Approximations (around four o’clock)
When we speak, we often try not to be too exact or factual because it can sound very direct. As a result, we add expressions to make what we say more approximate or vague.
| This might sound too factual or exact. |
| This is more approximate and sounds less factual and exact. |
Before a number
We’ll pick you up around six.
In this country, we usually have dinner at about seven o’clock.
A:How long have you been living here?
B:For about three years.
Roughly 30 people are coming to my graduation party.
Up to 20 people are still missing after the earthquake.
She said she’d call here at or around ten o’clock.
We also use approximation in formal speech and writing:
The accident occurred at approximately 9 am.
In the region of 40 jobs are to be lost at the factory.
As many as 300 people were on the train when it broke down.
After a number
Number + -odd
Forty-odd people turned up at the demonstration. (at least 40 and maybe more)
A:How much oil does the tank hold?
B:I’m not sure. Fifty-odd litres, I’d say. (at least 50 litres and maybe more)
We do not use -odd to talk about time:
It’s about seven o’clock at least.
Not: …
seven-odd o’clock…
Number + head noun + or so
A:Can I have a lift to town with you?
B:Absolutely. I’ll be leaving in ten minutes or so.
Number + head noun + or something
A:What’s the weight limit for luggage?
B:20 kilos or something.
Number + head noun + or thereabouts (more formal)
[someone is giving directions]
Once you get to the school, turn left and our house is the first one on the left, half a mile, or thereabouts, up that road.
Number + more or less (informal speaking)
This is going to cost four hundred pounds, more or less. (preferred to This is going to cost more or less four hundred pounds.)
Using or between numbers
The bus from the airport usually costs just three or four pounds.
Adding the suffix -ish (informal speaking)
A:What time are we going out?
B:I think Linda said that she’d pick us up at sixish.
A:What age are Gabriela’s children?
B:Her daughter is fourish and her son must be at least seven.
See also:
(“Approximations ( around four o’clock )” da English Grammar Today © Cambridge University Press.)
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- Adjectives and adverbs
-
Easily confused words
- Above or over?
- Across, over or through?
- Advice or advise?
- Affect or effect?
- All or every?
- All or whole?
- Allow, permit or let?
- Almost or nearly?
- Alone, lonely, or lonesome?
- Along or alongside?
- Already, still or yet?
- Also, as well or too?
- Alternate(ly), alternative(ly)
- Although or though?
- Altogether or all together?
- Amount of, number of or quantity of?
- Any more or anymore?
- Anyone, anybody or anything?
- Apart from or except for?
- Arise or rise?
- Around or round?
- Arouse or rouse?
- As or like?
- As, because or since?
- As, when or while?
- Been or gone?
- Begin or start?
- Beside or besides?
- Between or among?
- Born or borne?
- Bring, take and fetch
- Can, could or may?
- Classic or classical?
- Come or go?
- Consider or regard?
- Consist, comprise or compose?
- Content or contents?
- Different from, different to or different than?
- Do or make?
- Down, downwards or downward?
- During or for?
- Each or every?
- East or eastern; north or northern?
- Economic or economical?
- Efficient or effective?
- Elder, eldest or older, oldest?
- End or finish?
- Especially or specially?
- Every one or everyone?
- Except or except for?
- Expect, hope or wait?
- Experience or experiment?
- Fall or fall down?
- Far or a long way?
- Farther, farthest or further, furthest?
- Fast, quick or quickly?
- Fell or felt?
- Female or feminine; male or masculine?
- Finally, at last, lastly or in the end?
- First, firstly or at first?
- Fit or suit?
- Following or the following?
- For or since?
- Forget or leave?
- Full or filled?
- Fun or funny?
- Get or go?
- Grateful or thankful?
- Hear or listen (to)?
- High or tall?
- Historic or historical?
- House or home?
- How is …? or What is … like?
- If or when?
- If or whether?
- Ill or sick?
- Imply or infer?
- In the way or on the way?
- It’s or its?
- Late or lately?
- Lay or lie?
- Lend or borrow?
- Less or fewer?
- Look at, see or watch?
- Low or short?
- Man, mankind or people?
- Maybe or may be?
- Maybe or perhaps?
- Nearest or next?
- Never or not … ever?
- Nice or sympathetic?
- No doubt or without doubt?
- No or not?
- Nowadays, these days or today?
- Open or opened?
- Opportunity or possibility?
- Opposite or in front of?
- Other, others, the other or another?
- Out or out of?
- Permit or permission?
- Person, persons or people?
- Pick or pick up?
- Play or game?
- Politics, political, politician or policy?
- Price or prize?
- Principal or principle?
- Quiet or quite?
- Raise or rise?
- Remember or remind?
- Right or rightly?
- Rob or steal?
- Say or tell?
- So that or in order that?
- Sometimes or sometime?
- Sound or noise?
- Speak or talk?
- Such or so?
- There, their or they’re?
- Towards or toward?
- Wait or wait for?
- Wake, wake up or awaken?
- Worth or worthwhile?
- Nouns, pronouns and determiners
-
Prepositions and particles
- Above
- After
- Against
- Among and amongst
- At
- At, in and to (movement)
- At, on and in (place)
- At, on and in (time)
- Below
- Beneath: meaning and use
- Beyond
- By + myself etc.
- During
- For
- For + -ing
- From
- In front of
- In spite of and despite
- In, into
- Near and near to
- Of
- On, onto
- Over
- Prepositional phrases
- Prepositions
- To
- Under
- Until
- With
- Within
- Without
- Words, sentences and clauses
- Using English
- Verbs
Parola del Giorno
warm-hearted
kind and loving
