Understanding ‘Approximately’: A Key Word for Estimates
Learn about the adverb ‘approximately’ and how to use it correctly for expressing estimates. This video covers its meaning, usage, synonyms, and common mistakes to avoid, helping you improve your vocabulary for the IELTS test and everyday communication.
Have you ever needed to describe an amount or number that wasn’t exact? Today, we’re going to learn about a very useful word that can help you do just that: approximately.
Word type: Approximately is an adverb. This means it’s a word that describes how something is done or how something happens.
Meaning: Approximately means close to a particular number or time, but not exactly. It’s used when you want to give an estimate or when you’re not sure of the exact figure.
Word history: The word approximately comes from Latin. It’s related to the word proximate, which means near or close.
Antonyms: The opposite of approximately would be exactly or precisely.
Synonyms: Some words that mean almost the same thing as approximately are about, around, roughly, and nearly.
Examples use in sentences: Let’s look at how we can use approximately in sentences. The journey takes approximately two hours.
There were approximately fifty people at the party. The building is approximately one hundred years old.
Common errors in use: Be careful not to use approximately when you know the exact number. For example, don’t say The class has approximately thirty students if you know there are exactly thirty students.
Also, remember that approximately is usually used with numbers or quantities. It’s not typically used with other types of information.
To sum up, approximately is a handy word for expressing estimates in the IELTS test and in everyday life.
It shows that you’re giving a close but not exact figure. Remember to use it with numbers and quantities, and you’ll be on your way to improving your vocabulary for the IELTS test.
