Grammar fix
narrow down
to reduce the number of possibilities
to make a list or group smaller by removing things that are not suitable, so you have fewer choices to consider.
phrasal verbB1common
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
We need to narrow down our options before we make a decision.
When preparing for university, I had to narrow down my list of courses to just three that matched my interests.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I've narrowed down it to three.
Say: I've narrowed it down to three.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'narrow it down'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Narrow down' is the everyday phrase for cutting options; the formal version is wordy.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
narrow down + to
- the options
- the list
- it to three
- the search