pro
pro — noun
1. a good reason or benefit that makes you want to choose a particular option or co
a good reason or benefit that makes you want to choose a particular option or course of action.
Isabela weighed every pro before she agreed to the new job offer.
collocation: weighed every pro
One big pro of working from home is the shorter time spent travelling each day.
pattern: One big pro of [noun phrase] + is
Kofi listed all the pros of moving to a bigger apartment before making a decision.
The main pro of this phone is its long battery life.
用法筆記
Usually appears in the phrase 'the pros (and cons)' or paired with a count of advantages. Frequently found in decision-making contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a person who gets paid to play a sport, rather than doing it just for enjoyment.
a person who gets paid to play a sport, rather than doing it just for enjoyment.
Haruto turned pro at eighteen and signed his first contract the same year.
pattern: turned pro (became a professional)
The tournament brings together the best pros from twenty different countries.
Anna trained alongside seasoned pros who had played in the national league for years.
Many young athletes dream of playing as a pro for a top club one day.
- professional
the full form of 'pro'; slightly more formal
- athlete
broader term — includes amateurs and non-paid players
- sportsperson
neutral gender term; less common in everyday speech
用法筆記
Commonly follows 'turn' ('turn pro' = begin a professional career) and 'play as'. Can also refer to professionals outside sports (e.g. 'a real estate pro'), though the sports sense is most frequent.
常見錯誤
3. the favourable and unfavourable points connected with a choice that you are thin
the favourable and unfavourable points connected with a choice that you are thinking about.
Eleni wrote down the pros and cons of each house before making an offer.
pattern: wrote down the pros and cons of [noun]
Quan spent an hour listing the pros and cons of studying abroad next year.
Shirin advised the team to consider all the pros and cons before changing suppliers.
The pros of taking the train easily outweighed the cons of driving through heavy traffic.
- advantages and disadvantages
full formal equivalent; less punchy than 'pros and cons'
- for and against
used as an adjective phrase ('the for and against arguments')
- benefits and drawbacks
common alternative; slightly more formal
用法筆記
Nearly always appears as the fixed plural phrase 'the pros and cons'. Singular use ('a pro and a con') exists but is far less natural. The phrase can be followed by 'of + noun/gerund'.
常見錯誤
pro — adjective
1. in agreement with a plan, idea, or action; supporting something.
in agreement with a plan, idea, or action; supporting something.
Sivan is very pro the new recycling programme at her school.
pattern: pro + noun phrase
Ramón described himself as pro change and eager to try fresh approaches.
Bao's family is pro the idea of studying a second language from an early age.
The committee members who are pro the proposal spoke first at the meeting.
- in favour of
the full prepositional phrase; more formal than 'pro'
- supportive of
less common in this direct-attributive position; needs 'of'
- for
informal and very common in spoken English ('I'm for it')
文法句型
pro + noun phrase
用法筆記
Followed directly by a noun phrase without a preposition ('pro the plan', NOT 'pro of the plan'). Common in political or policy discussions. The opposite is 'anti'.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a situation, team, or arrangement in which players are paid to take
relating to a situation, team, or arrangement in which players are paid to take part, rather than playing as amateurs.
Haruto signed with a pro team right after finishing high school.
collocation: pro team
The city built a new stadium to attract a pro basketball franchise.
Anna left her amateur club to join a pro league across the country.
Pro sports demand a level of dedication that few amateur players can maintain.
- professional
the full form; used in both attributive and predicate positions
- paid
emphasises the financial aspect but less precise
- top-level
focuses on skill and status rather than payment arrangement
- amateur
the standard opposite; 'amateur league' vs 'pro league'
- recreational
emphasises playing for fun rather than money
用法筆記
Always appears before a noun (attributive position). The full form 'professional' is more formal and can appear in predicate position ('the league is professional').
常見錯誤
❌ 'Pro' as a predicate adjective meaning professional ('This league is pro.') — this is rare and sounds unnatural; use 'professional' instead.
pro — prefix
1. added to the start of a noun or adjective to show support for a particular idea,
added to the start of a noun or adjective to show support for a particular idea, group, or cause.
The pro-democracy rally drew thousands of people to the city square.
example: pro-democracy
Several pro-education groups pushed for more funding in the new budget.
Kofi joined a pro-environment organisation that plants trees in urban areas.
The senator is known for her pro-business voting record over the past decade.
- supporting
the full-word equivalent; requires 'of' ('supporting of the plan')
- in favour of
a phrase, not a prefix; used when you cannot attach 'pro-' to the word
文法句型
pro- + noun/adjective
用法筆記
Always attached with a hyphen when combined with a noun or adjective ('pro-choice', 'pro-government'). Used productively — you can create new combinations that are understood immediately.
常見錯誤
pro — adverb
1. in a way that shows you agree with a suggestion, proposal, or idea in a formal d
in a way that shows you agree with a suggestion, proposal, or idea in a formal debate or vote.
The committee voted pro, and the new policy was adopted immediately.
register: formal voting context
Of the twelve board members who spoke, eight argued pro and four argued con.
The senator spoke pro on the floor, urging colleagues to support the bill.
The union delegates voted pro by a clear majority of two to one.
- in favour
the full adverbial phrase; more common in everyday and formal writing
- affirmatively
formal legal or parliamentary term
- positively
broader meaning; not restricted to voting
用法筆記
Restricted to formal or parliamentary contexts, especially voting and debate. Nearly always paired with 'con' as the opposite adverb. In everyday English, 'in favour' (UK) or 'in favor' (US) is much more common.
常見錯誤
pro — preposition
1. used before a noun in certain fixed Latin-derived phrases to mean 'for the sake
used before a noun in certain fixed Latin-derived phrases to mean 'for the sake of', 'on behalf of', or 'in proportion to'.
The lawyer took the case pro bono, meaning she charged no fee for her work.
fixed phrase: pro bono
Rent is calculated pro rata based on how many days each tenant stays each month.
fixed phrase: pro rata
The dean appointed a colleague to serve pro tempore until the new elections.
The company issued a pro forma invoice before the goods were shipped.
文法句型
pro + noun
用法筆記
This is not a productive English preposition — it appears only in fixed Latin expressions that have been borrowed into English ('pro bono', 'pro rata', 'pro tempore', 'pro forma'). These phrases should be learned as whole units.