be at fault

IPA/biː at fˈɒlt/
IPA/biː æt fˈɔlt/

be at fault — idiom

1. to be the person who caused a problem or made a mistake happen; used when saying

1.慣用語B1
釋義

to be the person who caused a problem or made a mistake happen; used when saying who should be blamed for something that went wrong

例句

The delivery driver admitted he was at fault when the flower box arrived crushed.

be at fault + when + consequence

Aunt Rosa was at fault for the cold dinner — she forgot to turn on the oven.

be at fault + for + noun phrase (cause)

同義詞
  • be to blame

    slightly more direct; interchangeable in most contexts

  • be responsible

    broader; can imply duty rather than guilt

  • be guilty

    stronger moral or legal weight; often implies deliberate wrongdoing

反義詞

文法句型

be at fault + for + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Commonly used with 'for' to specify the cause of the problem. Can also be used with 'in' when referring to a situation or event rather than a specific cause.

常見錯誤

❌I am fault for the mistake.
✅I am at fault for the mistake.
💡The preposition 'at' is required before 'fault'.
❌He is at fault that the meeting failed.
✅He is at fault for the meeting failing.
💡Use 'for' + gerund instead of a that-clause.