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break down vs break?



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Meaning of "literate antidote" | delighted vs overjoyed vs elated vs thrilled vs pleased
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break down vs break? #1 (permalink) Wed Apr 15, 2009 18:34 pm   break down vs break?
 

Hi everybody, I have a question about differences between "break down" and "break".
Could anybody please tell me?
I read the book "really learn 100 phrase verbs" and got stuck in practise section of phrase verb "break down".
here it is :
break or break down? choose the best alternative :
"My new mobile phone's broken/broken down." - "Did you drop it again".
the right answer is "broken" but I can't understand why.
Please explain it for me.
Thank you!
Summer_Snow
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Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Posts: 3

break down vs break? #2 (permalink) Wed Apr 15, 2009 19:20 pm   break down vs break?
 

As I learned

"break down " means the to break to subunits, such as break the stick to equal parts

The other one actually I don't know
Hyder12
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Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 33

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break down vs break? #3 (permalink) Fri Apr 17, 2009 20:10 pm   break down vs break?
 

well, thank you, Hyder12.
anyone else? please help!
Summer_Snow
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Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Posts: 3

break down vs break? #4 (permalink) Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:38 am   break down vs break?
 

"Break down" doesn't only mean to break into subunits or small pieces. It often also means to stop functioning, as when a car breaks down. "Break down" is usually used when talking about people or big machines.

When small things stop functioning, like a phone or a radio, we say that they're broken.
Jamie (K)
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

break down vs break? #5 (permalink) Sat Apr 18, 2009 18:28 pm   break down vs break?
 

I understood.
thanks for your help, Jamie (K).
:)
Summer_Snow
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Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Posts: 3

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Meaning of "literate antidote" | delighted vs overjoyed vs elated vs thrilled vs pleased
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