english
english — noun
1. The main language spoken in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, an
The main language spoken in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and many other countries around the world, used for international communication in business, science, and travel.
Tuan is learning English so he can apply to universities in Canada.
learn + English for a purpose
The instructions on the medicine bottle were written in both English and Spanish.
written in English
Maeve speaks English at work, but at home she speaks Irish with her family.
Many international business meetings are now conducted entirely in English.
Asher read the English translation of the French novel for his literature class.
文法句型
uncountable noun
speak/learn/understand + English
in English
the + English + language
用法筆記
Uncountable noun. Do not say 'an English' to mean the language. Say 'English' or 'the English language'.
常見錯誤
2. The people who come from England — the largest country within the United Kingdom
The people who come from England — the largest country within the United Kingdom. Some speakers use this word more broadly to refer to all British people, although strictly speaking that usage is imprecise.
Imani read a book about how the English built the first underground railway in London.
the + English (collective plural)
The English have a long tradition of afternoon tea with sandwiches and small cakes.
Haruto noticed that the English often say 'sorry' even when they have done nothing wrong.
In the 1800s, many English moved to Australia and New Zealand for new lives.
The English have a reputation for being reserved, but Dahlia found them warm and welcoming.
- the British
broader term covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- Britons
more formal or historical name for British people
- Brits
informal short form of British people
文法句型
the + English (collective plural noun)
用法筆記
Always used with 'the' as a collective plural noun — takes a plural verb. 'The English' refers specifically to people from England, not to people from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, although it is sometimes used loosely to mean British people.
常見錯誤
3. A school or university subject that teaches reading, writing, and critical analy
A school or university subject that teaches reading, writing, and critical analysis of English literature and the English language.
Ingrid always got top marks in English because she loved reading novels.
in English (subject context)
Tuan's English teacher asked the class to write a personal essay about their summer holiday.
English teacher (compound noun)
Madison struggled with English grammar but really enjoyed the poetry unit.
The final exam for English includes a written paper and an oral presentation.
Ada decided to major in English at university because she wants to become a writer.
文法句型
uncountable noun
study/take + English
English + (class/teacher/exam/grade)
用法筆記
Often capitalized in school contexts. In British schools, this subject is sometimes split into 'English Language' and 'English Literature' as separate qualifications.
常見錯誤
english — adjective
1. Written, spoken, or connected with the English language — for example, an Englis
Written, spoken, or connected with the English language — for example, an English dictionary, an English exam, or English subtitles on a film.
Maeve borrowed an English dictionary from the library to check the spelling.
English + dictionary (language-related compound)
The website offers free English lessons for beginners from around the world.
English lessons
Asher found the English subtitles helpful when watching the Korean drama.
Vivek's English pronunciation improved after he started listening to daily podcasts.
The English version of the document was twenty pages longer than the original French text.
文法句型
English + noun (language-related)
2. Belonging to or coming from England, the largest country in the United Kingdom —
Belonging to or coming from England, the largest country in the United Kingdom — for example, English people, English traditions, or English products.
Defne bought a warm English wool sweater during her trip to London.
English wool (origin)
Anna's favourite weekend meal is a traditional English breakfast with eggs and sausages.
The English countryside is famous for its green hills and old stone villages.
Xiu visited several English castles while studying abroad for a semester in London.
Isabela learned to make English scones from her grandmother's handwritten recipe book.
文法句型
English + noun (country-related)
用法筆記
Different from 'British' — 'English' refers specifically to things or people from England, not from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
常見錯誤
english — verb
1. To change the words of a written text from another language into English, produc
To change the words of a written text from another language into English, producing a version that speakers of English can read and understand.
The publishing house hired a translator to English the Japanese novel for an international audience.
English + direct object (transitive)
The Sanskrit love poem was Englished by Henrik after months of careful study.
passive main clause: was Englished by
A team of experts was hired to English the ancient inscriptions found near the temple.
It took Professor Hyun six months to English the Latin poem for the academic journal.
Commissioned by the EU, the Hungarian research documents were Englished for an international climate science conference.
- translate into English
the standard modern phrase; much more common than the single verb 'English'
文法句型
English + noun phrase (text/document)
passive: be Englished
用法筆記
This verb is very rare in modern everyday English. Most speakers say 'translate (something) into English' instead. The verb form 'English' is mostly found in historical or scholarly contexts.
常見錯誤
2. To take a foreign word or expression and adapt it into the English language, oft
To take a foreign word or expression and adapt it into the English language, often changing its spelling or pronunciation to fit English patterns — for example, how the French word 'ballet' was adopted into English with a different pronunciation.
The German word 'kindergarten' was Englished with the same spelling but a very different pronunciation.
passive: was Englished
Many Italian words like 'pizza' and 'spaghetti' have been Englished over the past century.
Élise noted in her food column how 'kimchi' was Englished with few spelling changes.
Many Hindi words like 'bungalow' and 'jungle' were Englished during the British colonial period.
It was during the Renaissance that the Italian word 'sonnet' was Englished and started appearing in English poetry.
- anglicize
the more common modern verb for this meaning; 'English' as a verb is very rare
文法句型
be Englished (passive)
English + foreign word/term
用法筆記
Typically used in the passive voice ('be Englished'). This verb is extremely rare — the alternative verb 'anglicize' is much more common in modern usage.