breathing language

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to pick out

– B2-C1 (intermediate to advanced) –

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Listen to blog post: "to pick out" Josh Douglas

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DEFINITION

In North American English this phrasal verb typically means:

  1. to choose something from a group of things that you would like to use

  2. to identify something from a group of things

EXAMPLES

  • (1) “It always takes a long time to pick out a movie on Netflix. There are just too many options; it’s overwhelming.”

  • (1) “My daughter and I love going to the library to pick out books to read.”

  • (2) “Growing up, my mother always encouraged me to pick out the clothes that I wanted to wear the next day so that getting ready for school would take less time.”

  • (2) “Even though there were so many people at the festival, I was able to pick out my friend from the crowd with no problem.”

SYNONYMS

  • (1) to choose

  • (1 ) to select

  • (1) to opt for

  • (2) to identify

  • (2) to distinguish

  • (2) to spot

What kinds of things have you picked out before? Practice using this phrasal verb by letting me know in the comments below.