Meaning trap
settle down
become calm
To become quiet, relaxed, or less active, especially after being excited or upset.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To become quiet, relaxed, or less active, especially after being excited or upset.
Another meaning of 'settle down' is 'start a stable life'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- After the teacher entered the room, the students quickly settled down.daily life
- When I feel stressed before an exam, I try to take deep breaths to help myself settle down.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: settle down (often used without an object)
WrongThe kids couldn't settle down themselves.
RightThe kids couldn't settle down.
Intransitive here — no reflexive object; you don't 'settle down yourself'.
Patternsettle down (often used without an object)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
Natural; 'compose yourselves and cease your excitement' is formal/theatrical.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
settle downsettle down a bitquicklytake a while toeveryone
Don't confuse it
'Settle down' can mean to become calm or to start a stable life—make sure you choose the right meaning for the situation.
Related
- settle down (start a stable life) — Another meaning of 'settle down' is 'start a stable life'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.