Which sentence uses 'come across' correctly?

I came across an old photo while cleaning the attic

I came across the street to meet you

I came across an old photo while cleaning the attic

The bridge came across the river

Which sentence uses 'come across' correctly?

She comes across as very confident in interviews

He came across the finish line first

Which sentence uses 'come by' correctly?

Good jobs are hard to come by these days

The bus will come by this route

Good jobs are hard to come by these days

I come by the office every morning at 8

Which sentence uses 'come by' correctly?

Can you come by my house later for coffee?

The train came by the station too fast

She comes by the grocery store home

Which sentence uses 'come out' correctly?

The new iPhone will come out next month

I need to come out from the house now

The new iPhone will come out next month

Which sentence uses 'come out' correctly?

The truth finally came out after the investigation

The students came out to the classroom

Understanding 'Tune Out': Definition and Usage

"Reflect on your thoughts, and tune out the noise of the world to discover the whispers of your inner wisdom."

📖 Definition

To 'tune out' means to ignore or not pay attention to sounds or distractions around you, focusing instead on something specific or inner thoughts.

Examples in context

While working, he tunes out the chatter around his desk.
I often tune out when the conversation becomes too technical.
She has tuned out all distractions to focus on her deadlines.

📖 Definition

To 'tune out' means to ignore or not pay attention to sounds or distractions around you, focusing instead on something specific or inner thoughts.

📝 Grammar Info

Separable

Yes

You can place a noun between 'tune' and 'out'.

Informal

Typically used in casual conversation rather than in formal writing.

Transitive

Yes

Requires a direct object; you tune out something specific.

📊 Conjugation Table

Tense	Form	Example
Present Simple	tune out	I tune out the noise when I'm studying.
Past Simple	tuned out	She tuned out the chatter during the meeting.
Present Continuous	tuning out	He's tuning out distractions to concentrate on his work.
Present Perfect	have tuned out	They have tuned out the construction noise effectively.

💡 When to Use

In a noisy environment

Use when needing to focus on a task and ignore background noise or distractions.

Example: "She tunes out the busy café sounds while reading."

During meditation

Helpful when centering oneself and blocking external distractions for clarity of thought.

Example: "He tunes out his worries while meditating."

Ignoring unpleasant news

Sometimes used to avoid engaging with distressing or irrelevant information.

Example: "They tune out negative news to maintain their mood."

⚠️ Common Mistakes

Misplacement of object

❌ Wrong: She out tunes the noise.

✅ Correct: She tunes out the noise.

💡 Tip: Remember: 'tune out' the distraction, not 'out tune'.

Formality confusion

❌ Wrong: He tunes out in formal speeches.

✅ Correct: He ignores distractions during formal speeches.

💡 Tip: 'Tune out' is too informal here; use 'ignore' instead.

Incorrect tense

❌ Wrong: They are tune out the problems.

✅ Correct: They are tuning out the problems.

💡 Tip: Use continuous '-ing' for current actions.

Practice

TUNE OUT - IN PRACTICE

Study Method Proposal

Listen and repeat the audio as many times as needed to improve your pronunciation
Use the audio as a dictation exercise, trying to write what you hear and understand
Create a new sentence following the structure of the example sentences

Examples in Context

1
Listen to example

While working, he tunes out the chatter around his desk.
TV The Magic Box
2
Listen to example

I often tune out when the conversation becomes too technical.
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3
Listen to example

She has tuned out all distractions to focus on her deadlines.
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Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

ignore block out

Antonyms

focus on

Quick Check

Complete the sentence with the correct phrasal verb:

"During the lecture, she decided to ___ all distractions."

tune in

tune out

tune up

tune over

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Tune Out

What is the origin of tune out?

'Tune out' originated in radio technology, where adjusting the frequency allowed one to ignore unwanted broadcasts, metaphorically applying to personal focus.

Can tune out be used in formal and informal contexts?

'Tune out' is mostly informal, suitable for casual speech or writing but less appropriate for formal documents where alternatives like 'ignore' are preferable.

What is the difference between tune out and ignore?

While both mean to disregard something, 'tune out' implies a more active effort in terms of selectively filtering out sounds or distractions.

Browse All TV The Magic Box Phrasal Verbs

About the Author

Alessandra Nóbrega

History teacher who fell in love with English! This passion led me to specialize in languages and work on bilingual education projects. With 37 years in education, I believe learning should be meaningful – not just memorization.

Learn more about my journey

📖 Definition

📖 Definition

📝 Grammar Info

📊 Conjugation Table

💡 When to Use

⚠️ Common Mistakes

TUNE OUT - IN PRACTICE

Study Method Proposal

Examples in Context

Synonyms & Antonyms

Quick Check

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Tune Out

Related Phrasal Verbs

Alessandra Nóbrega