Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'cut down on' to describe reducing the amount or frequency of a habit, expense, or consumption without stopping it entirely.
- Always use 'on' before the object (e.g., 'cut down on sugar').
- It is inseparable; you cannot put the object between the words.
- The verb 'cut' is irregular: cut (present), cut (past), cut (past participle).
Overview
cut down on은 일상생활뿐만 아니라 비즈니스, 건강 관리, 환경 문제 등 다양한 맥락에서 빈번하게 사용되는 표현입니다. 이 구동사는 단순히 무언가를 '줄이다'라는 의미를 넘어, 습관이나 소비, 활동의 양이나 빈도를 의식적으로, 그리고 점진적으로 조절하려는 의지를 담고 있습니다.cut down on은 그 안에 '적정 수준으로 낮추다'라는 중도(moderation)의 철학이 담겨 있습니다. 예를 들어, 담배를 완전히 끊는 것은 quit이나 give up을 사용하지만, 하루 한 갑 피우던 것을 다섯 개비로 줄이는 노력은 cut down on이 가장 적합한 표현입니다.reduce라는 단어에만 의존하는 경향이 있습니다. 하지만 reduce는 다소 격식 있고 통계적인 느낌을 주는 반면, cut down on은 개인의 결단과 라이프스타일의 변화를 나타낼 때 훨씬 원어민스러운(natural) 느낌을 줍니다. 이번 강의에서는 이 구동사의 구조적 특징부터 한국인 학습자가 특히 주의해야 할 문법적 함정까지 심도 있게 다루어 보겠습니다.cut down on은 세 개의 단어가 모여 하나의 의미 단위를 형성하는 3어 구동사(Three-word phrasal verb)입니다. 이 구조를 문법적으로 분석해 보면 다음과 같습니다:- 1Verb (
cut): 기본 동사인cut은 무언가를 자르거나 분리하는 물리적 행위를 뜻합니다. 여기서는 양을 '베어내어' 덜어낸다는 비유적 의미로 쓰입니다. - 2Adverbial Particle (
down): 부사적 입자인down은 방향성을 제시합니다. 높은 수치에서 낮은 수치로 하향 조정한다는 의미를 강화합니다. - 3Preposition (
on): 전치사on은 이 행동이 미치는 대상이나 영역을 지정합니다. 한국어의 조사 '~을/를' 또는 '~에 대해서'와 유사한 역할을 하지만, 영어에서는 이on이 빠지면 문장의 의미가 완전히 달라지거나 비문이 됩니다.
나는 커피를 줄이고 있어라고 목적어 뒤에 조사를 붙이지만, 영어는
I am cutting down on coffee와 같이 구동사 덩어리 뒤에 목적어를 배치합니다.on의 역할입니다. cut down만 쓰게 되면 '나무를 베어 넘기다'라거나 '비용을 삭감하다'라는 일반적인 의미가 되지만, 구체적인 습관이나 소비 대상을 지칭할 때는 반드시 on을 통해 연결고리를 만들어 주어야 합니다. 이는 한국어에서 '술을 줄이다'와 '술에 대해 줄이다'의 차이보다 훨씬 엄격한 문법적 규칙입니다.cut down on의 문장 구성 패턴은 비교적 일정하지만, 동사 cut의 시제 변화에 주의해야 합니다. cut은 현재-과거-과거분사 형태가 모두 동일한 불규칙 동사이기 때문입니다.Subject + cut (시제 변화) + down + on + Object (명사구 또는 동명사구)I, My doctor, We, The government |cut) | 핵심 동작 (현재/과거/과거분사 동일) | cut, is cutting, has cut |down) | 감소의 방향성 | down |on) | 대상 연결 | on |sugar, spending, using plastic, drinking |- 현재 진행형 (의지 강조):
I'm cutting down on delivery food these days.(요즘 배달 음식을 줄이고 있어요.) - 과거형 (완료된 결심):
Last year, I cut down on caffeine for better sleep.(지난해에 숙면을 위해 카페인을 줄였습니다.) - 현재 완료형 (상태 유지):
She has cut down on social media usage recently.(그녀는 최근 소셜 미디어 사용을 줄여 오고 있습니다.)
