Clear vs You want to clean that up

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Clear

Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective

You want to clean that up

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Clear
 ClearYou want to clean that up
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/klɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/klɪr/"]/🇬🇧 //juː wɒnt tə kliːn ðæt ʌp//🇺🇸 //ju wɑnt tə klin ðæt ʌp//
MeaningEasy to see through or understand.You need to tidy or remove mess from something.
ExampleThe sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic.You want to clean that up before guests arrive.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA2-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, to, clear and concise, be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, to, clear and concise, be, extremely, fairly, very, about, on, be, look, become, extremely, fairly, very, loud and clear, be, become, extremely, fairly, very, be, look, seem, completely, fairly, pretty, ofclean up the mess, clean up the room, clean up after, clean up quickly, clean up the area
Antonymscloudy, unclear, muddy-
Common mistakes'Clear' is often confused with 'clean.', 'Clear' is sometimes incorrectly used as a verb instead of an adjective., Learners may forget to use 'clear' to describe abstract concepts, like thoughts.Using 'clean up' as a noun instead of a verb., Confusing 'clean up' with 'clean' when talking about the action., Misplacing 'you' and using 'I' instead in commands.
Usage notesUse 'clear' to describe something easily understood or free of obstructions. It’s appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. Avoid using it in overly technical discussions where precision matters.This phrase is informal and commonly used when suggesting someone should make something neat or organized. It is typically used in everyday conversation.

See it in real clips

Clear
You want to clean that up

Frequently asked questions: Clear vs You want to clean that up

What's the difference between Clear and You want to clean that up?

Clear: Easy to see through or understand. You want to clean that up: You need to tidy or remove mess from something.

Which is more common: Clear and You want to clean that up?

Clear is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Clear: The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic. You want to clean that up: You want to clean that up before guests arrive.

Can I use Clear and You want to clean that up interchangeably?

Not always. Clear and You want to clean that up are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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