Transitive verb "account for"

English as a Second Language English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
1

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/inter-11 “Accounts”, question 10

However hard I try, I find it impossible to account … this missing sum of money.

(a) with
(b) to
(c) for
(d) by

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/inter-11 “Accounts”, answer 10

However hard I try, I find it impossible to account for this missing sum of money.

Correct answer: (c) for

Your answer was: [color=green]correct
[size=200]_________________________[/size]

find?

2

What is your question?

3

what I mean is: find the missing sum?
in other words: account for= find…?

4

yes,…or it also means make up for that money, compensate if you will.

5

Here it means [color=blue]explain what has happened to it.

6

’
Hi Svet.

account for (transitive verb)

  1. explain something: to provide an explanation for something
    And how do you account for his behavior?

  2. be responsible for something: to be responsible for something or be an important factor in something
    Export sales account for at least half of our total business.
    .