Understanding the Phrasal Verb ‘Look Down On’
The phrasal verb ‘look down on’ is a crucial expression to master for IELTS success. It’s commonly used in everyday English and can significantly enhance your language proficiency when used correctly in the IELTS Speaking test.
Definition and Explanation
‘Look down on’ means to consider someone or something as inferior or less important than yourself. It implies a sense of superiority or disdain towards others. Synonyms include ‘despise,’ ‘scorn,’ or ‘consider oneself superior to.’
Contextual Usage
‘Look down on’ is often used in social contexts to describe attitudes or behaviors:
- “Some people look down on those who don’t have a university degree.”
- “She looks down on her neighbors because of their different lifestyle.”
In formal writing, you might encounter more sophisticated alternatives like ‘disdain’ or ‘hold in contempt.’
Contextual usage of 'look down on'
Grammatical Analysis
‘Look down on’ is an inseparable phrasal verb. The object always comes after the entire phrase:
Correct: “He looks down on people who don’t work hard.”
Incorrect: “He looks people down on who don’t work hard.”
Applying ‘Look Down On’ in IELTS
In IELTS Speaking
Incorporating ‘look down on’ can elevate your speaking performance. Here’s how to use it effectively:
Describing social issues:
“In some societies, people tend to look down on those who choose alternative career paths.”Discussing personal experiences:
“I used to look down on fast food, but now I appreciate its convenience.”Expressing opinions:
“It’s important not to look down on others based on their educational background.”
In IELTS Writing
While ‘look down on’ is more common in spoken English, it can be used judiciously in writing:
- Task 2 Essay: “Some critics argue that academic institutions often look down on vocational education, leading to an imbalance in the job market.”
Remember to use it sparingly in formal writing tasks, opting for more academic synonyms when appropriate.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Look up to /lʊk ʌp tuː/: To admire or respect someone.
Example: “Many young athletes look up to successful Olympians.”Look down upon /lʊk daʊn əˈpɒn/: Synonymous with ‘look down on’, but more formal.
Example: “In Victorian times, the upper class often looked down upon the working class.”Look up /lʊk ʌp/: To search for information.
Example: “If you don’t understand a word, you should look it up in a dictionary.”Look after /lʊk ˈɑːftə(r)/: To take care of someone or something.
Example: “She looks after her elderly parents at home.”Look into /lʊk ˈɪntuː/: To investigate or examine something.
Example: “The committee is looking into the causes of the recent power outages.”
Visual representation of related phrasal verbs
Practice Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
- Some people unfairly __ __ __ manual laborers.
- It’s wrong to __ __ __ someone based on their appearance.
- In the past, society often __ __ __ women who chose careers over family.
- We shouldn’t __ __ __ others just because they have different beliefs.
- Some academics __ __ __ popular culture as unworthy of serious study.
- It’s important not to __ __ __ entry-level jobs; everyone starts somewhere.
- Unfortunately, some people still __ __ __ those with mental health issues.
- In some cultures, it’s common to __ __ __ those who don’t own property.
- We should teach children not to __ __ __ others based on their background.
- Historically, the nobility would often __ __ __ the common people.
Sentence Transformation
She considers fast food inferior.
She __ __ __ fast food.Don’t treat people from different cultures as inferior.
Don’t __ __ __ people from different cultures.Some employers unfairly judge candidates without degrees.
Some employers unfairly __ __ __ candidates without degrees.It’s wrong to think you’re better than others because of your wealth.
It’s wrong to __ __ __ others because of your wealth.Many people wrongly consider manual labor as less important.
Many people wrongly __ __ __ manual labor.Some students treat those in vocational courses as inferior.
Some students __ __ __ those in vocational courses.We shouldn’t judge people based on their accent.
We shouldn’t __ __ __ people based on their accent.It’s unfair to consider non-traditional families as less valuable.
It’s unfair to __ __ __ non-traditional families.Society often unfairly judges people with alternative lifestyles.
Society often unfairly __ __ __ people with alternative lifestyles.Don’t think you’re superior to others because of your job title.
Don’t __ __ __ others because of your job title.
Answers and Explanations
Fill in the Blanks:
1-10. look down on
Sentence Transformation:
1-10. looks down on / look down on
Explanation: In all these sentences, ‘look down on’ is used to express the act of considering someone or something as inferior. It’s important to maintain the correct form (look/looks) depending on the subject of the sentence.
Memory Tips
To remember ‘look down on’:
- Visualize: Imagine someone literally looking down their nose at others.
- Mnemonic: “LOW-D” – Look down On With Disdain
- Association: Connect it with the physical act of looking down from a high place, symbolizing a feeling of superiority.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Separating the phrasal verb: Remember, ‘look down on’ is inseparable.
Incorrect: “He looks people down on.”
Correct: “He looks down on people.”Confusing with ‘look down at’: ‘Look down at’ means to physically look towards the ground.
“She looked down at her shoes” is different from “She looked down on her colleagues.”Overuse in formal writing: While effective in speaking, use more formal alternatives in academic writing.
Incorrect preposition: It’s always ‘on’, not ‘to’ or ‘at’.
Incorrect: “They look down at uneducated people.”
Correct: “They look down on uneducated people.”Using in positive contexts: ‘Look down on’ always carries a negative connotation.
Incorrect: “I look down on my mentor.”
Correct: “I look up to my mentor.”
Conclusion
Mastering ‘look down on’ can significantly enhance your IELTS performance, particularly in the Speaking test. It allows you to express complex social dynamics and personal opinions more effectively. Remember to use it appropriately, considering the context and formality of the situation. Practice incorporating this phrasal verb into your everyday English to build confidence and fluency for your IELTS exam.
To further improve your phrasal verb skills, consider exploring related expressions like ‘track down’ or ‘turn down’. These will help you develop a more comprehensive vocabulary for discussing various topics in your IELTS test.