break down

Example Use of Phrasal Verb “break down”:

Jim: “My car broke down on the highway.”
Sally: “Oh no! That’s terrible.”

Phrasal Verb: Break Down

“Break down” has several common meanings:

1. To stop functioning (machinery):

Example: “My car broke down on the highway.”

2. To fail emotionally or mentally:

Example: “She broke down in tears.”

3. To divide something into smaller parts for analysis:

Example:  “Let’s break down the problem into smaller steps.”

4. To overcome resistance or obstacles:

Example: “Negotiations broke down the barriers between the two sides.”

Example Sentences for Present Simple for BREAK DOWN

My old car breaks down frequently.
He breaks down complex concepts for his students.
Sometimes she breaks down when she’s stressed.
The machine breaks down every few weeks.
The teacher breaks down the assignment into smaller tasks.
They break down the numbers for analysis.

Example Sentences for Past Simple for BREAK DOWN

My computer broke down yesterday.
She broke down after receiving the bad news.
The negotiators broke down the deadlock.
The old bridge broke down under the weight.
The accountant broke down the budget.
They broke down the door.

Example Sentences for Future Simple for BREAK DOWN

My car will break down eventually.
She will break down if she doesn’t take a break.
We will break down the data into manageable sections.
The machine will break down if it is not serviced.
The team will break down the defenses.
The company will break down the project into phases.

Example Sentences for Present Continuous for BREAKING DOWN

The car is breaking down on the side of the road.
She is breaking down under the pressure.
We are breaking down the report into smaller parts.
The old building is breaking down.
The analyst is breaking down the sales figures.
They are breaking down the wall.

Example Sentences for Past Continuous for BREAKING DOWN

My phone was breaking down during the call.
She was breaking down when she heard the news.
We were breaking down the problem when the meeting ended.
The old engine was breaking down.
The engineer was breaking down the system.
They were breaking down the resistance.

Example Sentences for Future Continuous for BREAKING DOWN

The machine will be breaking down if it is not repaired soon.
She will be breaking down if she does not find a solution.
We will be breaking down the survey results.
The old system will be breaking down.
The team will be breaking down the strategy.
They will be breaking down the information.

Example Sentences for Present Perfect for BROKEN DOWN

My computer has broken down again.
She has broken down several times this year.
We have broken down the project into phases.
The old factory has broken down.
The analyst has broken down the data.
They have broken down the code.

Example Sentences for Past Perfect for BROKEN DOWN

My car had broken down before I could get to the meeting.
She had broken down before she called for help.
We had broken down the problem into smaller steps.
The old building had broken down.
The engineer had broken down the system.
They had broken down the barriers.

Example Sentences for Future Perfect for BROKEN DOWN

My car will have broken down by the time I can afford a new one.
She will have broken down if she does not seek help.
We will have broken down the complex problem.
The system will have broken down.
The team will have broken down the enemy defenses.
They will have broken down the information.