Phrasal verb: new sentences with ACCOUNT FOR
Account for:
- His vacation spot to abroad account for his high level of English
- I can account for what's happened!
- I don't account for what's happened.
- After the incident, John has accounted for the boss.
- The their late have accounted for the car didn't start.
Is very difficult for me to understand the exactly meaning and the use of account for. Can someone explain me better the meaning with some examples? Thank you!
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Phrasal verb: new sentences with ACCOUNT FOR
Account for:- His vacation spot abroad accounts for his high level of English (this isn't what a native would say most of the time - most would use explains)
- I can account for what's happened! (Correct, but again a native would in most cases just say, "I can explain!")
- I don't account for what's happened. (This is an odd use. What would be better: "I don't take responsibility for what has happened" [when trying to emphasise a lack of guilt) or "I can't account for what's happened" [literally, I can't explain it]
- After the incident, John has accounted for the boss. (remove "has" - the past perfect tense is inappropriate here, as after the incident indicates telling a story or recounting something, so use past simple)
- The their late have accounted for the car didn't start. (Not correct and doesn't quite make sense. Perhaps, "Their lateness was accounted for by the car not starting" but that's a little awkward and better just to say "they were late because their car wouldn't start"
Is very difficult for me to understand the exactly meaning and the use of account for. Can someone explain me better the meaning with some examples? Thank you! (to account for is to explain, basically. To account for X = someone or something provides a statement/account for someone or something to explain its origin, state, or reason.)
Thinking about it, it's actually not a straightforward concept. I hope that helps!
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1.We use "account for (something)" to give an explanation for something that has happened and justify what we have done. This phrasal verb is also used when we are trying to provide an explanation of our conduct or failure to accomplish something to a person who will judge us.
- I can account for what's happened! (You can try to explain and justify what has happened. Correct.)
- I don't account for what's happened.(Sounds odd. I believe you were trying to say that you cannot account for what has happened. By saying that you do not account for what has happened, you sound like you are trying to escape from your responsibility.)
2.We can also use "account for" to describe a cause for something.
- His vacation spot to abroad account for his high level of English (Sounds odd as a vacation is a short-term activity and would not likely lead to drastic improvement in language skill. May I change the sentence to: "His education abroad accounts for his high level of English proficiency."?) Cause: His education abroad / Result: his high level of English proficiency.
-- The their late have accounted for the car didn't start. (I changed the sentence structure completely: The fact that the car couldn't start accounted for their late arrival.) Cause: the car couldn't start / Result: their late arrival
3.We can use "is/are/was/were + accountable to (someone)" when we are introducing the person whom we are explaining ourselves to.
- After the incident, John has accounted for the boss. (After the incident, John was accountable to his boss.)
Further examples:
1. We will not be held accountable for any loss due to your negligence.
2. The mayor is accountable to the residents.
3. An increase in competition accounts for our declining sales.
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Thank you Jen!
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"account for" means that it explains or justifies something
So in the first sentence, it would actually be written "His vacation spot abroad accounts for his high level of English."
You can replace it with "His vacation spot abroad explains his high level of English."
"I can account for what happened" ... becomes "I can explain what happened"
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