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What is Plan in English? The correct usage of Plan in English!

Plan is a familiar English vocabulary, especially commonly used in daily communication. So, "What is Plan in English?" and "How to use Plan in English correctly?" Let's explore the detailed understanding of Plan in English in today's article with PREP!

The usage of Plan in English
The usage of Plan in English

I. What is Plan in English?

What is Plan in English? Let's explore the definition and some words/phrases associated with Plan in English!

1. Definition

What is Plan in English? According to the Cambridge dictionary, Plan is pronounced as /plæn/. It can be a verb and a noun with various meanings in different contexts. Specifically, as follows:

What is Plan in English?

Example

Part of speech

Meaning

Verb

(sometimes with on) to intend (to do something)

  • She is planning to start her own business next year. 
  • We are planning a surprise birthday party for our friends. 

to decide how something is to be done; to arrange (something)

  • We need to plan for potential budget cuts in the coming year. 
  • The company is planning a new marketing campaign for their latest product. 

to design (a building, town etc)

  • The landscape architect planned the garden to include various plants and seating areas. 
  • The urban planner is responsible for planning the city's transportation system. 

Noun

an idea of how to do something; a method of doing something

  • The company presented a strategic plan for expanding into international markets. 
  • We need to come up with a contingency plan in case the weather conditions worsen. 

an intention or arrangement

  • Our plan is to save enough money to buy a new car by the end of the year.
  • Do you have any plans for this holiday?

a drawing, diagram showing a building, town as if seen from above

  • The architect showed us the plans for the renovation of the office building. 
  • We reviewed the floor plans of the apartment before making a decision. 

So, have you found the answer to the question "What is Plan in English?" with PREP? With the mentioned meanings, pay attention to the appropriate usage based on different English contexts!

What is Plan in English?
What is Plan in English?

2. Words and phrases used with Plan in English

After understanding the definition of Plan, let's refer to the words and phrases commonly used with Plan to emphasize its meaning!

2.1. Verb used with Plan in English

Verb used with Plan in English
Verb used with Plan in English

Verb used with Plan in English

Example

have plans

  • She has plans to travel to Europe next summer. 

change a plan

  • We need to change our plan and reschedule the meeting for tomorrow. 

abandon/ give up/ scrap a plan

  • After facing numerous challenges, they had to abandon their plan to start a new business. 
  • He decided to give up his plan of pursuing a career in acting and focus on his studies. 
  • The company had to scrap its plan for a new product due to budget constraints. 

cancel a plan

  • The event organizers had to cancel the plan due to bad weather conditions. 

shelve a plan

  • They decided to shelve their plan of buying a new house until they saved enough money. 

make a plan

  • Let's sit down and make a plan for our upcoming project. 

come up with a plan

  • The team brainstormed ideas to come up with a plan for improving customer satisfaction. 

devise/ formulate/ draw up a plan

  • The project manager devised a plan to streamline the production process and reduce waste. 
  • She formulated a detailed plan for launching her new business. 
  • The committee drew up a plan to revitalize the neighborhood and attract more businesses. 

carry out a plan

  • It's important to have a clear understanding of the steps needed to carry out the plan successfully.

keep to/ stick to a plan

  • It's crucial to stick to the plan and not deviate from the agreed-upon strategy. 
  • Despite the challenges, she managed to keep to her plan and achieve her goals. 

announce/ unveil a plan

  • The government announced a plan to invest in renewable energy sources.
  • The company unveiled a new marketing plan to boost sales.

approve a plan

  • The board of directors approved the plan for the company's merger with another company. 

reject a plan

  • The management team rejected the proposed marketing plan due to concerns about its considerations. 

outline a plan

  • The team leader outlined a detailed plan for completing the project on time. 

implement a plan

  • The company hired a project manager to implement the plan and oversee its execution. 

draw a plan

  • The architect will draw a plan for the new building.

2.2. Nouns used with Plan in English

Nouns used with Plan in English
Nouns used with Plan in English

Noun used with Plan in English

Example

street plan

  • Using the street plan, we were able to navigate through the city and reach our destination. 

city

plan

  • I looked at the city plan to find the way to the tourist destination. 

floor plan

  • When buying a house, it's important to review the floor plan to ensure it meets your needs. 

seating plan

  • The theater displayed the seating plan at the entrance.

pension plan

  • He contributes a portion of his salary towards his pension plan

retirement plan

  • She consulted with a financial advisor to create a retirement plan.

savings plan

  • A disciplined savings plan can help individuals achieve their financial goals. 

2.3. Adjectives used with Plan in English

Adjectives used with Plan in English
Adjectives used with Plan in English

Adjectives used with Plan in English

Example

somebody’s immediate plans

  • Sarah's immediate plans include finishing her work projects and then taking a short vacation. 

ambitious plan

  • The company has an ambitious plan to expand its market share by entering new territories. 

alternative plan

  • In case of bad weather, we have an alternative plan to have the event indoors. 

audacious plan

  • The artist unveiled an audacious plan to create a massive art in the heart of the city. 

detailed plan

  • The project manager presented a detailed plan

cunning/ clever/ ingenious plan

  • The spy devised a cunning plan to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters undiscovered. 
  • The entrepreneur came up with a clever plan to gain a competitive edge. 
  • The inventor developed an ingenious plan to solve a complex problem using innovative technology. 

a five-year/ ten-year etc plan

  • She created a ten-year plan to save for her children's education. 

grand plan

  • The CEO unveiled a grand plan to transform the company into an industry leader. 

master plan

  • The event coordinator had a master plan that details every aspect of the conference. 

business plan

  • The business plan outlined the company's mission and target market. 

peace plan

  • The diplomats worked tirelessly to negotiate a peace plan between the warring nations. 

rescue plan

  • The emergency responders implemented a rescue plan to save the trapped hikers in the mountains. 

