Fathom – Word Of The Day For IELTS

Fathom – Word Of The Day For IELTS Speaking And Writing

Fathom/ˈfæðəm/ (Verb)

Meaning: 

(Formal) to understand what something means or the reasons for something after thinking carefully about it

Synonyms: 

• Grasp
• Make sense of something
• Understand
• Conclude

Collocations:

ADVERBS:

Fathom how/ out/ why/ where etc

VERBS:

Try  to fathom

Examples:

• It is difficult to fathom how these slings are knotted and connected
• Fortunately, in trying to fathom out what happened next we have the advantage of the known laws of science.
• He couldn’t fathom why she was so anxious that no one else should know of his interest in her.
• She watched him for several moments, then looked about the large dining-room, trying to fathom the reason for his actions.
• I still can’t fathom out what she meant.

Exercises:

Try to use the new word “Fathom” in your topic

Describe a disagreement you had with a friend

You should say:

Who you disagreed with
What the disagreement was
How it happened
And explain how this disagreement was resolved

Sample Answer:

When I was a teen of 17 years old, I used to make friends more due to my extrovert nature. But unfortunately, I also had the most misunderstanding with them. However, I have not lost any of my friends for the disagreements.

Once I bought few novels to read in my leisure hours during the summer vacation of the college. During the vacation, one evening two of my college friends reached my home. After having some chats, one of them started looking at my library that I have built since my childhood (I love reading books from my early age and has a huge collection of different types of books). He picked one of the books that I just have started reading since the morning that day.

It was Nam, my bosom friend at the college. I helped him greatly in mathematics and physics on the exam before the college closure on the summer. The disagreement began with him when he wanted to take the novel at his home for reading. The novel named – The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown was his first choice.

I tried to make him realise that I had started reading the novel before they arrive at my home and has already read a substantial portion of the book. But he was determined to take the book. Thus the disagreement continued. Samuel, the other friend of us sat motionlessly and observed us exchanging words with each other.

The argument continued for about 15 minutes, and I tried him to persuade in taking some other books but he was determined. He did not change his mind and said that once he started reading the novel but could not finish the book for some reasons. Now he did not want to miss the chance to complete the book and tried me to fathom the reason for his actions.

I had completed reading the one fourth of the book and as a quick reader, I proposed him to take the book on the very next day. But he was unchanged in his attitude. He blackmailed me emotionally saying that if I do not allow him to take the book, then he should not consider me as his friend.

Finally, I had to give up on his stubbornness and let him take the book on one condition that he should return the book just after he finishes reading and also will not lend someone else (he had lost most of his books by lending others for his extraordinary generosity) as he did earlier with my books.

• extrovert nature: the quality of being confident and enjoying spending time with other people
• misunderstanding: ̣an argument or disagreement that is not very serious
• bosom friend: a very close friend
• motionlessly: not moving at all
• Blackmail: making threats or making you feel guilty