B1 verb #35 最常用 2分钟阅读

clears

The word 'clears' means to remove things that are in the way or to make something clean and bright.

Explanation at your level:

You use clears when you take things away. If your desk is messy, you clean it. You say 'He clears the table' after dinner. It is a very useful word for daily life.

When you talk about a room or a path, you use clears. It means making a space empty. For example, 'The wind clears the clouds' means the sky becomes blue again. It is a simple way to say something is becoming tidy or open.

At this level, you can use clears for more than just cleaning. You can say 'The bank clears the payment' to mean the money is processed. It is also used to talk about removing doubts: 'The evidence clears him of the crime.' It is a common verb in many everyday situations.

Clears is often used in professional and abstract contexts. You might hear 'The manager clears the schedule' or 'The company clears the inventory.' It implies a sense of finality and organization. Mastering this verb helps you sound more precise when describing processes or logistics.

In advanced English, clears carries nuances of authorization and resolution. It is frequently used in legal and technical jargon, such as 'The committee clears the proposal.' Figuratively, it describes the removal of mental or emotional barriers, as in 'She clears her mind before the performance.' It is a versatile tool for describing systemic efficiency.

At the mastery level, clears functions as a pivot for both literal and metaphorical transitions. It appears in literary contexts to describe the dissipation of fog, doubt, or historical burdens. The etymological roots in 'clarity' suggest a transition from obscurity to transparency. Whether discussing the clearing of a debt or the clearing of a reputation, the word conveys a definitive movement toward order and truth.

30秒词汇

  • Removes obstructions
  • Used for tidying
  • Means to authorize
  • Common in idioms

When you use the verb clears, you are usually talking about the act of making a space open or tidy. Think of a messy desk; when you take the papers away, your desk clears up.

Beyond just cleaning, the word has a sense of authorization. If an air traffic controller clears a plane, they are giving the pilot the green light to fly. It is a very versatile word that shifts between physical actions and abstract concepts like clearing your mind of worries.

The word clears comes from the Old French word 'cler', which itself traces back to the Latin 'clarus', meaning 'clear, bright, or distinct'.

Historically, it was used to describe light or sound that was easy to perceive. Over centuries, the meaning expanded from just 'bright light' to 'removing obstacles' because if something is bright and light, it is easier to see what is in the way. It has been a staple of the English language since the 13th century.

You will often see clears used with objects like 'the table', 'the room', or 'the path'. It is common in both casual conversations and formal business settings.

In a professional context, you might hear that a 'bank clears a check', meaning the money has been processed. It is a neutral word that fits almost anywhere, though it sounds slightly more active than words like 'removes' or 'tidies'.

1. Clear the air: To resolve a misunderstanding. Example: We had a talk to clear the air.

2. Clear the way: To remove obstacles. Example: This new law clears the way for progress.

3. Coast is clear: It is safe to proceed. Example: The teacher left, so the coast is clear!

4. Clear your head: To stop worrying. Example: A walk helps me clear my head.

5. Clear the deck: To prepare for action. Example: We need to clear the deck before the project starts.

Clears is the third-person singular present form of 'clear'. It follows the standard rule of adding '-s' to the base verb.

The pronunciation is /klɪərz/ in British English and /klɪrz/ in American English. It rhymes with words like fears, tears, and gears. It is a one-syllable word, so keep the 'r' sound soft and clear!

Fun Fact

The word has kept its 'bright' meaning for over 800 years.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /klɪərz/

The 'r' is soft.

US /klɪrz/

The 'r' is stronger.

Common Errors

  • Adding an extra syllable
  • Pronouncing the 'l' too hard
  • Missing the 'z' sound at the end

Rhymes With

fears tears gears years beers

Difficulty Rating

阅读 1/5

Easy to read

Writing 2/5

Standard usage

Speaking 2/5

Common

听力 1/5

Clear sound

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

clean room table

Learn Next

clarify vindicates

高级

dissipate exonerate

Grammar to Know

Third person singular

He clears

Phrasal verbs

Clear up

Subject-verb agreement

The team clears

Examples by Level

1

He clears the table.

He removes things from the table.

Third-person singular.

2

She clears her desk.

She makes her desk tidy.

Simple present.

3

The wind clears the fog.

The fog goes away.

Subject-verb agreement.

4

He clears the path.

He moves rocks away.

Verb usage.

5

The dog clears the fence.

He jumps over it.

Action verb.

6

She clears the room.

She empties the room.

Action verb.

7

He clears his throat.

He makes a sound to talk.

Idiomatic usage.

8

The rain clears up.

The rain stops.

Phrasal verb.

1

The sun clears the clouds.

2

He clears the snow from the drive.

3

The bank clears the check today.

4

She clears the dishes quickly.

5

The guard clears the area.

6

He clears his schedule for me.

7

The smoke clears slowly.

8

The athlete clears the high bar.

1

The manager clears the project budget.

2

The judge clears the defendant of all charges.

3

The pilot clears the runway for takeoff.

4

He clears the confusion with a short note.

5

The medicine clears the infection.

6

She clears the path for her team.

7

The software clears the cache automatically.

8

The news clears up the rumors.

1

The committee clears the proposal for review.

2

The storm clears the air of pollution.

3

He clears his conscience by apologizing.

4

The system clears the queue in seconds.

