Grammar fix
plough through
work through something laboriously
to finish reading, dealing with, or completing something that is long, difficult, or tedious, usually by making steady but slow progress
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- I had to plough through hundreds of pages of research before I could start writing my essay.study
- In my last job, I often had to plough through long reports, which was quite exhausting but necessary to stay informed.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: plough through + noun (e.g. paperwork, a book, emails)
WrongI ploughed the report through.
RightI ploughed through the report.
'Plough THROUGH' something — it isn't separable like that.
Patternplough through + noun (e.g. paperwork, a book, emails)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Plough through' captures the slog of getting through something long; the formal version is wordy. (US spelling 'plow'.)
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
plough through + heavy thinga reportthe readingpaperworka thick book
Don't confuse it
Unlike the literal sense of 'plough' (to turn over soil), this sense is figurative and refers to making slow, determined progress through something difficult or tedious. It is stronger and more negative than simply 'get through' something.