Understanding ‘Due’: Boost Your IELTS Vocabulary
Learn the meaning, usage, and common mistakes associated with the word ‘due’. This video explains its function as an adjective and adverb, provides examples, and offers tips to improve your IELTS vocabulary. Perfect for English learners preparing for the IELTS exam.
Imagine you’re waiting for a package to arrive. The delivery company says it’s due today. But what exactly does due mean?
Let’s explore this useful word to boost your IELTS vocabulary.
Word type: Due can function as an adjective or an adverb in English.
Meaning: As an adjective, due means expected or scheduled to happen, arrive, or be ready at a particular time.
It can also mean owed as a debt or as a right. As an adverb, it means directly or exactly.
Word history:
The word due comes from Old French, ultimately derived from Latin debitus, meaning owed or proper.
Antonyms:
Some opposites of due include unexpected, unscheduled, and premature.
Synonyms: Words with similar meanings to due include expected, scheduled, owed, and appropriate.
Examples use in sentences: The train is due to arrive at six o’clock. Your assignment is due next Friday.
The company owes me the wages due for my work last month. Turn due north at the crossroads to reach the museum.
Common errors in use: People sometimes confuse due to with because of. Due to should be used after a form of to be, while because of can be used more freely.
For example, The delay was due to heavy traffic is correct, but The plane arrived late due to heavy traffic is incorrect.
It should be The plane arrived late because of heavy traffic. Now that we’ve explored the word due, try using it in your own sentences.
Remember, practice is key to improving your vocabulary for the IELTS test. Keep an eye out for due in your reading and listening practice, and don’t forget to use it in your speaking and writing tasks when appropriate.
