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Grammar fix

wade through

work through something slowly and with difficulty (figurative)

to read, deal with, or complete something that is long, boring, or difficult, especially when it takes a lot of effort and time

phrasal verbC1occasional

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • I had to wade through hundreds of pages of legal documents before I found the information I needed.work
  • In my last job, I often had to wade through complex reports, which was quite time-consuming but necessary to make informed decisions.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: wade through + noun (usually plural or uncountable)

WrongI waded the paperwork.

RightI waded through the paperwork.

'Wade THROUGH' a mass of stuff — don't drop 'through'.

Patternwade through + noun (usually plural or uncountable)

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff I laboriously worked my way through the lengthy report.

Natural I had to wade through the whole report.

'Wade through' captures the slow slog through something long or boring; the paraphrase is heavy.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • wade through + slog
    paperworkthe reporthundreds of emailsthe data

Don't confuse it

Unlike the literal meaning (walking with difficulty through water), this sense is figurative and refers to dealing with tasks or information, not physical movement.

Try it in Daily Speak →