Allow for Explained | English Vocabulary

There is a phrasal verb that can change the way you communicate — at work, when you travel, and in your daily conversations. It has multiple different meanings, and native English speakers use it every single day without even thinking about it. Here is your hint: You use this verb when you plan ahead and include extra time, money, or possibility in your calculation. Stay with me, because I am about to reveal everything.

Professional example: The budget allowed for unexpected costs, so the delay did not surprise anyone.

Everyday example: I always allow for traffic before booking a flight.

There it is — allow for. Two completely different situations, one phrasal verb. But what does it really mean, and why does it show up in so many different places? Hang on — I will explain everything in just a moment.

3 Meanings of Allow for

Here is the answer I promised you at the beginning. Allow for has several powerful meanings, and today I will teach you all of them.

The first meaning: to consider or include something when estimating or planning.

The second meaning: to make something possible by design or by arrangement.

And the third meaning: to leave room for a certain possibility or margin.

How Professionals and Everyday Speakers Use It

Now let us put these to work.

Good planning allows for delays, overruns, and surprises, and teams that allow for risk keep their deadlines realistic.

We allow for rain on picnic days and extra minutes in the morning rush.

Now that you understand the core meaning of allow for, subscribe if you want to master more phrasal verbs that English speakers actually use every day. And if this lesson helped you, let me know by hitting the like button. We post new vocabulary lessons on this blog every week.

4 Real Examples

Let us see allow for in action, with four real examples — two for work, two for everyday life. Example one — The schedule allowed for two hours of setup before the launch. Example two — We allowed for a slower printer, and the report still went out on time. Example three — I allowed for rush hour and left ten minutes early. Example four — They allowed for a small crowd, but the room filled up completely.

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Your Turn

Now it is your turn. Go to the comments and post your own sentence using allow for. Writing your own examples is one of the most powerful ways to remember new vocabulary — but more importantly, it helps you put your new phrasal verb into practice immediately. So do not skip this part. Write your sentence now.

If you enjoyed this lesson, leave a comment to let me know! Keep learning, and see you in the next post. And in the next episode, I will show you another essential phrasal verb — 'Answer Back'. You will not want to miss it. See you there!

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