Understanding ‘Prohibit’: A Key Word for IELTS Success
Learn the meaning, usage, and importance of the word ‘prohibit’ for IELTS learners aiming for a 6.5 band score. This video covers the word’s definition, history, synonyms, antonyms, and common usage errors to help improve your vocabulary and language skills.
Have you ever wondered why certain actions are not allowed in society? Today, we’re exploring a powerful word that’s essential for IELTS learners aiming for a band score of 6.5: prohibit.
Word type: Prohibit is a verb. It’s an action word used to describe the act of forbidding something by law or rule.
Meaning: To prohibit means to formally forbid something by law, rule, or authority. It’s about preventing an action or behavior from happening by making it illegal or impossible to do.
Word history: The word prohibit comes from Latin. It’s derived from the Latin word prohibere, which is made up of pro, meaning forward, and habere, meaning to hold.
So, it literally means to hold something back or prevent it from happening.
Antonyms: Some opposites of prohibit include allow, permit, authorize, and enable.
These words all involve giving permission for something to happen, rather than preventing it.
Synonyms:
Words with similar meanings to prohibit include ban, forbid, outlaw, disallow, and restrict. These all involve stopping something from happening, though with slightly different shades of meaning.
Examples use in sentences: Let’s look at how to use prohibit in sentences. Here are three examples: The government has prohibited the use of single-use plastic bags in an effort to reduce pollution.
Many schools prohibit students from using mobile phones during class time. The contract prohibits the employee from sharing confidential information with competitors.
Common errors in use: One common mistake is confusing prohibit with prevent. While they’re similar, prohibit specifically refers to forbidding something by law or rule, while prevent is more general and means to stop something from happening.
Another error is using prohibit in the continuous tense. It’s better to say The rules prohibit smoking rather than The rules are prohibiting smoking.
To wrap up, prohibit is a formal way of saying something is not allowed or forbidden by law or rule.
It’s a useful word for discussing regulations, laws, and social norms. Remember, in IELTS, using words like prohibit accurately can help demonstrate your vocabulary range and boost your band score.
Keep practicing with this word, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving that 6.5 band score.
