Phrases & Expressions

To control or limit someone or something that is growing too fast or moving too freely.

• The government needs to rein in public spending this year.
• She had to rein in her spending after buying a new car.

To base your judgement on facts and stay fair, without letting personal feelings affect it.

• Journalists should remain objective when reporting on elections, even if they personally support one party.
• It can be hard for parents to remain objective about their own children's abilities.

To say nothing or refuse to speak, especially when people expect you to.

• The audience remained silent for a full minute after the film ended, too moved to applaud.
• Too many witnesses remain silent about bullying because they fear becoming the next victim.

To pay back money that a person, organisation or country has borrowed.

• Some poor nations spend more on repaying their debts than on their schools and hospitals.
• It took her almost ten years to repay the debt she ran up while she was at university.

To have a particular person as your direct manager at work.

• As a junior researcher, I report to the project leader, who checks my progress every Friday.
• All regional managers report directly to the chief executive, who meets them once a month.

To cause a particular situation or outcome to happen.

• Poor diet and lack of exercise can result in serious health problems later in life.
• The new traffic scheme resulted in a sharp fall in the number of accidents near schools.

To teach people new skills so that they can do a different kind of job.

• As automation spreads, governments will need to retrain workers whose jobs have disappeared.
• The car company promised to retrain its factory workers rather than make them redundant.

To discuss an idea again in a later part of a talk or piece of writing.

• Funding is clearly a central concern, and I will return to this point in the final section of the essay.
• The lecturer mentioned the ethical problems briefly and promised to return to this point next week.

An activity that makes you feel satisfied because it is useful, worthwhile or helps others.

• Many students say that volunteering abroad was the most rewarding experience of their university years.
• Teaching children to read can be a deeply rewarding experience, even though the pay is low.

A job that gives you a strong sense of achievement or purpose.

• Teaching is a demanding but rewarding job, especially when you see your students make real progress.
• Many nurses say theirs is the most rewarding job they could imagine, despite the long hours.