Grammar Level 5- Lesson Seventeen
In this grammar lesson, you learn about Cut in English and how to use it in your English conversation and writing. Just follow examples and write them down a few times to learn them very well. After finishing this lesson, you should work on its quiz.
Grammar Recap
In our previous lesson, we covered the Keep If you just landed on this page, we suggest that you complete our previous lesson including its quizzes before continuing on this lesson.
Requirement Lessons
There is no required lessons for working and learning this lesson.
Cut
cut / cut / cut / cutting
The verb “cut” is used when something is made smaller with scissors or when someone is hurt by something sharp. It can also mean to stop, reduce, or eliminate something.
1. Use the scissors to cut the thread.
2. The coach told his players that if they missed too many games, they would be cut from the team.
3. He has to be very careful not to cut himself while shaving.
4. Pamela had to cut short her conversation because someone was waiting to use the phone.
(cut short = you stop doing something before you are really ready to stop. This is an idiom.)
5. Cut the cantaloupe in half, and then cut it up into smaller pieces.
(cut it up / cut them up = make small pieces by cutting.)
6. When the pillow fight got too noisy, Susan’s father told them to cut it out.
“Cut it out! You’re making too much noise!”
(cut it out = as an idiom, this means to stop doing something–usually used when angry or irritated)
7. Taking the train every morning to work cuts my commuting time by about 15 minutes compared to driving.
8. She’s getting her hair dyed and cut.
Where do you get your hair cut?
(Because someone usually does the work for you, “cut” is often in the passive voice with get or the causative form: I had my hair cut yesterday.)
Cut
present tense: cut / cuts
past tense: cut
future: will cut
present continuous: am / is / are / cutting
past continuous: was / were cutting
future continuous: will be cutting
present perfect: has / have cut
past perfect: had cut
future perfect: will have cut
present perfect continuous: has / have been cutting
past perfect continuous: had been cutting
future perfect continuous: will have been cutting
modal verbs: ______ cut
past tense modal: ______ have cut
infinitive: to cut
gerund: cutting
passive: yes
Idioms that begin with the verb Cut
cut = a reduction in spending or in a price.
The government will need to cut spending in certain areas in order to reduce the budget deficit.
cut = a reduction in a team or employment in a company.
Twenty percent of the workers at that company were cut in order to reduce the costs of doing business. (this sentence is in the passive voice.)
He was given a detention for cutting class.
cut a check = to write a check for money.
We cut a check for $5000 when we bought our car, and then we financed the rest.
cut (one) a deal = enter into a business agreement on favorable terms. also, make a deal.
Do you think you can cut us a deal on this furniture? I don’t want to pay the full price.
cut and dried = easy to see or understand the truth.
The situation in Afghanistan isn’t cut and dried; that’s why the United States is still there.
cut in = to go before someone else who is waiting in a line. (also, cut in front of)
Do you mind if I cut in front of you? I only want to buy these two items.
cut it = to do well; to compete successfully against others.
If Harold can’t cut it as a salesperson, he should think about going into another line of work.
cut it out = stop doing something.
The two boys stopped fighting after the teacher told them to cut it out.
cut (one’s) loses = to get out of a bad business deal; to sell and take a loss.
The company decided it was better to cut its loses now rather than wait until next year to sell some land that was losing its value.
cut off = to stop providing service, usually utilities such as water and electricity.
Ali and Sara couldn’t afford to pay their electric bills anymore, so the electric company cut off their power.
cut (one) off = to get in front of someone; an act of rudeness, usually used for conversation.
The lawyer for the defense was trying to make an important point, but the judge cut her off before she could finish talking.
cut out for = in perfect condition for an activity; to be skilled in an area.
She’s not cut out for camping. In fact, she really hates it.
cut (one’s) own throat = to hurt oneself, usually in an indirect manner.
He’s going to cut his own throat and that of his family if he continues to make risky investments.
cutthroat = merciless; mean; aggressive.
The only way they could stay in business was to take a cutthroat approach towards the competition. But now everyone hates them.
Quiz for Cut
Now that you learned your new lesson, it is time to go to the Cut page and finish your quiz. While working on your quiz, you can always go back to its lesson to refresh your memory.
Private Lessons in English
If you need help with quizzes of this lesson, you can hire one of our expert private English teachers by going to our Private English Tutors page and submit a request. When submitting your request, make sure to mention the grammar level and lesson number.
Next Grammar Lesson
In our next lesson, we will cover the Play Before moving to the next lesson, we suggest that you complete this lesson including its quizzes.
Related Grammar Lessons
None
Grammar Level 5 Outline
If you wish to explore all lessons that are covered in HiCafe Grammar Level 5, you can visit the Grammar Level 5 Outline page.
Practice English Grammar Skills
For a comprehensive practice of English grammar with quizzes, you can visit the Improve English Grammar Skills page to view HiCafe 250 grammar lessons in 7 levels plus prepositions and pronouns.