In this weekly post, we bring more useful content from the Macmillan Dictionary to English language learners. These tips are usually based on areas of English which learners find difficult, e.g. spelling, grammar, collocation, synonyms, etc.
This week’s language tip helps with alternatives for the verb forget:
have no recollection of something to be completely unable to remember something, so that you think that perhaps it never happened: I have absolutely no recollection of ever seeing this man.
slip your mind if something slips your mind, you forget it because you are busy doing other things: I’m sorry I didn’t phone, I was working and it slipped my mind.
be on the tip of your tongue used for saying that you cannot remember a name or fact that you know, but that you think you will remember it soon: What was his name again? It’s on the tip of my tongue.
my mind’s gone blank used for saying that you cannot remember something, especially when someone has asked you a question: When he asked me her name, my mind just went blank.
blank (out) an informal expression meaning to unexpectedly be unable to remember something: I totally blanked when it came to the written part of the exam.
draw a blank to be completely unable to remember something you ought to know: Students forget information they know they studied, become confused about things they thought they knew, and may draw a complete blank.
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Could you please help me to see the difference in adverbs placement in the following patterns: if I remember correctly and I clearly remember. Thanks a lot.