A smaller amount can be a practical goal.
The idea
Use cut down on before a noun or pronoun to mean consume or use less. Keep the three parts together: cut down on it. It is neutral in everyday speech.
Examples
- I am cutting down on coffee.
- We cut down on sugar last month.
- The café is cutting down on plastic cups.
- Can you cut down on salt in this soup?
- The neighbours cut down on water during the dry summer.
- I buy too much juice, so I want to cut down on it.
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Watch out
Do not put the object before on: say cut down on sugar, not cut down sugar on. Reducing is not necessarily stopping.
Try it yourself
Choose the correct option. We want to cut down ___ sweets. (on / at)
Show answer or example answer
on
on connects the verb to sweets.
Choose the correct option. They ___ down on fuel last year. (cut / cuts)
Show answer or example answer
cut
cut is also the past form, as the time phrase shows.
Choose the correct option. There is too much waste; cut down ___. (on it / it on)
Show answer or example answer
on it
on it keeps the pronoun after the preposition.
Practice round
Answer questions and rebuild English sentences to practise. Your score is shown.
Choose the correct option. We want to cut down ___ sweets. (on / at)
Choose the correct option. They ___ down on fuel last year. (cut / cuts)
Choose the correct option. There is too much waste; cut down ___. (on it / it on)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe something you would like to use less of.