away
Away means to be in a different place or moving to a place that is not here.
Explanation at your level:
When you are away, you are not here. You are in a different place. For example, 'He is away today.' It is a very useful word for travel and being at home.
Use away to talk about movement. 'Go away' means leave this place. You can also say 'The park is two miles away' to show how far something is from your current spot.
At this level, you can use away with phrasal verbs. 'Throw away' means to put something in the trash. You can also use it to describe continuous actions, like 'he was typing away all night,' which means he worked hard without stopping.
Away adds nuance to your descriptions. It can signify the removal of something, such as 'he cleared the dishes away.' It is also used in figurative senses, like 'the problem melted away,' showing how things can vanish or resolve over time.
In advanced English, away functions in complex structures. It can imply a sense of depletion, as in 'the resources were whittled away.' It also appears in literary contexts to describe emotional states, such as 'his mind was away,' implying he was distracted or daydreaming.
At the mastery level, away is used to convey subtle shifts in state. It can denote the complete cessation of an activity or the gradual erosion of a concept. Its etymological connection to 'on way' is often exploited in literature to evoke themes of transition, departure, and the existential nature of movement through time and space.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Adverb of place
- Indicates distance
- Common in phrasal verbs
- Easy to use
Think of away as your go-to word for distance and movement. When you are away, you aren't where you started! It is a super flexible word that helps us describe everything from physical movement to the act of being gone.
You can use it to say someone is traveling, like 'she is away on business,' or to describe a direction, like 'he ran away from the noise.' It is one of those essential words that makes English sentences flow naturally.
The word away has deep roots in Old English, coming from the words on weg, which literally translates to 'on way.' Over centuries, these two words merged into the single term we use today.
It is fascinating to see how Germanic languages share this structure. It evolved from the idea of being 'on the road' or 'on the journey.' It has been a staple of the English language since the 12th century, proving that humans have always loved talking about leaving!
In daily life, away is incredibly common. You will hear it in phrases like 'go away,' 'stay away,' or 'far away.' It works well in both casual chats with friends and more descriptive writing.
When you want to sound more precise, you might pair it with verbs like run, hide, or drift. It is a neutral word, meaning it fits almost anywhere without sounding too formal or too slangy.
English is full of fun idioms using away. For example, 'fire away' means to go ahead and ask your questions. 'Blow away' can mean to be very impressed by something.
Another common one is 'tuck away,' which means to store something safely. 'Fade away' describes something slowly disappearing, and 'right away' means to do something immediately!
Pronounced /əˈweɪ/, the stress is on the second syllable. It rhymes with words like day, play, and stay. It is an adverb, so it usually modifies verbs or adjectives.
You don't need to worry about plurals or articles because it is an invariable adverb. Just place it after the verb or the object you are describing to keep your sentence structure clean and correct.
Fun Fact
It used to be two words!
Pronunciation Guide
Starts with a schwa sound.
Clear 'a' sound at the end.
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing the schwa
- Stressing the wrong syllable
- Adding an extra sound
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
easy
easy
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Adverb placement
He ran away.
Examples by Level
He is away today.
He is not here.
Adverb of place.
The cat ran away.
I am going away.
She is away.
It is away.
Go away!
Stay away.
Look away.
The store is far away.
Please put the toys away.
He walked away from the car.
Don't go away yet.
The noise died away.
They are away on holiday.
She looked away quickly.
Keep away from the fire.
I threw the old papers away.
He was working away at his desk.
The music drifted away.
She hid the money away safely.
They sailed away into the sunset.
The pain will go away soon.
He is away for the weekend.
Stop playing away with your phone.
The problem was swept away by the new policy.
He felt miles away during the meeting.
She tucked the letter away in her drawer.
The crowd melted away after the show.
He was whisked away to the airport.
The years just slipped away.
Don't give away the secret.
He is away on a business trip.
The excitement ebbed away as the night went on.
He whittled away his fortune on bad investments.
The memory of the event faded away.
She was carried away by the beautiful music.
The rules were gradually chipped away.
He is away with the fairies today.
The tension seemed to wash away.
They were spirited away to safety.
The foundation of the argument was eroded away.
His spirit was worn away by the struggle.
She was whisked away to a distant land.
The sound of the waves died away.
He was away from it all in the mountains.
The evidence was spirited away.
The mystery was explained away.
He was far away in his thoughts.
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"fire away"
ask a question
If you have questions, fire away!
casual""
""
""
""
""
Easily Confused
similar sound
way is a noun
This is the way.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + verb + away
He ran away.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
10
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Away is an adverb, not an adjective.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a door leading away.
Native Speakers
Use it for travel.
Cultural Insight
Common in idioms.
Grammar Shortcut
Adverb placement.
Say It Right
Stress the second syllable.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't use as adjective.
Did You Know?
Old English roots.
Study Smart
Use flashcards.
Daily Life
Use in phrasal verbs.
Advanced Tip
Use for continuous action.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
A-Way: A path away from here.
Visual Association
A road leading into the distance.
Word Web
Défi
Use 'away' in 5 sentences today.
Origine du mot
Old English
Original meaning: on way
Contexte culturel
None
Used frequently in travel and daily routines.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Travel
- away on holiday
- far away
- going away
Conversation Starters
"Where would you go if you could run away?"
"Are you going away this summer?"
"What do you throw away most?"
"Do you like being away from home?"
"What does 'fire away' mean to you?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you were away.
Write about a place far away.
What do you do when you want to get away?
Why do people run away?
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsNo, it is an adverb.
Teste-toi
The cat ran ___.
Away indicates movement.
Which means to leave?
Go away means to depart.
Away can be an adjective.
It is an adverb.
Word
Signification
Matching idioms.
Adverb placement.
Score : /5
Summary
Away is a versatile adverb that helps us describe distance, movement, and absence.
- Adverb of place
- Indicates distance
- Common in phrasal verbs
- Easy to use
Memory Palace
Imagine a door leading away.
Native Speakers
Use it for travel.
Cultural Insight
Common in idioms.
Grammar Shortcut
Adverb placement.
Exemple
The nearest bus stop is ten minutes away.
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Apprendre en contexte
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