Prepositions Pro Challenge. Day 1. About. Let's learn 10 ways to use it.
About can mean approximately. About 30 people went to the party.
So, we use it for a guess or an estimate that is not exact.
About can mean almost. For example, I'm just about finished with my work.
With this meaning, we typically say just about plus the adjective.
Again, to mean almost. I'm almost finished with my work.
About can mean in the general area. For example, a handful of tourists were wandering about the city center.
Now, this is more common in British English. In American English, we would typically use around.
Wandering around the city center. But the next two expressions are commonly used by Americans.
Out and about and up and about. For example, we weren't home at all yesterday.
We were out and about. Out and about simply means outside your home, going around to various places.
He's finally up and about a week after his knee surgery.
We use up and about when someone has recovered from a sickness or accident enough to stand up and move around.
About can mean concerning or regarding. This is one of the more common meanings.
For example, she wrote a book about her experience in the military.
About can mean very soon. For example, I'm about to go to the store. Want to come with me?
So the structure of this phrase is about to and then the verb. It means I will do this action very soon.
We have the phrase go about doing something, meaning proceed to do it in a particular way.
For example, I'm new at the company. How should I go about requesting a different desk?
I'm asking what's the procedure? How should I act? What should I do?
If you are all about something, it means you are passionate, excited or focused on it.
For example, I only buy things on sale. I'm all about getting the best deal possible, meaning I'm very passionate about that.
I'm very focused on getting the best deal possible.
To do an about face means to turn completely around and go the opposite way.
For example, the gate was locked, so I did an about face and went back to my car.
This can be used both for physically turning around as well as completely changing your opinion to the opposite one.
A very common phrase is it's about time. This means this should have happened already.
For example, after a month, they finally fixed the leaking sink. It's about time.
Finally, we have how about and what about to introduce possibilities or problems.
How about ordering pizza tonight? I'm introducing a possibility.
You're going to take a nap? What about all the work you have to do?
So how about is usually used to introduce possibilities and what about is often used to bring up problems or obstacles.
But this is not a strict rule.
Now it's your turn to use about in the 10 different ways we just learned.
Answer the questions using complete sentences. Then send them in for feedback and correction.
Thanks for joining me for day one and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
