write
verb OPAL S
/raɪt/
/raɪt/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they write | /raɪt/ /raɪt/ |
| he / she / it writes | /raɪts/ /raɪts/ |
| past simple wrote | /rəʊt/ /rəʊt/ |
| past participle written | /ˈrɪtn/ /ˈrɪtn/ |
| -ing form writing | /ˈraɪtɪŋ/ /ˈraɪtɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to make letters or numbers on a surface, especially using a pen or a pencil
- In some countries children don't start learning to read and write until they are six.
- write in something Please write in pen on both sides of the paper.
- write with something I haven't got anything to write with.
- write something Write your name at the top of the paper.
- The teacher wrote the answers on the board.
- The ‘b’ had been wrongly written as a ‘d’.
Extra Examples- Children must learn to write neatly.
- I write with an old fashioned pen.
- She was busily writing in a notebook.
- She wrote in Arabic.
- The words were written in red.
- Please write clearly in black ink.
- We teach children to write when they are about six.
- Write your answer out again on a new sheet of paper.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- clearly
- neatly
- busily
- …
- learn to
- teach somebody to
- be able to
- …
- in
- on
- with
- …
- [transitive, intransitive] to produce something in written form so that people can read, perform or use it, etc.
- write something to write a novel/song/computer program
- to write an article/essay
- Who was ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ written by?
- Which opera did Verdi write first?
- He hopes to write a book about his experiences one day.
- She had to write a report on the project.
- The text is very well written.
- The play was originally written for British television.
- write about something I wanted to travel and then write about it.
- write for something He writes for the ‘New Yorker’ (= works as a writer).
- No decision has been made at the time of writing.
- write somebody something She wrote him several poems.
Wordfinder- author
- book
- classic
- critic
- drama
- fiction
- genre
- literature
- poetry
- write
Extra ExamplesTopics Literature and writinga1, Musica1- After ‘Tom Sawyer’, Twain went on to write several other classic books.
- Doris writes with verve and wit.
- He has been commissioned to write a history of the town.
- She has written extensively on the subject.
- He set out to write a short book on taxation.
- He writes on political issues.
- Her novel was written under the pseudonym Currer Bell.
- She was inspired to write the poem by a visit to the cathedral.
- The role was written specifically for Rita Hayworth.
- a journalist who writes about problems in the developing world
- an art critic who writes regularly in the French daily ‘Le Figaro’
- history written from the perspective of the losers
- Someone had written a slogan on the wall.
- Students will be expected to write their own computer programs.
- She wrote a list on the back of an old envelope.
- He wrote in his journal.
- She writes a column for ‘The New York Times’.
- the ability to write clearly in plain English
- The film was written and directed by Tim Robbins.
- He has written a very positive review of the film.
- She wrote an article for the respected journal Science.
- The children wrote stories about their pets.
- She was asked to write a short piece of music for the orchestra.
- Students were required to write two research papers.
- He wrote scripts for stage, screen and radio.
- I have written a few blog posts in the last couple of months.
- This is his only novel written for children.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- beautifully
- eloquently
- well
- …
- commission somebody to
- inspire somebody to
- prompt somebody to
- …
- about
- for
- from
- …
- [intransitive, transitive] to put information, a message of good wishes, etc. in a letter or an email and send it to somebody
- Bye! Don't forget to write.
- I'm writing to enquire about language courses.
- write to somebody She wrote to him in France.
- write something to somebody I wrote a letter to the Publicity Department.
- write somebody something I wrote the Publicity Department a letter.
- write that… She wrote that they were all fine.
- write somebody (North American English) Write me while you're away.
- write somebody that… (North American English) He wrote me that he would be arriving Monday.
- write doing something They wrote thanking us for the present.
Extra Examples- He wrote to the editor of the newspaper.
- He still writes to me regularly.
- She wrote me a postcard from Spain.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- beautifully
- eloquently
- well
- …
- commission somebody to
- inspire somebody to
- prompt somebody to
- …
- about
- for
- from
- …
- [transitive, intransitive] to state the information or the words mentioned
- write that… The author writes that this theory has now been disproved.
- write of something Ancient historians wrote of a lost continent beneath the ocean.
- She wrote of her life in Africa.
- + speech ‘Of all my books,’ wrote Dickens, ‘I like this the best.’
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- beautifully
- eloquently
- well
- …
- commission somebody to
- inspire somebody to
- prompt somebody to
- …
- about
- for
- from
- …
- [transitive] to put information in the appropriate places on a form
- write something (out) to write (out) a cheque
- write somebody something The doctor wrote her a prescription for more antibiotics.
- write somebody out something I'll write you out a receipt.
- [transitive, intransitive] write (something) to/onto something to record data in the memory of a computer
- An error was reported when he tried to write data to the file for the first time.
- [intransitive] to work correctly or in the way mentioned
- This pen won't write.
More Like This Silent lettersSilent letters- gnarled
- gnash
- gnat
- gnaw
- gnome
- haute cuisine
- heir
- herb
- honour
- hors d’oeuvre
- hour
- knack
- knee
- kneel
- knife
- knight
- knit
- knob
- knock
- knot
- know
- knuckle
- psalm
- psephology
- psychic
- ptarmigan
- pterodactyl
- psychology
- wrangle
- wrap
- wreath
- wreck
- wrench
- wrestle
- wriggle
- wring
- write
- wrong
- bomb
- climb
- crumb
- doubt
- lamb
- limb
- ascent
- fascinate
- muscle
- scene
- scissors
- height
- right
- sleigh
- weight
- align
- campaign
- design
- foreign
- malign
- reign
- unfeigned
- balmy
- calm
- calf
- half
- yolk
- autumn
- column
- condemn
- damn
- hymn
- solemn
- bristle
- fasten
- listen
- mortgage
- soften
- thistle
- wrestle
- biscuit
- build
- circuit
- disguise
- guilty
- league
- rogue
- vague
- yacht
- answer
- sword
- two
letters/numbers
book/music/program
a letter/an email
state in writing
form
computing
of pen/pencil
Word OriginOld English wrītan ‘score, form (letters) by carving, write’, of Germanic origin; related to German reissen ‘sketch, drag’.
Idioms
be written all over somebody’s face
- (of a feeling) to be very obvious to other people from the expression on somebody’s face
- Guilt was written all over his face.
More Like This Verbs with two objectsVerbs with two objects
- bet
- bring
- build
- buy
- cost
- get
- give
- leave
- lend
- make
- offer
- owe
- pass
- pay
- play
- post
- promise
- read
- refuse
- sell
- send
- show
- sing
- take
- teach
- tell
- throw
- wish
- write
have something/somebody written all over it/somebody
- (informal) to show clearly the quality mentioned or the influence of the person mentioned
- It was a performance with star quality written all over it.
- This essay has got Mike written all over it.
nothing (much) to write home about
- (informal) not especially good; ordinary
- The team’s performance was nothing to write home about.
not worth the paper it’s written/printed on
- (of an agreement or official document) having no value, especially legally, or because one of the people involved has no intention of doing what they said they would
that’s all she wrote
- (North American English, informal) used when you are stating that there is nothing more that can be said about something or that something is completely finished
- We were doing well but we ran out of money and that’s all she wrote.