make sure

make sure — idiom

1. to take action so that something definitely happens, is true, or is done correct

1.慣用語A2
釋義

to take action so that something definitely happens, is true, or is done correctly — for example, checking that a door is locked before leaving, or arriving early to catch a train.

例句

Leo always makes sure the front door is locked before going to bed.

make sure + that-clause for verifying

Please make sure you have your ticket ready before boarding the train.

make sure (that) + clause for instructions

同義詞
  • ensure

    more formal, often used in writing; 'ensure' does not carry the sense of personally checking

  • verify

    focuses on checking whether something is true or correct, especially by examining evidence

  • check

    less emphatic; 'check' means to look at something to see if it is correct, while 'make sure' adds the idea of taking action to fix problems

  • confirm

    means to establish that something is definitely true, often by receiving information from another source

反義詞
  • neglect

    to fail to do what is needed — the opposite of taking action to ensure something

  • ignore

    to pay no attention to something rather than checking or dealing with it

文法句型

make sure (that) + clause

make sure to + infinitive

用法筆記

The 'that' in the clause is optional and often dropped in everyday speech ('make sure you bring…' instead of 'make sure that you bring…'). The to-infinitive pattern ('make sure to arrive early') is more common in American English; British English speakers often prefer 'make sure you arrive early'.

常見錯誤

❌I made sure of going to the party.
✅I made sure I went to the party.' or 'I made sure to go to the party.
💡'make sure' is normally followed by a that-clause or to-infinitive, not 'of + gerund'.
❌She made sure me to lock the door.
✅She made sure I locked the door.' or 'She made sure that I locked the door.
💡the person who does the action is the subject; do not use an object pronoun before 'to'.