Meaning
rely on; be determined by
Primary Function
Expressing reliance or conditionality
Communicative Purpose
To indicate that an outcome or decision is influenced by external factors or another person’s actions
Pattern
depend on
Core Structure
depend on
Função primária
Expressing reliance or conditionality
Propósito comunicativo
To indicate that an outcome or decision is influenced by external factors or another person’s actions
Situações de gatilho
decision‑making scenarios where outcomes depend on external factors or another person's actions
Contextos
everyday conversation, professional settings (e.g., business proposals), academic writing
Padrão
depend on
Estrutura central
depend on
Slots de substituição
the weather, your support, what you decide
Colocados típicos
- heavily
- entirely
- it depends on
Substituições comuns
- rely on
- hinge on
- be contingent on
Erros comuns
depend from, depend of
Similar / contraste
rely on, count on, hinge on
Interferências
Learners may confuse 'depend on' with 'depend from' or 'depend of'; the correct preposition is always 'on' (or 'upon'). The phrase 'it depends' is the common adverbial form.
Família do chunk
- dependent
- dependence
Nuance
Used to soften statements, indicating uncertainty or conditional acceptance rather than certainty
Efeito pragmático
Signals that an outcome is not fixed and is subject to change based on external conditions
Dica de memória
depends on
Nota
This chunk is used to indicate that a result or decision is influenced by an external factor or condition. It can also be used to express reliance on someone or something. The chunk is highly versatile and can be used in both spoken and written English, making it an essential part of everyday communication.
Upgrade path
depend on circumstances
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