Phrases & Expressions

To promise very seriously, often to yourself, that you will or will not do something.

• My grandfather made a vow never to drive again after his accident, and he kept it.
• When she started university, she made a vow to herself to speak only English with her flatmates.

To have a legal document prepared that says who will get your money and property when you die.

• Lawyers advise everyone who owns property to make a will, however young and healthy they are.
• He died without making a will, so his children spent years arguing over the family house.

To try to do something, often something difficult.

• Critics say the government made no attempt to consult teachers before changing the national curriculum.
• She made an attempt to learn Japanese last year but gave up after a few weeks.

To decide to do something suddenly, without thinking carefully about what might happen.

• Online shops use countdown timers to encourage customers to make impulsive decisions about what they buy.
• He made an impulsive decision to quit his job and travel, and he regretted it within a month.

To get to know people who can help you professionally, for example with advice or job opportunities.

• Internships are valuable not only for experience but also because they let students make contacts in their chosen industry.
• I made some useful contacts at the conference, and one of them has since become my mentor.

To tell or show someone about something so that they know about it.

• The campaign aims to make young people aware of the risks of using their phones while driving.
• Doctors have a duty to make patients aware of any possible side effects of a treatment.

To form more than half of a total number or group.

• Part-time workers make up the majority of the company's staff, so the new holiday policy affects most employees.
• International students made up the majority of the postgraduate class, so the seminars were full of different accents.

Time spent in a role where you were responsible for directing staff or a department.

• Candidates for the director's job must have at least five years' managerial experience.
• Running the student union gave Emre valuable managerial experience before he even graduated.

The attention that newspapers, television and websites show in a person or event.

• The young scientist's discovery attracted huge media interest both at home and abroad.
• Media interest in the case faded quickly once the trial was over.

To produce or supply as much energy as people or a country require.

• The village has built a small solar farm that meets the energy needs of its school and health centre.
• Many small island nations rely on imported diesel to meet their energy needs, which makes electricity there very expensive.