sugar, expenses)뿐만 아니라, 구체적인 행동을 나타내는 동명사(-ing 형태)가 올 수 있습니다.You should cut down on buying clothes you don't need.(필요 없는 옷을 사는 것을 줄여야 합니다.)
cut down on은 주로 다음과 같은 네 가지 상황에서 빛을 발합니다. 각 상황별로 한국적인 맥락을 곁들여 이해해 보세요.I need to cut down on salty food like kimchi stew.(김치찌개 같은 짠 음식을 줄여야겠어요.)My trainer told me to cut down on carbs to lose weight.(트레이너가 살을 빼려면 탄수화물을 줄이라고 하더군요.)
To save up for a house, we have to cut down on discretionary spending.(집을 사기 위해 저축하려면 가처분 지출을 줄여야 합니다.)I'm trying to cut down on using taxi apps.(택시 앱 이용을 줄이려고 노력 중이에요.)
I’ve decided to cut down on gaming to focus on my certification exam.(자격증 시험에 집중하기 위해 게임 시간을 줄이기로 했어요.)We should cut down on unnecessary meetings at work.(회사에서 불필요한 회의를 줄여야 합니다.)
Many cafes are trying to cut down on plastic straws.(많은 카페가 플라스틱 빨대 사용을 줄이려 노력하고 있습니다.)We must cut down on carbon emissions to tackle climate change.(기후 변화에 대처하기 위해 탄소 배출을 줄여야만 합니다.)
on의 누락I need to cut down sugar라고 말하기 쉽습니다. 하지만 cut down만 쓰면 물리적으로 자른다는 뜻이 강해집니다. 설탕 덩어리를 칼로 자르는 것이 아니라면, 반드시 on을 써야 합니다.- Wrong:
The doctor advised him to cut down smoking. - Right:
The doctor advised him to cut down on smoking.
cut down과 reduce의 어조 혼동reduce는 객관적이고 공식적인 수치 감소에 어울립니다. 반면 cut down on은 개인의 습관이나 노력이 포함된 맥락에 어울립니다. 친구와 커피를 마시며 «나 요즘 커피 줄여»라고 할 때 I am reducing my coffee intake라고 하면 지나치게 격식을 차린 느낌(too formal)을 줍니다. 이때는 I'm cutting down on coffee가 훨씬 자연스럽습니다.cut down on은 양(amount)이나 빈도(frequency)를 줄일 수 있는 대상에만 씁니다. 감정이나 추상적인 개념에는 어울리지 않습니다.- Wrong:
I want to cut down on my sadness.(슬픔은 양을 조절하는 습관이 아닙니다.) - Right:
I want to overcome my sadness.또는I want to cut down on negative thinking.(부정적인 생각이라는 '빈도'를 조절하는 것은 가능합니다.)
- Wrong:
I cut down on attending that party yesterday. - Right:
I decided not to go to the party.
