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Prepare

/prɪˈpɛr/

verbA2

Definition

To prepare means to do things in advance so you are ready for an event, task, or situation. It can include gathering materials, practicing, or organizing what you need. Preparing helps make sure things go well when the time comes.

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See It in Action

To make ready for an event or activity

  • •I prepare my lunch every morning before work.
  • •She prepared her speech carefully for the meeting.
  • •They prepared the room for the guests.

To organize or arrange things in advance

  • •The teacher prepared the lesson plan last night.
  • •We prepared the documents before the interview.

Make It Stick

  • ✓Think of "prepare" like "get ready" (A1 phrase), but it often involves more steps or planning before doing something
  • ✓Picture a chef in a kitchen chopping vegetables and setting the stove before cooking a meal
  • ✓It's the feeling when you pack your bag the night before a trip so you don’t forget anything
  • ✓Sounds like "pre-PAIR" → imagine pairing things together carefully before starting, like matching shoes or ingredients
  • ✓Think of stories where characters prepare for a big event, like a test or a party, by practicing or making plans
  • ✓NOT like "start" (which means to begin doing something), prepare means to do things before starting
  • ✓NOT like "wait" (doing nothing), prepare means to take action before something happens

Try Other Words

  • •Make ready: to arrange or organize things before (use when focusing on making things physically ready)
  • •Plan: to think about and decide what to do before (use when emphasizing thinking or organizing ideas)
  • •Arrange: to put things in order or organize (use when focusing on organizing objects or people)
  • •Practice: to do something repeatedly before an event (use when preparing by repeating actions)

Unboxing

  • •Word parts: prefix "pre-" (before) + root "pare" (from Latin "parare" meaning to make ready)
  • •Etymology: From Latin "praeparare," meaning to make ready before
  • •Historical development: Used in English since the 14th century to mean arranging or making ready in advance
  • •Modern usage: Commonly used for many types of preparation, from cooking to studying or organizing events

Reflect & Connect

•How do you usually prepare for important events like exams or trips?
•Can you think of a time when preparing well helped you avoid problems? What did you do?

Fill in the blanks

1.Before the party, she prepared ___ decorations and food to welcome the guests.
2.To prepare for the test, he studied ___ and practiced all the exercises.
3.Preparing well means you ___ surprises and feel more confident.
4.Unlike starting immediately, to prepare you must ___ things in advance.
5.We prepared ___ the meeting by printing all the necessary papers.
6.When you prepare a meal, you often chop vegetables ___ cooking.
7.If you don’t prepare properly, you might feel ___ during the event.