5

The investigation clears the CEO of wrongdoing.

6

The artist clears a space for the canvas.

7

The lawyer clears the legal hurdles.

8

The update clears the error messages.

1

The resolution clears the way for new investment.

2

The sudden insight clears the mystery.

3

The official clears the building for occupancy.

4

The passage of time clears the bitterness.

5

The report clears the air regarding the merger.

6

The athlete clears the final hurdle with ease.

7

The intervention clears the blockage in the pipe.

8

The logic clears the path to the solution.

1

The verdict effectively clears the accused of any suspicion.

2

The brisk morning air clears the cobwebs from his mind.

3

The diplomat clears the path for a peace treaty.

4

The audit clears the department of financial irregularities.

5

The sudden silence clears the room of tension.

6

The breakthrough clears the path for future research.

7

The editor clears the manuscript for publication.

8

The storm clears the horizon of all clouds.

常见搭配

clears the table
clears the air
clears the path
clears his throat
clears the way
clears the hurdle
clears the room
clears the debt
clears the cache
clears the schedule

Idioms & Expressions

"clear the air"

remove tension

We had a talk to clear the air.

neutral

"the coast is clear"

it is safe

Go now, the coast is clear.

casual

"clear your head"

relax

Take a walk to clear your head.

neutral

"clear the deck"

get ready

Clear the deck for the meeting.

casual

"clear as mud"

not clear at all

His explanation was clear as mud.

sarcastic

"clear the path"

facilitate

This will clear the path for change.

formal

Easily Confused

clears vs Clarify

Both start with 'clar'

Clarify is for meaning, clear is for objects.

Clarify the rule vs Clear the desk.

clears vs Clean

Both involve tidiness

Clean is about dirt, clear is about obstacles.

Clean the floor vs Clear the path.

clears vs Clearer

Same root

Clearer is an adjective.

The water is clearer.

clears vs Clearly

Same root

Clearly is an adverb.

He speaks clearly.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Subject + clears + object

He clears the desk.

A2

Subject + clears + object + from + place

He clears the snow from the drive.

B2

Subject + clears + object + of + something

The judge clears him of charges.

B1

Subject + clears + the + way + for + noun

This clears the way for progress.

A2

Subject + clears + his/her + throat

She clears her throat.

词族

Nouns

clarity the state of being clear

Verbs

clarify to make clear

Adjectives

clear easy to see

相关

clearing participle form

How to Use It

frequency

8

Formality Scale

Formal (legal) Neutral Casual Slang

常见错误

Using 'clears' for 'cleans' The room is clean.
Clears implies removal, not just washing.
Confusing with 'clearly' He speaks clearly.
Clearly is an adverb.
Misusing 'clears' for 'clarifies' He clarifies the point.
Clarify is for meaning, clear is for objects.
Subject-verb agreement error They clear the room.
Only use 'clears' for singular subjects.
Using 'clears' for 'clears up' The weather clears up.
Phrasal verb is better for weather.

Tips

💡

Memory Palace

Visualize a messy room becoming empty.

💡

Native Speakers

Use it for 'clearing' schedules.

🌍

Sports

Used in soccer for kicking the ball away.

💡

Rule

Always check subject-verb agreement.

💡

Say It

Focus on the 'r' sound.

💡

Mistake

Don't confuse with clarify.

💡

History

From Latin 'clarus'.

💡

Practice

Write 5 sentences daily.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

C-L-E-A-R: Cleaning Leaves Everything Always Ready.

Visual Association

A person sweeping a dusty floor.

Word Web

clean remove tidy empty

挑战

Try to use 'clears' in a sentence about your room today.

词源

Latin

Original meaning: bright

文化背景

None

Used frequently in sports (clearing the ball) and business.

'Clear and Present Danger' (Book/Movie)

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

at home

  • clears the table
  • clears the dishes

at work

  • clears the schedule
  • clears the project

in sports

  • clears the ball
  • clears the hurdle

in legal

  • clears the defendant
  • clears the record

Conversation Starters

"How do you clear your head after a long day?"

"Do you think it's important to clear your desk every night?"

"When was the last time you had to clear a misunderstanding?"

"What do you do to clear the air in an argument?"

"Why do some people find it hard to clear their schedules?"

Journal Prompts

Describe a time you had to clear a space.

Write about a situation where you had to clear your name.

How does it feel when you clear your to-do list?

What is the best way to clear your mind?

常见问题

8 个问题

Not always. Cleans is about hygiene; clears is about removal.

Yes, e.g., 'The guard clears the crowd'.

Yes, it adds -s and -ed.

Clarity or clearing.

Like 'clear' plus a 'z' sound.

It is neutral.

Yes, 'He clears the ball'.

No, that is 'clarify'.

自我测试

fill blank A1

He ___ the table after dinner.

正确! 不太对。 正确答案: clears

Third person singular.

multiple choice A2

What does it mean to clear a room?

正确! 不太对。 正确答案: To empty it

Clear means to remove things.

true false B1

Does 'clears' always mean to wash something?

正确! 不太对。 正确答案: 错误

It means to remove obstructions.

match pairs B1

Word

意思

All matched!

Idiom match.

sentence order B2

点击下方的词语来组成句子
正确! 不太对。 正确答案:

Subject-verb-object.

得分: /5

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