personal development — growth as a person
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
The process of improving your skills, knowledge, character, or understanding to become a better or more capable person.
Say it like a native
Textbook She is committed to the betterment of her own self.
Native She's really focused on personal development.
'The betterment of her own self' is clumsy; 'personal development' is the standard term.
Pattern: personal development (uncountable noun)
In use
- Reading regularly is an important part of personal development.daily life
- In my opinion, personal development is essential because it helps people adapt to new situations and achieve their goals.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ It's good for my personal develop.
✓ It's good for my personal development.
'Development' (noun), not 'develop' (verb).
Common collocations
personal development— personal development, personal growth, focus on, professional development
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'professional development', which focuses on work skills.