Meaning trap
lay out
spend money
to spend a significant amount of money on something, often more than expected or with some reluctance.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to spend a significant amount of money on something, often more than expected or with some reluctance.
'lay out' also has the more basic meaning 'arrange or plan something'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- I had to lay out nearly £2,000 for car repairs last month.money
- Some people are unwilling to lay out large sums on insurance, believing it to be unnecessary until a problem arises.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: lay out (money) (on/for something)
WrongI laid out £500 for the car.
RightI laid out £500 on the car.
'Lay out + amount + ON something' (not 'for').
Patternlay out (money) (on/for something)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Lay out' (informal) means fork out money. 'Expend a considerable sum' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
lay out + ona fortune£500good moneyon repairs
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('spread things out') and the B2 sense ('arrange or plan'), this sense is figurative and refers specifically to spending money, not to physical arrangement or planning.
Related
- lay out (arrange or plan something) — 'lay out' also has the more basic meaning 'arrange or plan something'; this is the advanced sense.