FluencyCraft

account

"Account" is a very useful and common English word. It works as both a noun and a verb, and it has around 5 core meanings you will encounter regularly — from bank accounts to explaining your actions to telling a story.

1nounbank or online account

Think of this as a personal space that belongs to you within a system — like your space at a bank where your money is kept, or your profile on a website or app.

banking, technology, everyday language · Modern, widely used

She opened a savings account at the bank last week.

You need to create an account before you can use the app.

He checked his account and saw that his salary had arrived.

2nouna description or report of events

When someone tells you what happened — in speech or in writing — that is an account. Imagine a witness at a crime scene telling the police exactly what they saw. That story is their account.

journalism, everyday language, history · Modern, widely used

The journalist wrote a detailed account of the earthquake.

The two witnesses gave very different accounts of the accident.

She gave a first-hand account of life during the war.

3verbaccount for — to explain something

When you account for something, you give a reason or explanation for it. If your boss asks why sales dropped, you need to account for it — meaning you need to explain why it happened.

business, everyday language · Modern, widely used

Can you account for the missing money in the budget?

The bad weather accounted for the low number of visitors.

He couldn't account for where he had been that evening.

4verbaccount for — to make up a portion

This sense is about proportion or share. If something accounts for 30% of a total, it means it makes up or represents that 30%. You will see this a lot in reports and statistics.

business, science, journalism · Modern, widely used

Tourism accounts for 20% of the country's income.

Young people account for the largest share of social media users.

Rent accounts for more than half of her monthly expenses.

5nounon account of — because of

This is a slightly formal way of saying 'because of' or 'due to'. You use it to give a reason for something.

formal writing, everyday language · Formal, still widely used

The match was cancelled on account of the heavy rain.

She stayed home on account of her illness.

On account of his experience, he was chosen for the role.

Content generated by AI — may contain inaccuracies