idiom · neutral
think outside the box
UK/θɪŋk ˌaʊtˈsaɪd ðə ˈbɒks/US/θɪŋk ˌaʊtˈsaɪd ðə ˈbɑːks/THINK·OUT·side·the·BOX
to think in a creative, original way instead of following conventional ideas
Examples
“To solve this complex problem we need to think outside the box.”
“Teachers encourage students to think outside the box when planning projects.”
“The company hired consultants to help them think outside the box.”
Band 8 sentence
“If students learn to think outside the box, they are more likely to propose innovative solutions in assessments.”
Collocations
- think outside the box to find a solution
- encouraged to think outside the box
Common mistakes
think outside box→think outside the box
think out of the box→think outside the box
Say it for a higher band
5be creative→6come up with new ideas→7+think outside the box
Synonyms
be creative
Easily confused
break the mould
“The designer broke the mould with a radically new approach to urban housing.”
Related words
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In Study
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