
The phrase is usually followed by the person receiving help and sometimes the difficult situation:
- carry someone through a difficult time
- carry someone through an illness
Examples
- His family carried him through the loss of his job.
- The scholarship carried her through university.
- Good friends can carry you through hard times.
- Carry sb through in a sentence: โThe money from her savings carried her through the unexpected expenses.โ
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: She carried through me during my illness.
Correct: She carried me through my illness. - Incorrect: They carried me through the problem.
Correct: They carried me through the problem. - Incorrect: Carry me through the exam.
Correct: Help me carry through the exam. (Use โcarry sb throughโ with support, not direct action)
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include:
- Get through: Focuses on successfully finishing something difficult. Example: โShe got through the exam.โ
- Help sb out: Means to assist someone, but not necessarily through a tough time. Example: โCan you help me out with this task?โ
โCarry sb throughโ implies continuous support during hardship, while โget throughโ is about completion, and โhelp outโ is more general assistance.
Common Collocations
- carry someone through difficult times
- carry someone through illness
- carry someone through financial problems
- carry someone through hardship
- carry someone through challenges
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of carry sb through:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: I donโt know how I managed to get through last year.
Ben: Your family really carried you through, didnโt they?
Anna: Yes, without their support, it would have been impossible.
Practice
Fill in the blank:
Her friends helped ________ her ________ the tough times after the accident.
- a) carry / through
- b) get / through
- c) help / out
FAQs
- Q: Can โcarry sb throughโ be used for physical help?
A: Yes, but it usually means emotional or financial support. - Q: Is โcarry sb throughโ formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. - Q: Can I say โcarry me through the examโ?
A: Itโs better to say โhelp me get through the exam.โ - Q: What is the difference between โcarry sb throughโ and โget throughโ?
A: โCarry sb throughโ means to support someone during difficulty; โget throughโ means to successfully finish something.