cut down on과 거의 유사하나, 특히 예산이나 비용 삭감에 더 자주 쓰임 | 기업의 비용 절감, 가계 지출 축소 |cut down on vs cut back on의 미묘한 차이:cut down on은 '양'의 감소에, cut back on은 '공급이나 규모'의 축소에 무게가 실립니다. 예를 들어 회사가 직원을 줄일 때는 cut back on staff가 더 어울립니다.cut down on 뒤에 사람을 쓸 수 있나요?I need to cut down on my brother라고 하면 동생의 존재감을 줄인다는 아주 이상한 의미가 됩니다. 사람과의 관계를 줄이고 싶다면 spend less time with를 사용하세요.cut down on과 cut down은 아예 다른 뜻인가요?cut down은 전치사 없이 쓰일 때 '나무를 베어 넘어뜨리다'라는 뜻이 기본입니다. 비유적으로는 '누군가를 깎아내리다' 혹은 '군살을 빼다'라는 의미로도 쓰이지만, 우리가 배운 '습관의 절제' 의미로 쓰려면 반드시 on이 필요합니다.cut down on 대신 less를 써도 되나요?I eat less sugar는 단순한 사실을 말하고, I am cutting down on sugar는 줄이려고 노력 중이라는 '과정'과 '의지'를 강조합니다. 원어민들은 자신의 변화를 설명할 때 구동사를 훨씬 선호합니다.cutted라고 써도 되나요?cut은 cut-cut-cut으로 변화하는 동사입니다. 과거형도 여전히 cut입니다. 문맥상 어제 일을 말하고 있다면 Yesterday, I cut down on...이라고 써야 하며, 이는 C1 레벨에서 절대 틀려서는 안 될 기본 중의 기본입니다.cut down on은 여러분의 영어를 훨씬 더 풍성하고 원어민스럽게 만들어 줄 것입니다. 단순히 단어를 외우는 것을 넘어, 여러분의 일상 속에서 줄이고 싶은 습관 하나를 떠올리며 문장을 만들어 보세요. I'm going to cut down on...으로 시작하는 여러분만의 문장이 입에 붙는 순간, 이 문법은 완전히 여러분의 것이 됩니다.2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|
|
do not cut down on
|
don't cut down on
|
|
does not cut down on
|
doesn't cut down on
|
|
did not cut down on
|
didn't cut down on
|
|
have not cut down on
|
haven't cut down on
|
Conjugation of 'Cut down on'
| Tense | Subject | Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I/You/We/They
|
cut down on
|
|
Present Simple
|
He/She/It
|
cuts down on
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
cut down on
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am cutting down on
|
|
Present Continuous
|
He/She/It
|
is cutting down on
|
|
Present Continuous
|
You/We/They
|
are cutting down on
|
|
Present Perfect
|
I/You/We/They
|
have cut down on
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will cut down on
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
cutting down on
|
Meanings
To consume or do less of something, typically for health, financial, or environmental reasons.
Health & Diet
Reducing intake of food, drink, or substances.
“The doctor told him to cut down on red meat.”
“She's cutting down on salt to lower her blood pressure.”
Financial/Budgetary
Reducing expenditures or the use of resources.
“We need to cut down on our monthly subscriptions.”
“The company is cutting down on travel expenses this year.”
Environmental/Abstract
Reducing waste, emissions, or time spent on activities.
“We must cut down on our carbon footprint.”
“I'm trying to cut down on the time I spend on social media.”
Reference Table
| 사용 상황 | 목적어 종류 | 동사 시제 | 예시 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
건강 및 식단
|
명사
|
현재
|
I need to cut down on sugar.
|
|
건강 및 식단
|
동명사
|
현재
|
She's cutting down on eating fast food.
|
|
재정 및 지출
|
명사
|
과거
|
We cut down on subscriptions last month.
|
|
시간 관리
|
동명사
|
현재 완료
|
He has cut down on watching TV.
|
|
환경 보호
|
명사
|
현재
|
They are trying to cut down on plastic.
|
|
일반적인 습관
|
명사
|
미래
|
You will need to cut down on distractions.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
It is advisable to reduce one's intake of refined sugars. (Dietary advice)
I'm trying to cut down on sugar. (Dietary advice)
I'm cutting back on the sweet stuff. (Dietary advice)
I'm ditching the sugar high. (Dietary advice)
수준별 예문
I cut down on sweets.
I eat fewer sweets.
He cuts down on soda.
He drinks less soda.
Do you cut down on salt?
Do you eat less salt?
We cut down on TV.
We watch less TV.
I am trying to cut down on chocolate.
I am attempting to eat less chocolate.
She cut down on coffee last week.
She reduced her coffee intake last week.
They don't cut down on water.
They do not reduce their water use.
Can you cut down on the noise?
Can you be a bit quieter?
If you want to save money, you should cut down on eating out.
Reducing restaurant visits helps save money.
The government wants to cut down on pollution.
The authorities aim to reduce environmental damage.
I've been cutting down on my screen time lately.
I have been using my phone less recently.
It's hard to cut down on sugar when you love baking.
Reducing sugar is difficult for bakers.
