sort

noun

OPAL S

/sɔːt/

/sɔːrt/

Idioms

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[countable] a group or type of people or things that are similar in a particular way synonym kind
- sort of somebody/something ‘What sort of music do you like?’ ‘Oh, all sorts.’
- This sort of problem is quite common./These sorts of problems are quite common.
- He's the sort of person who only cares about money.
- The sort/sorts of people who are having large families in the US and Ireland are very similar.
- For dessert there's a fruit pie of some sort (= you are not sure what kind).
- Most people went on training courses of one sort or another (= of various types) last year.
- (informal) There were snacks—peanuts, olives, that sort of thing.
- (informal) There are all sorts of activities (= many different ones) for kids at the campsite.
- (informal) What sort of price did you want to pay? (= approximately how much)
- (informal) What sort of time do you call this? (= I'm very angry that you have come so late.)
- Statements like these are not the sort of stuff you'd expect from one of Australia's most powerful women.
- (informal) Tracey has been causing her mother all sorts of problems (= many different ones).
Grammar Point kind / sort
kind / sort
- Use the singular (kind/sort) or plural (kinds/sorts) depending on the word you use before them:
  each/one/every kind of animal
  all/many/other sorts of animals.
- Kind/sort of is followed by a singular or uncountable noun:
  This kind of question often appears in the exam.
  That sort of behaviour is not acceptable.
- Kinds/sorts of is followed by a plural or uncountable noun:
  These kinds of questions often appear in the exam.
  These sorts of behaviour are not acceptable.
- Other variations are possible but less common:
  These kinds of question often appear in the exam.
  These sort of things don’t happen in real life.
  (This example is very informal and is considered incorrect by some people.)
- Note also that these examples are possible, especially in spoken English:
  The shelf was full of the sort of books I like to read.
  He faced the same kind of problems as his predecessor.
  There are many different sorts of animal on the island.
  What kind of camera is this?
  What kind/kinds of cameras do you sell?
  There were three kinds of cakes/cake on the plate.
Extra Examples
- He has been doing the same sort of thing for decades.
- (informal) You get to go to all sorts of places.
- It will be a different sort of challenge from last year.
- We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour.
- He just keeps asking all sorts of questions.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- best
- worst
- right
- …
preposition
- sort of
See full entry
[countable, usually singular] (informal, especially British English) a particular type of person
- My brother would never cheat on his wife; he's not that sort.
[singular] (computing) the process of putting data in a particular order
- to do a sort

Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French sorte, from an alteration of Latin sors, sort- ‘lot, condition’.

Idioms

it takes all sorts (to make a world)

(saying) used to say that you think somebody’s behaviour is very strange or unusual but that everyone is different and likes different things
- ‘They spent their honeymoon mountain climbing.’ ‘Oh well, it takes all sorts!’

nothing of the sort/kind

used to emphasize that the situation is very different from what has been said
- ‘I was terrible!’ ‘You were nothing of the sort.’

of sorts

(informal) used when you are saying that something is not a good example of a particular type of thing
- He offered us an apology of sorts.

out of sorts

(especially British English) ill or upset
- She was tired and out of sorts by the time she arrived home.
- Are you feeling all right? You look a bit out of sorts.

sort of

(also sorta)

(informal)

to some extent but in a way that you cannot easily describe
- She sort of pretends that she doesn't really care.
- ‘Do you understand?’ ‘Sort of.’

a/some sort of something

(informal) used for describing something in a not very exact way
- I had a sort of feeling that he wouldn't come.
- She was jumping around like some sort of kangaroo.
- They're a sort of greenish-blue colour.
- I was glad about it afterwards, in a funny sort of way.

sort

verb

OPAL S

/sɔːt/

/sɔːrt/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they sort	/sɔːt/ /sɔːrt/
he / she / it sorts	/sɔːts/ /sɔːrts/
past simple sorted	/ˈsɔːtɪd/ /ˈsɔːrtɪd/
past participle sorted	/ˈsɔːtɪd/ /ˈsɔːrtɪd/
-ing form sorting	/ˈsɔːtɪŋ/ /ˈsɔːrtɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

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to arrange things in groups or in a particular order according to their type, etc.; to separate things of one type from others
- sort something I started at the bottom, answering phones and sorting the mail.
- sort something into something The computer sorts the words into alphabetical order.
- Rubbish can easily be separated and sorted into plastics, glass and paper.
- sort something from something Women and children sorted the ore from the rock.
- sort something by something Events are sorted by date and category.
see also sort something out, sort something out
Extra Examples
- Sort the books according to their subject matter.
- The most common way of grouping was to sort the children by ability.
- The documents were sorted by age and type.
- We sorted the washing into piles of different garments.
- Waste is sorted for recycling.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
busily
preposition
according to
by
into
…
phrases
begin sorting something
start sorting something
begin sorting through something
…
See full entry
[often passive] sort something (especially British English, informal) to deal with a problem successfully or organize something/somebody properly
- I'm really busy—can you sort it?
- Everything's now been sorted.
- The problem with my broadband still hasn't been sorted.
compare sorted
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- out
verb + sort
- have to
- try to
- help to
- …
phrases
- get something sorted
- get something sorted out
See full entry

Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French sorte, from an alteration of Latin sors, sort- ‘lot, condition’.

Idioms

separate/sort out the men from the boys

to show or prove who is brave, skilful, etc. and who is not

sort out/separate the sheep from the goats

to recognize the difference between people who are good at something, intelligent, etc. and those who are not

sort out/separate the wheat from the chaff

to recognize the difference between useful or valuable people or things and ones that are not useful or have no value
- We sifted through the application forms to sort out the wheat from the chaff.