B1 verb #50 よく出る 2分で読める

kills

The word kills is a verb. It means to stop someone or something from living. You use it when you talk about 'he', 'she', or 'it'. Example: 'The cold weather kills the plants.' It is a very strong word, so use it carefully.

In English, kills is the present tense for one person or thing. It can mean to end a life, but we also use it for things that stop working. For example, 'The battery kills the game.' It is a common word in news and stories.

Kills is often used to describe how one thing negatively affects another. Beyond death, it can mean to destroy a project or an idea. You might hear someone say, 'The bad news kills our plans.' It is useful for expressing a total stop or failure.

At this level, you should notice the figurative use of kills. It is frequently used in idioms to express intense emotion. For instance, 'It kills me to see you sad' shows deep empathy. It carries a heavy weight in communication, so consider the tone before using it.

Kills functions as a powerful verb in both academic and literary contexts. It can denote the cessation of biological life or the absolute termination of abstract concepts like 'hope' or 'ambition'. Understanding its nuance helps in writing; it is more direct and impactful than 'ends' or 'stops'.

The usage of kills in C2 English often involves rhetorical force. Writers use it to create a sense of finality or tragedy. It is also common in idiomatic expressions where the literal meaning is entirely lost, such as 'killing a performance' (meaning doing it exceptionally well). Mastering this word requires recognizing its shift from the literal to the metaphorical.

kills 30秒で

  • Third-person singular verb.
  • Means to end life or stop.
  • Used in many idioms.
  • Pronounced like 'bills'.

Hey there! Let's talk about the word kills. It is the third-person singular form of the verb to kill. You use it when talking about a single person, animal, or thing that is doing the action right now.

At its core, kills is quite a strong word. It usually means causing death, but we use it in many other ways too. For example, if a cold wind kills your plants, it means they died because of the weather. It is a very versatile, albeit intense, verb.

The word kills comes from the Old English word cwellan, which meant to kill or murder. Over centuries, it evolved through Middle English into the form we use today.

Interestingly, it shares roots with the word quell, which means to suppress or put an end to something. It is fascinating how a word that started as a way to describe violence eventually grew to include figurative meanings like 'killing time' or 'killing a joke'. Language is always changing!

You will see kills used in both serious and casual settings. In a serious context, it might describe a predator or a medical condition. In casual speech, it is often used for emphasis.

Common phrases include 'it kills me', which means something is very funny or very sad. Because it is a strong word, be mindful of where you use it. It is perfectly fine in daily conversation, but avoid using it in very formal writing unless the context is appropriate.

Idioms make English fun! Here are a few: Kill time means to do something while waiting. Dress to kill means to wear very stylish clothes. Kill the mood means to spoil a happy atmosphere.

Also, kill two birds with one stone means solving two problems at once. Finally, if looks could kill describes someone giving a very angry glare. These are all common ways to use the root word in everyday speech.

Grammatically, kills is the present simple tense for 'he', 'she', or 'it'. For example: 'The frost kills the flowers.' The pronunciation is simple: it rhymes with bills, fills, and chills.

The IPA is /kɪlz/. Note that the 's' at the end is voiced, sounding like a 'z'. Make sure you don't add an extra syllable; it is strictly a one-syllable word. Practice saying it clearly to distinguish it from 'kilts'!

豆知識

It shares roots with 'quell'.

発音ガイド

UK /kɪlz/
US /kɪlz/
韻が合う語
bills fills chills drills skills
よくある間違い
  • Adding a syllable
  • Pronouncing 's' as 's' instead of 'z'
  • Muffling the 'l'

難易度

読解 1/5

Easy

ライティング 2/5

Moderate

スピーキング 2/5

Moderate

リスニング 1/5

Easy

次に学ぶべきこと

前提知識

die stop end

次に学ぶ

terminate eliminate eradicate

上級

extinguish annihilate

知っておくべき文法

Subject-Verb Agreement

She kills.

Present Simple Tense

He kills.

Verb Collocations

Kill time.

レベル別の例文

1

The cat kills the mouse.

cat = animal, mouse = animal

Subject-verb agreement

1

The frost kills the garden.

2

The virus kills the bacteria.

3

He kills time by reading.

4

The loud noise kills the peace.

5

The heat kills the grass.

6

She kills the spider.

7

The lack of rain kills the crops.

8

The game kills the boredom.

1

The bad weather kills our picnic plans.

2

The new law kills the old policy.

3

The suspense kills me.

4

The chemicals kill the weeds.

5

The long wait kills my patience.

6

The mistake kills his chances.

7

The joke kills the audience with laughter.

8

The engine kills the silence.

1

The scandal kills his political career.

2

It kills me to say goodbye.

3

The heavy workload kills his creativity.

4

The truth kills the rumors.

5

The sudden change kills the momentum.

6

The pressure kills his performance.

7

The cold kills the enthusiasm.

8

The news kills the party mood.

1

The revelation kills any hope of reconciliation.

