You Can Lead/Take A Horse To Water, But You Can’t Make It Drink

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /ju kæn lid/teɪk ə hɔrs tu ˈwɔtər, bʌt ju kænt meɪk ɪt drɪŋk/

Definitions of you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

Example Sentences

A1 My grandmother always says 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'.

A2 The teacher explained the expression 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink' during the lesson.

B1 I tried to help my friend with his homework, but he wouldn't listen to my advice. It's like they say, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'.

B2 As a manager, I can provide my team with all the necessary resources and guidance, but ultimately it's up to them to take action. It's like the saying goes, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'.

C1 In business, you can present all the opportunities and strategies to your clients, but you can't force them to make a decision. It's similar to the saying, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'.

C2 As a mentor, I can offer my mentee valuable advice and insights, but I can't control their actions. It's a reminder of the old saying, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'.

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

Example Sentences

A1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

A2 I tried to help my friend study for the exam, but you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

B1 As a manager, you can provide all the necessary resources for your team to succeed, but you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

B2 The coach can give the players all the strategies and tools they need to win the game, but you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

C1 The government can introduce policies to promote healthy eating habits, but you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

C2 Even with all the support and guidance from the therapist, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

pronoun a word that takes the place of a noun, such as 'you' and 'it'

Example Sentences

A1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

A2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

B1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

B2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

C1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

C2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

Example Sentences

A1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

A2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

B1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. It's up to the horse to decide if it wants to drink or not.

B2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Sometimes you have to let things happen naturally.

C1 Although you can lead a horse to water, you can't make it drink. It's important to respect the choices and decisions of others.

C2 The saying goes, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.' It's a reminder that you can provide opportunities, but ultimately it's up to the individual to take action.

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

Example Sentences

A1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

A2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. It's up to the horse to decide.

B1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Sometimes you have to let things happen naturally.

B2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Ultimately, it's the horse's choice whether to drink or not.

C1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. It's a metaphor for the limitations of influence over someone's actions.

C2 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. This expression highlights the concept of free will and individual choice.

article a word that specifies a noun, such as 'a', 'an', or 'the'

Example Sentences

A1 You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink means you can give someone an opportunity, but you can't force them to take it.

A2 The saying 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink' teaches us that we can offer help, but we can't make someone accept it if they don't want to.

B1 The proverb 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink' implies that you can provide guidance, but ultimately it's up to the individual to act on it.

B2 The phrase 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink' highlights the idea that while you can provide opportunities, you can't control someone's choices or actions.

C1 The expression 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink' emphasizes the limitation of influence one has over another person's decisions and behaviors.

C2 The saying 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink' serves as a reminder that individuals have free will and cannot be forced to do something against their will.

Examples of you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink in a Sentence

formal One can provide all the necessary resources and guidance, but ultimately, it is up to the individual to take action.

informal You can show someone the way, but they have to be the one to follow through.

slang You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink, ya know?

figurative No matter how much you try to help or advise someone, they have to be willing to take the next step themselves.

Grammatical Forms of you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

past tense

led

plural

you can lead/take horses to water, but you can’t make them drink

comparative

you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink more than another

superlative

you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink the most

present tense

you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

future tense

you will be able to lead/take a horse to water, but you won’t be able to make it drink

perfect tense

you have led/taken a horse to water, but you haven’t made it drink

continuous tense

you are leading/taking a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

singular

you can lead/take this horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

positive degree

you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

infinitive

to lead/to take a horse to water, but not to make it drink

gerund

leading/taking a horse to water, but not making it drink

participle

a horse led/taken to water, but not made to drink

Origin and Evolution of you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink

First Known Use: 1546 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: This phrase is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages and is attributed to the English philosopher John Heywood.
Evolution of the word: Originally, the phrase meant that while you can offer someone an opportunity, you cannot force them to take it. Over time, the meaning has evolved to emphasize the idea that you can provide someone with resources or opportunities, but you cannot make them take advantage of them.