What Does “Put sth down to sth” Mean?
“Put sth down to sth” means to explain or believe that something is caused by a particular reason or factor.
Introduction
The phrasal verb “Put sth down to sth” is commonly used in English to link a result or event to a specific cause. When you say you put something down to something else, you are giving an explanation or attributing a reason for it. For example, if a student fails a test, a teacher might put it down to lack of preparation. Understanding the “Put sth down to sth” meaning helps learners express cause and effect clearly in conversations and writing.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: put something down to something
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to say or think that something is caused by something else
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Put sth down to sth” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means you cannot separate the verb and the particle with the object.
Pattern: put + something + down to + something
Correct: She put her success down to hard work.
Incorrect: She put down her success to hard work.
How to Use Put sth down to sth?
You use “put sth down to sth” when you want to explain why something happened. It often appears in formal and informal speech. The phrase is useful to show cause and effect or to give credit or blame.
It is commonly used with nouns that describe results, effects, or events.
Example: They put the delay down to bad weather.
Examples
Here are some examples of “Put sth down to sth in a sentence” to help you understand how it works:
- Many people put her success down to her determination and hard work.
- The teacher put the students’ poor performance down to lack of sleep.
- We put the machine failure down to a power surge last night.
- He put his headache down to stress from work.
- The company put the drop in sales down to increased competition.
Common Mistakes
It’s easy to confuse the word order in this phrase. Some learners say “put down sth to sth,” which is incorrect.
- Incorrect: She put down her improvement to practice.
- Correct: She put her improvement down to practice.
Remember that “put sth down to sth” is inseparable, so the object must always come immediately after “put.”
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrases include “attribute to,” “credit to,” and “blame on.” However, “put sth down to sth” is more informal and conversational.
- Attribute to: More formal, often used in writing.
- Credit to: Focuses on positive causes.
- Blame on: Focuses on negative causes.
Example: We attribute the success to teamwork (formal). / We put the success down to teamwork (informal).
Common Collocations
Many common objects go with “put sth down to sth.” Here are some examples with their meanings:
- Success – explaining why someone succeeds
- Failure – explaining why something fails
- Problem – identifying the cause of a problem
- Delay – explaining why something is late
- Change – giving a reason for a change
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of put sth down to sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a natural conversation using “put sth down to sth”:
Anna: Why do you think the meeting was so short today?
Ben: I put it down to everyone being busy with deadlines.
Anna: That makes sense. People probably didn’t have time to discuss much.
Practice
Try this exercise to test your understanding of “put sth down to sth.”
Fill in the blank with the correct form:
- The coach ______ the team’s loss ______ poor weather conditions.
- She ______ her promotion ______ hard work and dedication.
Answers: put the loss down to; put her promotion down to
FAQ
- Q: Can I use “put sth down to sth” in formal writing?
A: Yes, but “attribute to” is often preferred in formal texts. - Q: Is “put down sth to sth” correct?
A: No, the correct order is “put sth down to sth.” - Q: What does “sth” mean?
A: “sth” means “something.” - Q: Can I use this phrase with people?
A: It’s usually used with events or results, not people directly. - Q: Is this phrase common in spoken English?
A: Yes, it is widely used in everyday conversations.
