Waiting is the act of pausing or remaining in a state of anticipation until a specific event or person arrives.
Mot en 30 secondes
- To stay in place until something happens.
- Commonly used with the preposition 'for'.
- Expresses a delay or a period of expectation.
Overview
The word 'wait' is a core English verb that describes the act of staying in one location or postponing an activity until a specific condition is met. It is an essential part of daily communication, used to express patience, delays, and expectations. 2) Usage Patterns: 'Wait' is primarily an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object. To specify what or who you are waiting for, you must use the preposition 'for' (e.g., 'wait for the bus'). It can also be followed by a 'to-infinitive' to describe the purpose of the delay (e.g., 'waiting to hear the news') or by 'until' to specify a time limit (e.g., 'wait until Monday'). 3) Common Contexts: In everyday life, 'wait' is used for physical situations like standing in a queue or staying at a restaurant. In professional settings, it refers to delays in processes or responses, such as waiting for an email or a signature. Emotionally, it can describe a state of anticipation or hesitation. 4) Similar Words Comparison: While 'wait' is the general term, 'await' is its formal counterpart. 'Await' is transitive and does not use 'for' (e.g., 'We await your reply'). 'Expect' is often confused with 'wait,' but 'expect' refers to a mental belief that something will happen, while 'wait' refers to the physical or temporal act of staying put. For example, you might expect a storm to come while you wait for it to pass.
Exemples
I will wait for you at the entrance of the cinema.
everydayI will wait for you at the entrance of the cinema.
We wait for your formal approval before proceeding with the project.
formalWe wait for your formal approval before proceeding with the project.
Wait a sec! I forgot my keys inside.
informalWait a sec! I forgot my keys inside.
The participants were asked to wait in the lobby until the results were finalized.
academicThe participants were asked to wait in the lobby until the results were finalized.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
wait and see
to delay judgment until more is known
can't wait
to be very excited about something
wait a minute
a request to stop or reconsider
Souvent confondu avec
'Await' is more formal and is a transitive verb, so it does not take the preposition 'for'.
'Expect' is a mental state of believing something will happen, while 'wait' is the physical act of passing time.
Modèles grammaticaux
How to Use It
Notes d'usage
In informal English, 'wait' is often paired with 'up' (wait up) to ask someone to slow down so you can catch up. In formal writing, 'wait' is perfectly acceptable, though 'await' might be used for a more professional tone. It is almost always used as an intransitive verb in modern English.
Erreurs courantes
The most common mistake is omitting the preposition 'for' when an object follows (e.g., saying 'I'm waiting the bus' instead of 'I'm waiting for the bus'). Another mistake is using 'wait' when the speaker actually means 'hope' or 'expect' regarding future events.
Tips
Always use 'for' with an object
Remember to say 'wait for me' rather than 'wait me' to sound natural in English.
Don't confuse wait with expect
Waiting is about time and location; expecting is about what you think will happen in the future.
Queuing culture in English-speaking countries
In many English-speaking cultures, 'waiting your turn' in a line (queue) is considered a vital social rule.
Origine du mot
Derived from the Old Northern French word 'waitier', which meant to watch, observe, or lie in wait. It eventually shifted from 'watching' to the modern sense of 'staying in expectation'.
Contexte culturel
In many Western cultures, waiting is associated with the concept of 'first come, first served.' Patience while waiting is considered a virtue, whereas 'cutting' a line is seen as very rude.
Astuce mémo
Think of the 't' in 'wait' as a person standing still like a 'T-post' until someone arrives. You 'wait for' something, just like you 'look for' something.
Questions fréquentes
4 questions'Wait' is informal/neutral and requires 'for' before an object. 'Await' is formal and takes a direct object without 'for'.
Yes, it can refer to the period of time spent waiting, such as 'The wait for the doctor was very long.'
'Wait for' is used when expecting someone. 'Wait on' usually means to serve someone, like a waiter in a restaurant.
Using 'Wait!' alone is a common way to tell someone to stop or be patient immediately.
Teste-toi
I have been waiting ___ the rain to stop for an hour.
The verb 'wait' requires the preposition 'for' when followed by the object of the waiting.
The bus is late. What should we do?
'Wait for it' is the grammatically correct way to express staying for the bus.
waiting / she / for / is / her / friend / .
The standard English word order is Subject + Verb + Prepositional Phrase.
Score : /3
Summary
Waiting is the act of pausing or remaining in a state of anticipation until a specific event or person arrives.
- To stay in place until something happens.
- Commonly used with the preposition 'for'.
- Expresses a delay or a period of expectation.
Always use 'for' with an object
Remember to say 'wait for me' rather than 'wait me' to sound natural in English.
Don't confuse wait with expect
Waiting is about time and location; expecting is about what you think will happen in the future.
Queuing culture in English-speaking countries
In many English-speaking cultures, 'waiting your turn' in a line (queue) is considered a vital social rule.
Exemples
4 sur 4I will wait for you at the entrance of the cinema.
I will wait for you at the entrance of the cinema.
We wait for your formal approval before proceeding with the project.
We wait for your formal approval before proceeding with the project.
Wait a sec! I forgot my keys inside.
Wait a sec! I forgot my keys inside.
The participants were asked to wait in the lobby until the results were finalized.
The participants were asked to wait in the lobby until the results were finalized.
