The Reason Why: English Vocabulary List

used when one wants to explain how a series of events made something happen without giving away many details

"One thing led to another."

"One thing led to another during the meeting and by the end they had agreed on an entirely new strategy."

to cause strong and overwhelming emotional reactions, often leading to a burst of tears, feelings, or memories

"The news opened the floodgates quickly."

"When she started crying, it opened the floodgates and everyone began to share their feelings."

to create a situation in which it is easier for one to do something or for something to happen

"This discovery paved the way for new medicine."

"His research paved the way for future scientists to make even more important discoveries."

to be the direct cause of something, particularly something unpleasant

"He is at bottom."

"The detective suspected that the jealous brother was at the bottom of the crime."

to have a limited amount or number of something left

"It is down to you now to finish the job."

"It is down to the last few tickets, so you should buy yours quickly before they sell out."

with no particular or apparent reason

"Do not argue for the sake of it."

"He disagreed with the plan for the sake of it without having any real reason."

to figure out why things are the way they are and be able to identify the reason

"I can't put my finger on it."

"He couldn't quite put his finger on why the project felt incomplete."

used to refer to where the all the trouble comes from or where things get difficult

"The lack of money is where the shoe pinches."

"The company's cash flow problem is where the shoe pinches because they cannot pay suppliers."

the strong belief of someone being responsible for or guilty of something

"The finger of suspicion pointed at the butler."

"The finger of suspicion pointed at the security guard because he alone had access to the safe."

a situation in which one finds it impossible to determine which one of two things is responsible for the occurrence of another or existed before the other one did

"It is a chicken and egg situation with jobs and experience."

"You need experience to get a job but you need a job to get experience it is a chicken and egg situation."

to blame someone or hold them accountable for something bad that has happened

"They point the finger."

"It is unhelpful to point the finger at one person when the whole team made errors."

to do something that makes it possible or easier for something else to occur

"This sets the stage well."

"The new government policies set the stage for significant economic reforms that would transform the country's financial system over the next decade."

to cause the development of a particular idea or feeling

"She planted the seeds of doubt."

"The teacher's inspiring words planted the seeds of ambition in the young student's mind from an early age."

(of an action or decision) to allow for many possibilities, particularly those that were previously unavailable

"This will open the floodgates."

"The new policy will effectively open the floodgates to a wide range of previously unimagined opportunities."

to be heavily dependent on someone or something

"It is down to you."

"The success of this ambitious project is entirely down to the dedication and expertise of the lead engineer."

to cause the development of a particular idea or feeling

"He will sow the seeds."

"The controversial remarks by the politician seemed to sow the seeds of widespread public discontent."