Mastering ‘Break into’ for IELTS Success: A Comprehensive Guide

Defining ‘Break into’ and Its Importance in IELTS

‘Break into’ is a versatile phrasal verb that can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. It carries multiple meanings, making it a valuable addition to your vocabulary arsenal. Understanding and effectively using ‘break into’ can help you express complex ideas more naturally and fluently, potentially boosting your scores across all sections of the IELTS exam.

Meanings and Usage of ‘Break into’

Primary Definitions

1. To enter forcibly or without permission
2. To interrupt suddenly
3. To begin a career in a new field
4. To suddenly start doing something

Contextual Examples

• The thieves broke into the museum at night.
• He broke into the conversation with an interesting point.
• She’s trying to break into the film industry.
• The crowd broke into applause after the speech.

Examples of 'break into' usage in IELTS context

Grammar and Structure

‘Break into’ is a separable phrasal verb, meaning that in some cases, you can place the object between ‘break’ and ‘into’. However, when using pronouns, they must come between the two parts of the phrasal verb.

• Correct: The burglars broke into the house. / The burglars broke the house into.
• With pronoun: They broke it into. (Not: They broke into it.)

Application in IELTS

Speaking Section

In the IELTS Speaking test, using ‘break into’ can demonstrate your range of vocabulary and ability to use idiomatic expressions.

Example response to “Describe a time when you started a new hobby”:
“I’ve always been fascinated by photography, and last year, I decided to break into this field seriously. At first, it was challenging to understand all the technical aspects, but gradually, I began to grasp the concepts.”

Writing Section

Incorporating ‘break into’ in your writing can add sophistication to your essays, particularly in Task 2 responses.

Example sentence for an essay on career changes:
“Many professionals are now seeking to break into new industries, driven by the desire for personal growth and the rapidly changing job market.”

Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Break out /breɪk aʊt/: To escape or start suddenly

   • Example: A fire broke out in the building.

2. Break down /breɪk daʊn/: To stop functioning or to analyze in detail

   • Example: The negotiations broke down after disagreements.

3. Break up /breɪk ʌp/: To end a relationship or separate into pieces

   • Example: The couple decided to break up after years of dating.

4. Break through /breɪk θruː/: To make a sudden advance or discovery

   • Example: Scientists have broken through in cancer research.

5. Break off /breɪk ɒf/: To end suddenly or separate from a larger piece

   • Example: They broke off their engagement last month.

Related phrasal verbs with 'break'

Practice Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

1. The police are investigating how the thieves the secure facility.
2. She’s been trying to the music industry for years.
3. The audience cheers as the band took the stage.
4. It’s difficult to the tech sector without relevant experience.
5. The protesters the meeting with loud chants.
6. The company is hoping to new markets in Asia.
7. He tears when he heard the news.
8. The actor finally managed to Hollywood after years of struggle.
9. The epidemic in several cities simultaneously.
10. The negotiations after both parties reached an impasse.

Sentence Transformation

1. The burglars entered the house forcibly.
   Rewrite: The burglars the house.

2. She suddenly started laughing during the serious meeting.
   Rewrite: She laughter during the serious meeting.

3. It’s challenging to start a career in journalism without connections.
   Rewrite: It’s challenging to journalism without connections.

4. The students interrupted the lecture with questions.
   Rewrite: The students the lecture with questions.

5. The disease began spreading rapidly across the country.
   Rewrite: The disease across the country.

6. He’s trying to establish himself in the competitive world of finance.
   Rewrite: He’s trying to the competitive world of finance.

7. The protesters forcibly entered the government building.
   Rewrite: The protesters the government building.

8. The audience suddenly started applauding.
   Rewrite: The audience applause.

9. Hackers gained unauthorized access to the company’s database.
   Rewrite: Hackers the company’s database.

10. She’s attempting to start a career in a completely new field.
    Rewrite: She’s attempting to a completely new field.

Answers and Explanations

Fill in the Blanks:

1. broke into
2. break into
3. broke into
4. break into
5. broke into
6. break into
7. broke into
8. break into
9. broke out
10. broke down

Sentence Transformation:

1. broke into
2. broke into
3. break into
4. broke into
5. broke out
6. break into
7. broke into
8. broke into
9. broke into
10. break into

Explanations:

• In most cases, ‘break into’ is used to describe entering forcibly or starting a new career.
• ‘Break out’ is used for sudden occurrences like diseases spreading.
• ‘Break down’ is used when something stops functioning, like negotiations.
• Pay attention to the tense used in the original sentence to determine whether to use ‘broke’ or ‘break’.

Memorization Tips

To remember ‘break into’, visualize a person literally breaking through a door to enter a new place or career. This mental image combines the physical act of breaking in with the metaphorical sense of entering a new field.

Another helpful technique is to create a mnemonic: “BIG” – Break Into Goals. This can remind you that ‘break into’ often relates to achieving new career goals or entering new fields.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Confusion with ‘break in’: ‘Break in’ means to train or wear in something new, while ‘break into’ means to enter forcibly or start a new career.

   • Incorrect: She’s trying to break in the music industry.
   • Correct: She’s trying to break into the music industry.

2. Incorrect word order with pronouns:

   • Incorrect: They broke into it quickly.
   • Correct: They broke it into quickly.

3. Using ‘break into’ for gradual processes:

   • Incorrect: He broke into learning French over several months.
   • Correct: He gradually started learning French. (Use ‘break into’ for more sudden or decisive starts)

To avoid these mistakes, practice using ‘break into’ in various contexts and pay attention to its usage in authentic materials like IELTS practice tests, English news articles, and native speakers’ conversations.

Conclusion

Mastering phrasal verbs like ‘break into’ can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. Its versatility allows you to express various concepts more naturally and idiomatically, which is crucial for achieving high scores in both the Speaking and Writing sections. Remember to practice using ‘break into’ in different contexts and tenses, and don’t hesitate to incorporate it into your IELTS preparation routine. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your vocabulary but also demonstrate a higher level of English proficiency to the examiners.

For more insights on improving your English for IELTS, check out our guide on how language barriers affect access to education. This will give you a broader perspective on the importance of language skills in academic and professional settings.