2

The harsh criticism kills his motivation.

3

The sudden freeze kills the delicate ecosystem.

4

The policy effectively kills competition.

5

The silence kills the tension in the room.

6

The tragedy kills his spirit.

7

The new regulation kills the industry.

8

The irony kills the seriousness of the event.

1

The sheer scale of the project kills all doubt.

2

The relentless heat kills the spirit of the city.

3

The artistic vision kills the conventional norms.

4

The final act kills the protagonist.

5

The revelation kills the mystery.

6

The intense focus kills distractions.

7

The sudden shift kills the narrative flow.

8

The truth kills the illusion.

よく使う組み合わせ

kills time
kills the mood
kills the pain
kills the buzz
kills the competition
kills the silence
kills the interest
kills the dream
kills the virus
kills the weeds

慣用句と表現

"kill time"

wait for something by doing something else

We played cards to kill time.

casual

"dressed to kill"

wearing very impressive clothes

She arrived at the party dressed to kill.

casual

"if looks could kill"

a very angry glare

She looked at him as if looks could kill.

casual

"kill the mood"

spoil a happy feeling

His bad news killed the mood.

casual

"kill two birds with one stone"

achieve two things at once

I'll pick up the mail and groceries to kill two birds with one stone.

neutral

"it kills me"

it makes me very sad or amused

It kills me that I can't go.

casual

間違えやすい

kills vs kills vs kills

N/A

N/A

N/A

kills vs kills vs kilts

Similar sound

Kills is a verb, kilts are skirts

He kills the bug; he wears a kilt.

kills vs kills vs chills

Rhyme

Chills means cold

It kills the heat; it gives me chills.

kills vs kills vs fills

Rhyme

Fills means to make full

It kills the germ; it fills the cup.

文型パターン

A1

Subject + kills + object

The frost kills the plant.

A2

Subject + kills + time

He kills time.

B1

It + kills + me

It kills me to wait.

B1

Subject + kills + the + mood

She kills the mood.

B2

Subject + kills + competition

The brand kills the competition.

語族

名詞

killer someone who kills

動詞

kill base form

形容詞

killing deadly or very difficult

関連

deadly adjective form of the concept

使い方

frequency

7

よくある間違い
  • Using 'kills' for plural subjects kill

    Use 'kills' only for he/she/it.

  • Confusing with 'kilts' kills

    Kilts are skirts; kills is a verb.

  • Overusing in formal writing terminate or eliminate

    Kills is often too blunt.

  • Misusing 'kill' as a noun a kill

    It is a verb, though 'a kill' exists in hunting.

  • Forgetting the 's' in present tense He kills

    Subject-verb agreement is required.

ヒント

💡

Memory Palace

Imagine a clock stopping.

💡

Native Speakers

Use it for emphasis.

🌍

Cultural Insight

Avoid in polite company.

💡

Grammar Shortcut

He/she/it + kills.

💡

Say It Right

Rhymes with bills.

💡

Don't Make This Mistake

Don't use for plural.

💡

Did You Know?

Old English root.

💡

Study Smart

Use flashcards.

💡

Writing Tip

Use synonyms.

💡

Speaking Tip

Watch your tone.

暗記しよう

記憶術

Kills: Keep It Living Less (S).

視覚的連想

A clock stopping.

Word Web

death end stop destroy

チャレンジ

Write three sentences using 'kills' today.

語源

Old English

元の意味: to strike or kill

文化的な背景

Can be offensive; use with caution.

Used frequently in sports and media.

Kill Bill (movie) Killers (band)

実生活で練習する

実際の使用場面

Gardening

  • kills weeds
  • kills pests
  • kills growth

Medicine

  • kills bacteria
  • kills pain
  • kills virus

Social

  • kills the mood
  • kills time
  • kills the silence

Business

  • kills competition
  • kills profit
  • kills deals

会話のきっかけ

"What kills your mood?"

"How do you kill time?"

"Do you think technology kills conversation?"

"What kills a good party?"

"Does stress kill creativity?"

日記のテーマ

Write about a time you had to kill time.

Describe how weather kills plants.

What is something that kills your motivation?

How do you deal with things that kill your mood?

よくある質問

8 問

It is a strong word, but not a swear word.

Yes, but be very careful as it is sensitive.

Killed.

Like 'bills' with a 'k'.

Rarely, usually in hunting.

It is neutral.

Waiting.

Yes, like destroy or end.

自分をテスト

fill blank A1

The frost ___ the plants.

正解! おしい! 正解: kills

Subject-verb agreement.

multiple choice A2

Which means to wait?

正解! おしい! 正解: kill time

Idiom usage.

true false B1

'Kills' is a noun.

正解! おしい! 正解: 間違い

It is a verb.

match pairs B1

Word

意味

全て一致しました!

Meaning matching.

sentence order B2

下の単語をタップして文を組み立てよう
正解! おしい! 正解:

Sentence structure.

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