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  • Welcome to twominenglish.com. Teaching you English through two-minute lessons.

  • In this lesson, let's learn about the meaning and use of the phrasal verbbreak down'.

  • Let's discuss the phrasal verbbreak down' today.

  • I know a bit about it. 'Break down' means crying.

  • You're right. When one is unable to control his emotions he or she may break down in tears.

  • However, ‘break down' can also mean a damage in a machine or a car when it stops working.

  • Funny you've mentioned it. My car broke down earlier today!

  • Ouch! Sorry about that, Nina. Butbreak down' also means to resolve something, ending a long dispute.

  • For example: ‘Finally the case broke down when Henry agreed to compensate'.

  • Yes, ‘break down' means solving a task. This phrasal verb also means an in-depth analysis of something, breaking something else into parts.

  • Exactly! A complex problem may be solved by breaking it down to a number of smaller steps or parts.

  • Absolutely! It means to divide into smaller parts or to separate.

  • But it also means to force someone to give up, to tell a secret or make make someone agree to do something.

  • Yeah! Like breaking up a terrorist group! That's breaking down something. Now, breaking down something also means to destroy or ruin it.

  • So many possibilities! We should listen to some conversations with examples now.

  • Great idea!

  • Ron, why don't you service your car?

  • I will do it in the evening.

  • It might break down any moment now.

  • Yeah, I know. My dad finally broke down and gave me some money to get it fixed.

  • Good for you!

  • Ron, can you look at this math problem?

  • Hmmm...linear algebra. It's always better to break down such problems into smaller steps.

  • Wow! You've always been so good in solving problems!

  • I wish I could be so quick with real life problems too. They break me down all the time.

  • Don't worry, Ron. These family matters are just a temporary bother.

  • Why so gloomy today, Candice?

  • Nothing much, I had to lock horns with my brother.

  • What happened?

  • He broke down the dog house.

  • Then?

  • Then what? He ruined it, so I broke down crying.

  • Sorry to hear it!

  • That's fine. He promised to build a new one today.

  • My car broke down earlier today!

  • It might break down any moment now.

  • It's always better to break down such problems into smaller steps.

  • He broke down the dog house.

  • so I broke down crying.

Welcome to twominenglish.com. Teaching you English through two-minute lessons.

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