Whats the difference between under, below, beneath, and underneath? - English Grammar & Vocabulary Lesson These words are all similar in meaning, but figuring out the differences between them can be a little tricky. First, its helpful to know how common each word is: 1. Under is the most popular. 2. Below is used about 1/4 as often as under 3. Beneath is used 1/2 as often as below 4. Underneath is used less than 1/2 as often as beneath So if youre struggling to choose the correct word, under is probably the safest choice. Now lets discuss each word in detail. Under Under is the default choice. In most situations, you can replace any of the other words with under. Compared to below, under is more often used to talk about 3-dimensional objects. For example, youd talk about something being under a table, under a book, etc. # Under is also good for talking about layers of something: I have on a t-shirt under my jacket. # You can use under for numbers: I did it in under 7 hours. We were able to raise just under fifteen thousand dollars. # Under also shows up in expressions like: under stress under pressure under someones control under someones influence under consideration under construction under a spell Below Compared to under, you use below more often to talk about the level of something on a flat plane. For example, if youre describing two photos that hang on a wall, you can say that one of them is below the other. # Use below to talk about the level of something, like a temperature: Its supposed to drop below freezing tonight. In writing, you can use below to talk about something later on: Please read the instructions below before you begin. The opposite of below is above. Beneath # Beneath is more formal than under: In the unlikely event of an emergency water landing, you may find a flotation device beneath your seat cushion. It can also suggest being covered by something: beneath the blankets beneath the surface of the water When youre talking about someones actions or decisions, you use beneath to talk about the true emotions that a person is hiding: Beneath it all, he still loves her. When youre talking about human relationships, being beneath someone is very negative. Things or people that are beneath you are disgusting. Theyre too low for someone with your social position: She acts like some kind of princess, like were all beneath her. Underneath # Underneath has a kind of casual and expressive feeling. You can choose underneath instead of under to explain the location of something with a little more emphasis. A: You found it! Where was it? B: It was underneath the sofa. Think of underneath as a more emotional, exciting version of under. Enjoy the lesson!
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 13:07:24 +0000
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