In this mini episode, you will learn an interesting way to use the word “neighborhood.”
Episode 450 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you an interesting way to use the word “neighborhood.” Send your questions about English and your comments and suggestions to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi! This is Avy, from Beijing, China. You are listening to Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 450 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to improve their English, practice their English, or just learn more English. My name is Ben, and I have a mini episode for you today, where I am going to teach you about one English topic. You can subscribe to the Everybody ESL podcast at Apple podcasts and wherever you find your podcasts. If you like Everybody ESL, leave it a good review so other people can find out about it too. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for me, please send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. Okay! Let’s get on with this mini episode.
The episode
In this episode, I am going to talk about an interesting way to use the word neighborhood. Neighborhood. N-e-i-g-h-b-o-r-h-o-o-d. Neighborhood.
Usually, when we talk about a neighborhood, we are talking about an area of a city or a town. We’re talking about the area around your house, the area near where you live. If you take a walk in your neighborhood, that means you are walking near your house or apartment. You are walking somewhere around your house or apartment. If your friend lives in your neighborhood, that means that he or she lives near you.
But, we also use the word neighborhood in a different way. Instead of using neighborhood with places or areas, we can also use it with amounts. When we use neighborhood with an amount, we are talking about something that is approximately that amount or about that amount. When we use it this way, we usually use it in the phrase “in the neighborhood of.” In the neighborhood of.
This might sound a little bit confusing, but when I give you some examples, I think you will understand it right away.
Imagine that you and your friend are traveling to a nearby town or city. You are driving there, or you are taking a train there, or taking a bus there. It really doesn’t matter. Your friend asks you, “How long does it take to get where we’re going?” And you answer, “The trip is somewhere in the neighborhood of three hours.” In the neighborhood of three hours.
That means the trip is approximately three hours, or the trip is about three hours. The trip is somewhere around three hours. Instead of using neighborhood as a word to describe a place, you can use the word neighborhood to describe an amount near or close to another amount. The trip is in the neighborhood of three hours. It is about three hours.
Here’s another example:
Imagine that your friend is planning to buy a motorcycle. He is doing all kinds of research, finding information about motorcycles. You ask your friend, “How much will this motorcycle cost?” Your friend doesn’t know the exact amount. He’s looking at lots of different motorcycles. He doesn’t know the exact price. And he says, “It will cost in the neighborhood of six thousand dollars.” In the neighborhood of six thousand dollars. In other words, near six thousand dollars or approximately six thousand dollars. About six thousand dollars.
These examples show how we can use neighborhood in the phrase “in the neighborhood of” to describe things that are close to or approximately the same as some amount of something. It could be time, distance, the number of something, or a height or a weight. Some kind of amount.
And that is this different use of neighborhood, an interesting thing that I think you should know.
Outro
This is the end of episode 450 of Everybody ESL. Remember: If you have any questions about English, or if you have comments for me, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes—the same way Avy recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with a new episode. And until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. I’ll see you soon. Goodbye!