The company had to cut down on travel expenses due to the recession.
Economic downturn forced a reduction in travel costs.
By cutting down on plastic, we can help the oceans.
Reducing plastic usage benefits marine life.
He's finally cutting down on his heavy workload.
He is reducing the amount of work he does.
Have they considered cutting down on their energy consumption?
Have they thought about using less energy?
We need to cut down on the bureaucratic hurdles that delay our projects.
We must reduce the administrative obstacles.
The report suggests cutting down on carbon emissions by 20% by next year.
The document proposes a 20% reduction in CO2.
I've decided to cut down on social commitments to focus on my thesis.
I am reducing my social life for my studies.
The city is cutting down on traffic congestion by improving public transit.
Better transport is reducing road jams.
The CEO's primary objective was to cut down on operational redundancies across all departments.
The goal was to eliminate unnecessary repeated tasks.
To mitigate the risk of burnout, she had to drastically cut down on her extracurricular obligations.
She reduced outside duties to avoid exhaustion.
The treaty aims to cut down on the proliferation of short-lived climate pollutants.
The agreement targets the reduction of specific pollutants.
He argued that cutting down on state intervention would stimulate market growth.
He claimed less government involvement would help the economy.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners use 'cut down on' for trees or 'cut down' for habits.
They are almost identical in meaning.
Learners use 'cut down on' when they mean they stopped completely.
자주 하는 실수
I cut down sugar.
I cut down on sugar.
He cutted down on salt.
He cut down on salt.
I cut down on to eat cake.
I cut down on eating cake.
She cuts on sugar.
She cuts down on sugar.
I'm cutting down on the smoke.
I'm cutting down on smoking.
They cut down on their spendings.
They cut down on their spending.
Did you cutted down on coffee?
Did you cut down on coffee?
I cut sugar down on.
I cut down on sugar.
We need to cut down on the costs of living.
We need to cut down on the cost of living.
I'm cutting down on to use my car.
I'm cutting down on using my car.
The company cut down on its personnel.
The company cut down on its staff / reduced its personnel.
We must cut down on the tree.
We must cut down the tree.
He is cutting down on his commitments' amount.
He is cutting down on his commitments.
The policy aims to cut down on the poverty.
The policy aims to cut down on poverty.
문장 패턴
I'm trying to cut down on ___.
The best way to cut down on ___ is to ___.
Unless we cut down on ___, we will face ___.
It is imperative that the company cuts down on ___ to ensure ___.
Real World Usage
You really need to cut down on saturated fats.
We must cut down on operational waste to stay competitive.
I'm cutting down on coffee, so no Starbucks for me today!
Cutting down on meat consumption is the best way to help the planet.
In my last role, I cut down on processing time by 15%.
Day 5 of cutting down on screen time! Feeling great.
'on'을 꼭 기억하세요!
일회성 행동에는 사용하지 않아요
Cut down on is specifically for habits or things you do/consume regularly.이유를 함께 설명해 보세요
cutting down on something, it often sounds more natural if you add *why*."정중한 거절 방법
동명사 또는 명사
eating sweets)가 올 수 있다는 걸 기억하세요. 둘 다 아주 정확하고 널리 사용돼요! Remember that the object after on can be either a noun (e.g., sweets) or a gerund (e.g., eating sweets).Smart Tips
Use 'cut down on' to explain your dietary choices to the waiter.
Use 'cut down on' to sound constructive rather than negative.
Remember that 'on' is a preposition, and prepositions love gerunds!
Ask yourself: 'Am I naming the thing I'm reducing?' If yes, use 'on'.
발음
Linking
The 'n' in 'down' often links to the 'o' in 'on'.
Stress
The primary stress is usually on the verb 'cut', but 'down' also receives significant stress.
Falling intonation
I need to cut down on ↘ sugar.
A definitive statement about a habit.
암기하기
기억법
Think of 'Cut Down On' as 'Cutting the size Down of what's On your plate.'
시각적 연상
Imagine a pair of scissors trimming the edges of a large habit (like a giant coffee cup) until it is a smaller, manageable size. You aren't throwing the cup away; you're just making it smaller.
