Mastering “Find out” for IELTS Success: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding “Find out” and Its Importance in IELTS

The phrasal verb “find out” is a crucial component of English vocabulary, especially for IELTS candidates. Its versatility and frequent use in both formal and informal contexts make it an essential tool for expressing ideas clearly and naturally during the exam.

Definition and Explanation

“Find out” primarily means to discover or learn something by study, observation, or inquiry. It’s often used when talking about obtaining information or understanding something that was previously unknown.

Synonyms: discover, learn, ascertain, determine

Understanding the phrasal verb "Find out"

Usage in Context

• Formal: “The researchers aim to find out the long-term effects of the new treatment.”
• Informal: “I can’t wait to find out if I passed the exam!”
• Writing: “Upon further investigation, we found out that the claims were unfounded.”
• Speaking: “I’ll find out the details and get back to you tomorrow.”

Grammar Analysis

“Find out” is an inseparable phrasal verb, meaning that “out” always follows “find” directly. The object comes after the entire phrasal verb.

Correct: “She found out the truth.” or “She found out about the surprise party.”
Incorrect: “She found the truth out.”

Application in IELTS

Speaking Section

Incorporating “find out” in your IELTS Speaking responses can demonstrate your command of phrasal verbs and add naturalness to your language.

Example question: “Tell me about a time you learned something new.”
Sample answer: “Last month, I decided to find out more about local history. I visited museums and read books, and I found out that my city has a fascinating industrial past I never knew about.”

Writing Section

In IELTS Writing, “find out” can be used effectively in both Task 1 and Task 2 responses.

Task 1 example: “The graph shows how researchers found out about changes in reading habits over the past decade.”

Task 2 example: “It is crucial for individuals to find out about different cultures to promote global understanding.”

IELTS candidate incorporating "find out" in responses

Related Phrasal Verbs

1. Look into (investigate): “The committee will look into the matter thoroughly.”
2. Figure out (understand after thinking): “I couldn’t figure out the solution to the puzzle.”
3. Come across (discover by chance): “I came across an interesting article while researching.”
4. Dig up (discover information): “The journalist managed to dig up some startling facts about the case.”
5. Turn up (be discovered): “New evidence turned up during the investigation.”

Practice Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

1. The detective worked hard to __ __ who committed the crime.
2. Can you __ __ what time the train leaves?
3. We need to __ __ more about the company before applying for jobs there.
4. She was surprised to __ __ that she had won the competition.
5. The scientists are trying to __ __ why the experiment failed.
6. It took me a while to __ __ how to use the new software.
7. I’ll __ __ if there are any tickets left for the concert.
8. They __ __ about the surprise party and pretended to be shocked.
9. We need to __ __ the root cause of this problem.
10. The journalist wants to __ __ the truth behind the rumors.

Sentence Rewriting

1. Original: The police discovered the location of the missing item.
   Rewrite: The police __ __ where the missing item was.

2. Original: I learned about the meeting cancellation this morning.
   Rewrite: This morning, I __ __ that the meeting was cancelled.

3. Original: We need to investigate the reasons for the project delay.
   Rewrite: We need to __ __ why the project was delayed.

4. Original: She discovered her passion for painting accidentally.
   Rewrite: She __ __ her passion for painting by chance.

5. Original: The researchers are working to determine the cause of the disease.
   Rewrite: The researchers are working to __ __ what causes the disease.

6. Original: I want to know more about the company’s history.
   Rewrite: I want to __ __ more about the company’s history.

7. Original: They discovered the truth after years of investigation.
   Rewrite: After years of investigation, they finally __ __ the truth.

8. Original: Can you tell me the departure time of the flight?
   Rewrite: Can you __ __ when the flight departs?

9. Original: The students are eager to learn the exam results.
   Rewrite: The students are eager to __ __ their exam results.

10. Original: We need to discover the source of the leak.
    Rewrite: We need to __ __ where the leak is coming from.

Answers and Explanations

Fill in the Blanks:

1. find out
2. find out
3. find out
4. find out
5. find out
6. figure out
7. find out
8. found out
9. find out
10. find out

Sentence Rewriting:

1. found out
2. found out
3. find out
4. found out
5. find out
6. find out
7. found out
8. find out
9. find out
10. find out

Explanation: In all these exercises, “find out” is used to express the act of discovering or learning information. It’s important to maintain the correct tense (past tense “found out” where appropriate) and keep the phrasal verb together without separating “find” and “out”.

Memory Tips

To remember “find out”, visualize a detective with a magnifying glass uncovering clues. The “out” in “find out” represents bringing information out into the open or to light.

Another tip is to create a mnemonic: “F.I.N.D. O.U.T. – Fully Investigate New Details; Obtain Useful Truth”

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Mistake: Separating the phrasal verb (e.g., “find the truth out”)
   Correction: Always keep “find” and “out” together.

2. Mistake: Using “find out” for simple “find” situations
   Correction: Use “find out” only when discovering information, not for locating physical objects.

3. Mistake: Overusing in formal writing
   Correction: While acceptable in IELTS, in very formal academic writing, consider alternatives like “discover” or “ascertain”.

4. Mistake: Incorrect preposition usage
   Correction: “Find out about” is correct when referring to a topic (e.g., “find out about the history”), but use “find out” directly with specific information (e.g., “find out the answer”).

Conclusion

Mastering “find out” and related phrasal verbs can significantly enhance your IELTS performance. By incorporating these natural expressions into your speaking and writing, you demonstrate a high level of English proficiency. Remember to practice using “find out” in various contexts and tenses to become more comfortable with its usage. As you continue to improve your IELTS skills, don’t forget to explore other phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions to further enrich your language repertoire. With consistent practice and application, you’ll find that your ability to express ideas clearly and naturally in English will greatly improve, leading to better scores in your IELTS exam.