proper
proper — adjective
1. of the quality or type that is expected for something, as opposed to a poor or f
of the quality or type that is expected for something, as opposed to a poor or fake version of it.
After years of part-time work, Indra finally found a proper job with a steady income.
attributive: proper + job/meal/shoes
The restaurant served a proper meal with soup, main course, and dessert.
Owen's bicycle is old but still a proper machine that can handle long rides.
You need proper shoes for hiking, not just old trainers from the gym.
The children's museum has proper exhibits, not just toys on a shelf.
- inadequate
proper implies good enough standard; inadequate means below that standard
文法句型
proper + noun
用法筆記
Often used in positive contexts about quality or authenticity. Common with nouns such as 'job', 'meal', 'shoes', 'education', and 'training'.
常見錯誤
2. behaving or acting in a way that people in a community agree is morally and soci
behaving or acting in a way that people in a community agree is morally and socially right.
In many cultures, it is not proper to speak loudly at the dinner table.
negative pattern: it is not proper to...
Brooke's parents expected proper behaviour from all their guests.
Shirin wondered whether her casual outfit was proper for the ceremony.
The school taught students how to write a proper thank-you letter.
- appropriate
broader; can apply to any situation, not just moral/social conduct
- correct
stronger; implies a clear right-or-wrong standard
- acceptable
weaker; suggests the minimum standard rather than ideal behaviour
- improper
direct opposite; failing to meet social or moral standards
- inappropriate
broader; not suitable for the situation
文法句型
it is proper (for someone) to do something
proper + noun
it is not proper to...
用法筆記
Common in negative constructions and questions about appropriate conduct. 'It is not proper to...' is a frequent pattern. Distinguished from sense 1 by focusing on social/moral norms rather than quality or genuineness.
常見錯誤
3. placed after a noun to refer to the main or central part of something, not inclu
placed after a noun to refer to the main or central part of something, not including its edges, suburbs, or extensions.
The town proper has only five thousand residents, but the suburbs are huge.
postpositive position: [noun] + proper
The discussion focused on the policy proper, not on side issues.
Minho argued that the novel proper begins after the long introduction.
The building proper is two hundred years old, though the extension is newer.
文法句型
noun + proper
用法筆記
Unlike most English adjectives, proper in this sense comes AFTER the noun it modifies (postpositive position). Common with nouns like 'town', 'city', 'novel', 'policy', 'text'.
常見錯誤
4. used informally before a noun to emphasise that something is complete, total, or
used informally before a noun to emphasise that something is complete, total, or extreme — for example, a proper mess or a proper disaster.
Kofi made a proper mess of the kitchen while baking a cake.
informal intensifier: proper + [negative noun]
After losing the match, Tamás was in a proper bad mood for hours.
The storm caused a proper disaster, flooding dozens of homes.
Tunde got himself into a proper fix when he forgot the tickets.
文法句型
proper + noun (usually negative)
用法筆記
British informal usage. Always placed before the noun it modifies. Most frequently used with nouns expressing something undesirable (a mess, a disaster, a fool, a shock).
常見錯誤
5. being a natural part or feature of a specific person, thing, or situation and no
being a natural part or feature of a specific person, thing, or situation and no other.
A love of spicy food is proper to the region's culinary tradition.
prepositional pattern: proper to + [noun]
The shyness proper to adolescence gradually faded as Heloísa grew older.
Each species has behaviours proper to its environment and lifestyle.
The formal language proper to legal documents can be hard to understand.
- characteristic of
common alternative; 'proper to' is more formal
- peculiar to
stronger emphasis on uniqueness; slightly more formal
- unique to
implies no other example has this feature; stronger than proper to
- alien to
opposite meaning — foreign or unnatural to something
文法句型
proper to + noun
用法筆記
Followed by the preposition 'to'. More formal than the other adjective senses. Common in academic, technical, and descriptive writing. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 5 means 'naturally belonging to' and is followed by 'to', while sense 3 means 'main part of' and follows the noun directly.
常見錯誤
proper — adverb
1. used in informal British English instead of 'properly', especially to mean speak
used in informal British English instead of 'properly', especially to mean speaking or doing something in the correct way.
The old man could not speak proper after his stroke affected his speech.
British colloquial: verb + proper (instead of properly)
Brandon told his son to sit up proper and pay attention in class.
Élise was trying hard to learn how to pronounce the French word proper.
The teacher told the children to sit down and behave proper during the assembly.
- properly
the standard adverb; use in formal and written English
文法句型
verb + proper
用法筆記
Non-standard adverb form used primarily in British speech, not in formal writing. Standard English uses 'properly' instead.
常見錯誤
2. used in informal British English before an adjective to add emphasis, meaning 'v
used in informal British English before an adjective to add emphasis, meaning 'very' or 'extremely'.
Niran was proper angry when he found out about the accounting mistake.
British colloquial intensifier: proper + adjective
That new horror film was proper scary — Sahil could not sleep all night.
Tamar was proper pleased when she received her university acceptance letter.
Christopher was proper embarrassed when his phone rang during the meeting.
文法句型
proper + adjective
用法筆記
Non-standard intensifier common in British regional speech and informal conversation. Not used in formal writing. Can modify both positive and negative adjectives.