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Processed with VS1Use “from scratch” for creating something with basic materials and for beginning again.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcript“From scratch” describes making something without relying on a ready-made version, as when someone bakes with basic ingredients. “Start from scratch” can also mean begin again from the beginning. The episode mentions a possible connection to a scratched starting line in a race, while noting that word experts do not agree on the expression’s origin.
Cultural note: “From scratch” can refer to using basic ingredients or materials, while “start over from scratch” emphasizes beginning again. The source presents the race-line explanation as a possibility, not a settled origin; avoid stating it as proven history.
Keep exploringA cook mixes flour, water, and yeast instead of opening a boxed mix. A team also discards a confusing plan and begins again. How does “from scratch” work in both situations?
Phrase guide · 4 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Describe creating something without a ready-made mix or product.
Meaning
Made from basic ingredients or materials rather than from a ready-made product.
Tone & use
Common for cooking, building, and creating. Add “start” or “build” when you want to emphasize the process.
Example
“They made the tomato sauce from scratch with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and herbs.”
Talk about rebuilding a plan after the earlier version stops working.
Meaning
Begin something from the beginning, without using a previous version as the basis.
Tone & use
Often used for a project, plan, career, or activity. It can mean a fresh beginning, not necessarily that every old idea must be forgotten.
Example
“The first schedule was too complicated, so we started from scratch with three clear priorities.”
Distinguish a handmade creation from a fresh start.
Meaning
Create something by starting with its most basic parts.
Tone & use
Often used for an organization, system, or structure. It emphasizes constructing the whole thing, rather than restarting a plan.
Example
“The neighborhood group built its tutoring program from the ground up.”
Meaning
Made at home rather than bought ready-made.
Tone & use
It describes where or how something was made. A homemade item may still use a prepared ingredient, so it is not always fully “from scratch.”
Example
“The homemade soup used fresh vegetables, but the bread came from a bakery.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
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