Difference between revisions of "Language/English/Vocabulary/(a)round-and-about"
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Examples: | Examples: | ||
She walked (a)round the car and looked at the wheels. | *She walked (a)round the car and looked at the wheels. | ||
I'd like to travel (a)round the world. | *I'd like to travel (a)round the world. | ||
‘Where do you live?' ‘Just (a)round the corner.’ | *‘Where do you live?' ‘Just (a)round the corner.’ | ||
==Touring, distribution: (a)round== | ==Touring, distribution: (a)round== | ||
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Examples: | Examples: | ||
We walked (a)round the old part of the town. | *We walked (a)round the old part of the town. | ||
Can I look (a)round? | *Can I look (a)round? | ||
Could you pass the cups (a)round, please? | *Could you pass the cups (a)round, please? | ||
==Indefinite movement and position: around/about== | ==Indefinite movement and position: around/about== | ||
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Examples: | Examples: | ||
The children were running around/about everywhere. | *The children were running around/about everywhere. | ||
Stop standing around/about and do some work. | *Stop standing around/about and do some work. | ||
‘Where's Jack?’ ‘Somewhere around/about.’ | *‘Where's Jack?’ ‘Somewhere around/about.’ | ||
I like doing odd jobs around/about the house. | *I like doing odd jobs around/about the house. | ||
==To talk about time-wasting or silly activity: around/about== | ==To talk about time-wasting or silly activity: around/about== | ||
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Example: | Example: | ||
Stop fooling around/about. We're late. | *Stop fooling around/about. We're late. | ||
==Approximately: around/about== | ==Approximately: around/about== | ||
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Examples: | Examples: | ||
There were about/around twenty people there. | *There were about/around twenty people there. | ||
‘What time shall I come?' ‘About/Around seven.’ | *‘What time shall I come?' ‘About/Around seven.’ | ||
Revision as of 19:06, 12 May 2020
Circular movement, etc: (a)round
We use both round and around (American English usually around) for movement or position in a circle or a curve.
Examples:
- She walked (a)round the car and looked at the wheels.
- I'd like to travel (a)round the world.
- ‘Where do you live?' ‘Just (a)round the corner.’
Touring, distribution: (a)round
We also use round or around (American English usually around) to talk about going to all (or most) parts of a place, or giving things to everybody in a group.
Examples:
- We walked (a)round the old part of the town.
- Can I look (a)round?
- Could you pass the cups (a)round, please?
Indefinite movement and position: around/about
We use around or about (American English usually around) to refer to movements or positions that are not very clear or definite: ‘here and there’, ‘in lots of places’, ‘in different parts of, ‘somewhere in’ and similar ideas.
Examples:
- The children were running around/about everywhere.
- Stop standing around/about and do some work.
- ‘Where's Jack?’ ‘Somewhere around/about.’
- I like doing odd jobs around/about the house.
To talk about time-wasting or silly activity: around/about
We also use around/about in some common expressions to talk about time-wasting or silly activity.
Example:
- Stop fooling around/about. We're late.
Approximately: around/about
About and around can both mean ‘approximately’, ‘not exactly’. About is more common than around in British English.
Examples:
- There were about/around twenty people there.
- ‘What time shall I come?' ‘About/Around seven.’