lay out — arrange or plan something
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
to organize, explain, or plan something clearly, often step by step.
Say it like a native
Textbook The document delineates the procedure in comprehensive detail.
Native The document lays out the steps clearly.
'Lay out' is the natural verb for setting something out clearly. 'Delineates in comprehensive detail' is overblown.
Pattern: lay out + noun
In use
- She laid out her plan for the new project during the meeting.study
- In my opinion, it's important to lay out your main arguments before you start writing an essay.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ He laid out clearly his argument.
✓ He laid out his argument clearly. / He laid his argument out clearly.
Keep 'lay out' together before the object, or put the adverb at the end — not between.
Common collocations
lay out + plan— the plan, your case, the options, the steps
Don't confuse it
'Lay out' can mean to explain or organize, while 'set out' often means to start a journey or task.
Related
- lay out (spread things out so you can see them) — Another meaning of 'lay out' is 'spread things out so you can see them'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.