THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Make allowances for
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Take someone’s circumstances into account and avoid judging them too harshly.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Please make allowances for our new volunteer; she is still learning the routine.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Please ________ our new volunteer; she is still learning the routine.
Show the answer
Make allowances for — Take someone’s circumstances into account and avoid judging them too harshly.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Make allowances for” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
Take someone’s circumstances into account and avoid judging them too harshly.
Compare: Please make allowances for our new volunteer; she is still learning the routine.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression when asking for understanding about someone’s behaviour or performance. It suits everyday and workplace discussion.
More examples in context
- The tutor made allowances for the student’s limited experience.
- We should make allowances for how tired everyone is after the journey.
Usage note
Use “for” before the person or circumstance. Making allowances does not mean accepting every mistake; it means considering relevant difficulties fairly.
A short conversation
A: The new assistant needed a lot of help today.
B: Let’s make allowances for his lack of experience. It was his first shift.
A: I’ll show him the checklist tomorrow.
One more practice question
Which response makes allowances for a beginner?
A. “They are new, so let’s give them time and support.”
B. “They should already know everything without any training.”
Check your answer
A. The first response considers the beginner’s circumstances before judging performance.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.