Contributed by Daniel Evans
ONE POINT LESSON:Vocabulary
CATCH
"Catch" is a relatively simple word in the english language. But students can often make mistakes when using it.
The word actually has two uses, as a noun, and as a verb.
The noun, "a catch" is a casual English word which means "a hidden drawback/disadvantage".
For example,
"I was really happy when I got a promotion in my job, but then I realized there is a catch, I have to be at my office an hour earlier each day!"
However, "catch" is more commonly used as a verb. The verb "to catch" has many meanings, but the most basic meanings are:
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to capture; to take and hold something/one when it doesn't want to be held, or after a chase.
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the stop the motion of a moving object, and hold it.
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to take, i.e. To take a train.
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to become sick with a cold/virus.
Here are some example sentences:
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After a long car chase, the police eventually manged to catch the criminal.
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That player is very good at catching the baseball.
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I'm going to Kyoto tomorrow. I plan on catching the Bullet Train at 9.30am.
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My best friend has Influenza. I hope I don't catch it!
However, some people can make mistakes when using "catch".
Remember, we cannot use this word to mean "get". For example, we cannot say...
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I want to catch a new boyfriend.
or,
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I was able to catch a lovely new apartment.
These sentences are not correct, so be careful when using "catch"!