Rhyme
To be healthy and stay strong, cut down on what is wrong.
Story
A man named Bill loved 10 donuts a day. His doctor said, 'Don't stop entirely, but cut down on them.' Now Bill eats 2 donuts and feels much better.
Word Web
챌린지
Write down three things you are currently trying to cut down on in your own life using the present continuous form.
문화 노트
Very common in the UK when discussing 'vices' like tea, biscuits, or alcohol.
Often used in the context of 'cutting down on gas' (petrol) or 'cutting down on calories'.
Used globally in business to sound less aggressive than 'slashing' or 'eliminating' costs.
The verb 'cut' comes from Middle English 'cutten'. The phrasal combination 'cut down' appeared in the 14th century meaning to fell trees. The addition of 'on' to mean reduction of consumption developed later, in the 19th century.
대화 시작하기
Is there anything you're trying to cut down on right now?
How can a large city cut down on its carbon footprint?
Do you think it's better to cut down on a bad habit or cut it out completely?
If you had to cut down on one monthly expense, which would it be?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
Sarah wants to ___ her social media usage.
Find and fix the mistake:
My New Year's resolution is to cut down snacks.
올바른 문장을 고르세요:
영어로 번역하세요: 'Estoy intentando reducir mi consumo de café.'
Answer starts with: ["I...
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /5
연습 문제
8 exercisesI'm trying to cut down ___ caffeine.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
He is cutting down on to smoke.
I am eating less chocolate. (I am...)
You can separate 'cut' and 'down' with the object.
A: Would you like another beer? B: No thanks, I'm ___.
Select the item that does NOT fit.
1. Cut out, 2. Cut down on
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe company needs to ___ waste if it wants to be more sustainable.
We should cut down our expenses.
어떤 문장이 문법적으로 올바른가요?
영어로 번역하세요: 'El gobierno está intentando reducir la burocracia.'
이 단어들을 의미 있는 문장이 되도록 올바른 순서로 배열하세요:
문장의 시작과 올바른 끝을 짝지으세요.
Many professionals are trying to ___ their work-related stress.
They were told to cut down their intake of fats.
어떤 문장이 올바르게 표현되었나요?
영어로 번역하세요: 'Deberías intentar reducir tu tiempo frente a la pantalla por la noche.'
이 단어들을 재배열하여 문법적으로 올바른 문장을 만드세요:
사람의 목표와 줄이고자 하는 것을 짝지으세요.
Score: /12
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Yes, if the context is clear. For example, if someone offers you a cigarette, you can say `I'm cutting down.` You only need `on` if you name the object.
Both are correct and almost identical. `Cut back on` is slightly more common for financial budgets, while `cut down on` is more common for personal habits like diet.
It is `cut down on`. The verb `cut` does not change in the past tense. Example: `Yesterday, I cut down on my sugar intake.`
No, it is generally used for substances, habits, or expenses. You wouldn't say `I'm cutting down on my friends.` You would use `seeing my friends less.`
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in business. However, in very formal academic writing, you might prefer `reduce` or `diminish`.
In English, when a one-syllable verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (c-u-t), we double the final consonant before adding `-ing`.
No. You must use the gerund: `cut down on drinking`. Prepositions like `on` are followed by nouns or gerunds, not infinitives.
`Cut down` is for physical objects (like trees). `Cut down on` is for abstract amounts or habits.
Scaffolded Practice
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In Other Languages
reducir / bajar el consumo de
English requires two extra particles (down, on) whereas Spanish is a single verb.
réduire / diminuer
French lacks the 'directional' particle (down).
reduzieren / einschränken
German word order changes in subordinate clauses, unlike English phrasal verbs.
減らす (herasu)
Japanese uses particles like 'wo' for the object, but no equivalent to 'down on'.
يقلل من (yuqallil min)
Arabic does not have a 'down' equivalent in this phrase.
减少 (jiǎnshǎo)
Chinese has no prepositions that function like 'on' in this phrasal verb.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
관련 동영상
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