format
format — noun
1. the way in which something is organized or presented to the people who will see,
the way in which something is organized or presented to the people who will see, hear, or use it
The interview followed a question-and-answer format, with viewers sending in questions.
countable: follow + format
The course uses an online format that lets students learn at their own speed.
After complaints, the show adopted a new format with shorter segments and more guests.
The competition follows a knockout format where the losing player is eliminated from the tournament.
- layout
more about the physical or visual placement of elements on a page or screen
- structure
focuses on how parts connect and relate to each other, not just appearance
- arrangement
emphasizes the order in which items are placed, less about overall design
- pattern
implies a repeated or predictable design, narrower than format
文法句型
format + of + noun phrase
in + adjective + format
用法筆記
Often used with an adjective describing the type of structure (online format, digital format, live format, etc.).
常見錯誤
2. a particular way of arranging and storing digital information so that computer p
a particular way of arranging and storing digital information so that computer programs can read and process it
Photos saved in the JPEG format take up less space on the hard drive.
in + [file-type] + format
The video file was in a format that the old laptop could not play.
Convert this document into a PDF format before sending it to the client.
Théo could not open the file because his computer did not support the format.
文法句型
in + noun + format
convert + noun + to/into + format
用法筆記
Common with file extensions (.pdf, .docx, .mp3, etc.) which identify the format. Users often specify the format when saving or sharing files.
常見錯誤
format — verb
1. to give a document, image, or file a particular layout and appearance by choosin
to give a document, image, or file a particular layout and appearance by choosing how text, pictures, and other elements are arranged
Eli formatted the document with double spacing and wider margins for his teacher.
format + with + [feature]
The software allows you to format images and text together on one page.
Before printing the brochure, Mizuki checked that all the content was properly formatted.
This tool can format raw data into clean tables and charts automatically.
Cyrus spent the morning formatting the presentation slides for the client meeting.
文法句型
format + noun phrase
be formatted + as/in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always used in computing or publishing contexts. Passive form (be formatted) is common when describing the result rather than the action.
常見錯誤
2. to set up a storage device, such as a USB stick or hard drive, with the correct
to set up a storage device, such as a USB stick or hard drive, with the correct file system so that a computer can save and retrieve data on it
Christopher formatted the old USB drive so he could use it for backups.
format + [storage device]
You will lose all your data if you format the hard drive by mistake.
Adisa formatted the memory card before inserting it into the new camera.
Sophia had to format the external drive because it was not working with her computer.
- initialize
more technical term for preparing a disk for first use
- wipe
informal, emphasizes the erasing of data rather than the preparation
文法句型
format + noun phrase (storage device)
用法筆記
Formatting a storage device erases all existing data on it. This sense is distinct from verb/1 (ORGANIZE TEXT/DATA) — formatting a disk has nothing to do with document layout.