idiom · neutral
know something inside out
UK/ˌnəʊ ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪnˌsaɪd ˈaʊt/US/ˌnoʊ ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪnˌsaɪd ˈaʊt/KNOW·some·thing·in·SIDE·OUT
to understand or be very familiar with something in great detail
Examples
“She knows the course material inside out, so students ask her for help.”
“After three years in the job he knows the system inside out.”
“If you want to teach the subject, you must know it inside out.”
Band 8 sentence
“As a tutor, she knows the syllabus inside out and can explain complicated points clearly.”
Collocations
- know the material inside out
- know the system inside out
Word family
Common mistakes
I know it inside.→I know it inside out.
She knows inside out the procedure.→She knows the procedure inside out.
Say it for a higher band
5know→6be familiar with→7+know something inside out
Synonyms
be familiar with
Easily confused
know by heart
“I know the poem by heart, but I know the theory inside out.”
Related words
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In Study
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