Grammar fix
put something down to
attribute to a cause
To say that something happened because of a particular cause.
phrasal verb
How oftenCommon
LevelB2
Used inSpeech & writing
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
I put my headache down to working in front of a screen all day.
I put my improvement down to practising a little every day rather than studying for hours once a week.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I put my tiredness for the long journey.
Say: I put my tiredness down to the long journey.
Use 'put something down to a cause', not 'put something for a cause'.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Say what caused something
How formal?ConversationalMore formal
put something down toYou're here · Everyday, especially British: 'I put it down to stress.'
chalk upCasual, especially American; say 'chalk it up to'.attribute something toFormal or written: 'attributed to poor planning'.