Word of the Day: Shop
The word “shop” is used when people buy things that they want or need. It’s a simple word; however, among people who speak English as a second language, it’s often misused.
In these sentences, “shop” is used as a verb:
- Do you shop on the weekends or during the week?
- Where do you shop?
- I’m shopping for a new jacket.
- Cara never shops at that store anymore.
- Bob rarely shops for clothes. He already has a lot of things to wear.
In these sentences, “shop” is a noun:
- Barbara owns a flower shop. She’s a florist.
- Joe owns a barber shop. He’s a barber.
- The shops and restaurants in this town are very popular among tourists.
- An antique shop is a great place to find furniture that’s well made and retains its value.
The word “shop” is often used as a gerund or as an infinitive:
- Shopping on the day after Thanksgiving is very popular among many Americans. (This sentence uses a gerund.)
- Where do you like to go shopping? (This question uses “shop” as a gerund.)
- Where do you like to shop? (This question uses “shop” as an infinitive.)
To shop around is a popular way of saying that a person is checking out the market, looking around for a new place with which to do business, or looking for a new product:
- We’re shopping around for a new insurance company.
- If you want to find the best deal on a computer, you should shop around first.
- Bob is shopping around for a new car.
- Sandra is shopping around for a new boyfriend.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with S page to see the list of all words starting with letter S. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
