assignments
assignments — noun
1. work that a teacher or employer expects you to complete within a set time, espec
work that a teacher or employer expects you to complete within a set time, especially during a course or as part of your daily duties
Mia spent the whole weekend working on her history assignment about the Roman Empire.
her history assignment
The manager gave Gabriela a difficult assignment that involved checking the accounts of three different branches.
gave Gabriela a difficult assignment
Arjun's first assignment as a new reporter was to cover a small fire in the town centre.
The teacher explained that the group assignment would count for thirty percent of the final grade.
Noor finished her math assignment before dinner so the family could watch a movie together.
文法句型
assignment + about [topic]
give someone an assignment
assignment + for [course/subject]
用法筆記
Commonly paired with a school subject or type of task: history assignment, writing assignment, group assignment.
常見錯誤
2. a job that you travel to a different place to carry out, often for a fixed perio
a job that you travel to a different place to carry out, often for a fixed period of time
Theo's company sent him on a six-month assignment to their office in Singapore.
The nurse took a short assignment working at a small clinic in a mountain village.
short assignment working at a small clinic
Kofi accepted a teaching assignment in Ghana that would last for two years.
The photographer's assignment took her to the remote islands of eastern Indonesia.
- posting
more formal, often used for military or diplomatic jobs in a foreign country
- mission
suggests a specific goal or purpose, often in journalism or military contexts
- secondment
formal; temporary transfer to another role or department within the same organization
文法句型
assignment + to [place]
be on assignment + to [place]
用法筆記
Often followed by 'to' or 'in' to indicate the location. Sense 2 describes a countable assignment (e.g. a specific project or post in a different place), whereas sense 3 ('on assignment') is the uncountable state of being temporarily sent somewhere to do a job.
常見錯誤
3. working in a particular place after being sent there temporarily by your employe
working in a particular place after being sent there temporarily by your employer to do a specific job
The journalist is currently on assignment in the Middle East, covering the peace talks.
on assignment in the Middle East
While on assignment in Tokyo, Valentina learned to speak basic Japanese from her colleagues.
Zara's father works as a war photographer and spends most of the year on assignment abroad.
Lucas had been on assignment for three months before he finally got a weekend off.
- on secondment
formal; temporarily working in another department, usually within the same organization
- on duty
general term for working, but does not imply being sent to a different location
文法句型
be on assignment
go on assignment
on assignment in/at [place]
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the fixed phrase 'on assignment'. No article is used: 'on assignment', not 'on an assignment' or 'on the assignment'. Often used for journalists, photographers, and field workers.
4. the official act of deciding which person will get a particular job, task, or ro
the official act of deciding which person will get a particular job, task, or role, or which place a person will work in
The assignment of rooms at the training camp caused some disagreement among the players.
assignment of rooms
Li was unhappy with the assignment of duties, since the hardest tasks all went to the newest staff.
The assignment of a new case officer happened quickly after the previous one retired.
All staff should attend the morning meeting about the assignment of next month's project teams.
- allocation
broader term; can apply to resources, money, or time, not just jobs
- delegation
focuses on giving tasks downwards in a hierarchy
- distribution
can refer to any spreading of work or resources among people
文法句型
the assignment of [something] to [someone]
assignment of duties/tasks/roles
用法筆記
This sense focuses on the process or system of assigning, not the work itself. Typically uncountable in this meaning, though countable when referring to a specific instance: 'The assignment of duties was unfair.'
常見錯誤
5. an official position or role within an organization that has been given to you,
an official position or role within an organization that has been given to you, especially in the military, government, or a large company
Major Chen's assignment as base commander meant moving his family to a new city.
assignment as base commander
The young officer's first assignment was on a navy ship patrolling the Pacific Ocean.
After ten years with the firm, Yuki welcomed the assignment as regional director despite the extra pressure.
General Torres announced his new assignment to a peacekeeping mission in Africa.
- posting
very similar; common in military and diplomatic contexts
- appointment
emphasises the formal act of choosing someone for a position
- position
more general; does not imply that someone else chose or sent you
文法句型
assignment + as [role]
assignment + to [position/place]
用法筆記
Use 'assignment as' when specifying the role (assignment as director), and 'assignment to' when specifying the location or unit (assignment to the Third Division). Distinguish from sense 2, which emphasises the job itself rather than the official position.