2.4. Prepositions used with Plan in English

Prepositions used with Plan in English
Prepositions used with Plan in English

Prepositions used with Plan in English

Example

plan for

  • They developed a financial plan for their retirement. 

plan on

  • We were planning on traveling to Korea next summer. 

plan out

  • She meticulously planned out the details of her wedding. 

2.5. Phrases used with Plan in English

Phrases used with Plan in English
Phrases used with Plan in English

Phrases used with Plan in English

Example

go according to plan

  • The event went according to plan with all the scheduled activities. 

a plan of action

  • The project team created a plan of action to address the identified issues. 

a plan of attack

  • The military commanders devised a plan of attack to capture the enemy stronghold. 

a plan of campaign

  • The marketing team developed a plan of campaign to launch a new product. 

(it) sounds like a plan (to me)

  • A: How about we meet for lunch tomorrow at that new restaurant downtown? 
  • B: Sounds like a plan to me! I've heard great things about that place. 

make a plan

  • We need to improve our sales figures. Let's make a plan

Please remember the words/phrases associated with Plan in English in the above table to use them accurately!

II. Usage of Plan in English

So, how to use Plan in English? Let's grasp the structures of Plan in English when it functions as a verb in English:

Structure

Example

Subject + plan + to V

  • She plans to start her own business next year. 
  • He plans to learn a new language during his summer break. 

Subject + plan + Adverb/ preposition + V-ing/ something

  • We plan on having a barbecue this weekend if the weather permits. 
  • Before going on vacation, it's always a good idea to plan ahead and make hotel reservations in advance. 

After learning the structures of Plan in English in the table above, you must have distinguished and understood the difference between Plan to V and Plan Ving, right?

Usage of Plan in English
Usage of Plan in English

III. Synonyms of Plan in English

In addition to the phrase "What is Plan in English?", we can flexibly use other synonyms to replace Plan in different situations. Let's explore some synonyms of Plan in English!

Synonyms of Plan in English
Synonyms of Plan in English

Synonyms of Plan in English

Example

scheme

/skiːm/

The detective uncovered a criminal scheme involving money laundering and fraud. 

schedule

/ˈʃedjuːl/

The project manager created a detailed schedule outlining the milestones. 

blueprint

/ˈbluː.prɪnt/

The business owner developed a blueprint for success. 

intention

/in'tenʃn/

She had no intention of quitting her job despite the challenges she faced.

purpose

/'pə:pəs/

The purpose of the charity event was to raise funds for a local orphanage. 

aim

/eim/

The organization's aim is to provide access to quality education for underprivileged children. 

make arrangements

/meɪk əˈreɪndʒmənt/

They need to make arrangements for their upcoming trip. 

make preparations

/meɪk ˌprepəˈreɪʃn/

Before the guests arrive, she needs to make preparations for the dinner party. 

intend

/ɪnˈtend/

She intends to pursue a career in medicine.

design

/dɪˈzaɪn/

The architect was responsible for the design of the new office building. 

map

/mæp/

The tourist used a map to find popular landmarks. 

drawing

/ˈdrewːɪŋ/

The engineer made a technical drawing to illustrate specifications of a new product. 

IV. Distinguishing Plan and Schedule

Many learners often confuse Plan and Schedule and use them inappropriately in certain contexts. Let's differentiate between Schedule and Plan!

 

Plan

Schedule

Similarity

Both convey the meaning of “to decide how something is to be done; to arrange (something).”

Difference

Plan is used to describe an action that has a specific goal and lists detailed tasks to achieve that goal in the future.

Schedule is used to describe planned actions in order to allocate resources (time, location, personnel) to make the goals and tasks outlined in the plan a reality.

Example

  • Before starting a new business, John planned the marketing strategy and product development. 
  • If you're planning a party, you'll need to make a plan for the decorations, food and guest list. 
  • Jenny scheduled the different phases of the project.
  • When organizing a conference, she creates a schedule that includes the agenda with specific time slots. 

After understanding the difference in nuances between Schedule and Plan, pay attention to using them accurately in different English contexts!

Distinguishing Plan and Schedule
Distinguishing Plan and Schedule

V. Exercises on using Plan in English with answers

After learning the definition of Plan in English and its accompanying structures, let's work on a small exercise provided by PREP to practice using the structure of Plan and fully understand how to use Plan in English!

Exercise: Put the correct form of the verbs in brackets

1. They plan _______ (adopt) a rescue dog from the local shelter.

2. We are planning on _______ (go) skiing in the mountains this winter.

3. Sarah plans on _______ (study) abroad for a semester during her junior year.

4. My parents plan _______ (renovate) our kitchen next month.

5. The company plans _______ (expand) its operations into international markets.

6. The team is planning on _______ (implement) a new software system to streamline their workflow.

Answer:

1. to adopt

2. going

3. studying

4. to renovate

5. to expand

6. implementing

VI. Your Ultimate Guide to IELTS Success

Now you have a clear understanding of "What is Plan in English?" and "How to use Plan in English?", right? This article has compiled all the theoretical knowledge about Plan in English, along with providing common synonyms and words/phrases associated with Plan. If you’re aiming for a high IELTS band score, PREP will equip you with proven strategies, expert tips, and practice plans to succeed. 

Hien Hoang
Hien Hoang
Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Hien, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.

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