normal
normal — adjective
1. happening, done, or experienced in the way that most people expect because it ma
happening, done, or experienced in the way that most people expect because it matches what is typical or common in that situation.
It is normal for babies to cry when they are hungry or tired.
pattern: it is normal for + noun + to-infinitive
On a normal Monday, Élise takes the train to the city centre.
The temperature today is normal for early spring in Taipei.
It is perfectly normal to feel nervous before a big job interview.
文法句型
it is normal for + noun + to-infinitive
normal + noun
用法筆記
Often used with modifiers like 'perfectly', 'completely', or 'entirely' to emphasise that there is nothing unusual about the situation.
常見錯誤
2. having a body or mind that is working correctly, without illness, injury, or pro
having a body or mind that is working correctly, without illness, injury, or problems that affect how someone or something should function.
The doctor said Amani's heart rate is normal for someone her age.
pattern: normal for + possessive + age/group
After surgery, Vinícius was glad that all his test results were normal.
collocation: test results are normal
The baby's growth has been normal since birth, so the parents feel relieved.
It is normal to feel very tired during the first week after a major operation.
文法句型
normal + noun (medical readings)
remain + normal
within normal limits
用法筆記
Common in medical contexts to describe test results, vital signs, and developmental progress. Frequently appears in the phrase 'within normal limits' (WNL) in clinical reports.
常見錯誤
3. in a condition where nothing is broken, damaged, or out of place, so that a thin
in a condition where nothing is broken, damaged, or out of place, so that a thing works or looks exactly as it should.
The mechanic said the engine is in normal working order after the repair.
collocation: normal working order
Under the microscope, the cell structure looked normal with no signs of damage.
The quality inspector found the fabric to be in normal condition without any tears.
The technician tested the circuit board and found it in normal working state.
- intact
emphasises that nothing is missing or broken; more formal
- unblemished
focuses on the absence of visible marks or flaws
文法句型
normal + noun (working order/condition)
4. meeting or forming an angle of exactly ninety degrees; standing at a right angle
meeting or forming an angle of exactly ninety degrees; standing at a right angle to a given line, surface, or plane.
In geometry class, Soraya drew a normal line between the two intersecting planes.
mathematical term: normal line
A normal angle measures exactly ninety degrees and is also called a right angle.
The wall must be normal to the floor, or the cabinet will not fit properly.
The builder checked that each support beam was normal to the main wall.
- perpendicular
far more common in everyday usage; interchangeable in technical contexts
- orthogonal
formal; used mainly in advanced mathematics and engineering
- parallel
running in the same direction without meeting; the opposite geometric relationship
文法句型
normal + noun (line/angle/plane)
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in geometry, physics, and engineering contexts. In everyday English, 'perpendicular' or 'at a right angle' is far more common.
normal — noun
1. the usual or expected state, level, or amount that most people consider standard
the usual or expected state, level, or amount that most people consider standard in a particular situation.
After the flood, it took months for life in the village to return to normal.
fixed phrase: return to normal
Rainfall this spring has been well above normal for the whole region.
pattern: above / below normal
Things are slowly getting back to normal after the big earthquake in Hualien.
Cyrus's body temperature is slightly below normal, so the nurse gave him a blanket.
- exception
something that does not follow the usual pattern
文法句型
the normal
back to normal
above/below normal
return to normal
用法筆記
Nearly always used with a preposition — 'back to normal', 'return to normal', 'above normal', 'below normal'. The definite article 'the' is common: 'the normal'.
常見錯誤
2. a person who does not have a particular medical condition or disability, used es
a person who does not have a particular medical condition or disability, used especially in research studies to compare with a group that does.
The study compared the sleep patterns of patients with those of normals.
formal research usage: normals as countable noun
In the experiment, normals completed the task faster than the patient group.
The researchers interviewed both patients and normals to gather comparative data.
A group of normals was recruited from the university to take part in the memory study.
- control subject
the precise research term for a person in the comparison group
- healthy volunteer
common in clinical trial contexts
- patient
the person being compared to the normal control group
文法句型
plural: normals
用法筆記
This sense is most common in academic and clinical research writing. In everyday conversation, it can sound unnatural or even offensive — use 'people without the condition' instead.
常見錯誤
3. a straight line drawn at a right angle to a curve or surface at the point where
a straight line drawn at a right angle to a curve or surface at the point where they meet, used in geometry and calculus to calculate distances and slopes.
Find the equation of the normal to the curve y equals x squared at the point where x is two.
pattern: the normal to + curve
The normal to the parabola meets the x-axis three units from the origin.
First, calculate the length of the normal between the curve and the x-axis.
The normal to the circle passes through its centre at all contact points.
- perpendicular line
more general term; 'normal' is the standard term in calculus
文法句型
the normal to + noun
normal + verb
用法筆記
This is a specialised geometry term. In calculus problems, you will often be asked to 'find the normal' to a curve, which means the line perpendicular to the tangent at that point.