Word of the Day: Use
If you follow the Word of the Day section on this website, you have heard the word “use” when referring to how a word can function in a sentence as a verb, a noun, an adjective, etc. In these sentences, I’ll show some other ways to use “use.”
| simple | past | past participle |
|---|---|---|
|
use
|
used
|
used
|
- I use my car to get to work.
- Sometimes I use the bus or my bike.
- What do you use for transportation?
- Many people these days use a cell phone for making phone calls and browsing the internet.
- Do you use Twitter or Facebook?
- Many teachers these days use computers when they teach a class.
- I used to use a chalkboard when I first started teaching. Now I use a whiteboard.
It’s very common to hear the word “use” when talking about cooking and eating:
- Bob uses a lot of ketchup when he eats french fries.
- Don’t use too much salt. It isn’t good for you.
- Sarah used up all the eggs when she made breakfast this morning. (use up = use all of something)
- How much sugar did you use to make your cookies?
- I like to use fresh ginger and garlic when making Chinese food.
Of course, the word “use” is often applied when talking about grammar, spelling, and punctuation:
- Are you good at using irregular verbs?
- It’s necessary to learn how to use adjectives and adverbs properly.
- When spelling words that end in a “y,” use an “i” instead of a “y” if those words are plural or in the past tense.
- You should always use a period at the end of a statement and a question mark at the end of a question.
As a noun, the pronunciation of this word changes to use (The “s” sounds like an “s.”). This is an important difference.
- A cell phone has many different uses.
- Do you use a cell phone? (In this question, “use” is a verb. Do you hear the difference?)
- I had no use for an English book, so I gave it to one of my students.
- The use of a dictionary is helpful when you study.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with U page to see the list of all words starting with letter U. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
