commons
commons — adjective
- commonspositive
- more commonscomparative
- most commonssuperlative
1. used, done, or shared by everyone in a group or community, not limited to just o
used, done, or shared by everyone in a group or community, not limited to just one person
The residents share a common garden where the Watanabe children play every afternoon.
common + noun for shared resources
The building has a common kitchen on the first floor that Ines and the other tenants use for cooking.
common kitchen / common room — shared physical space
English became their common language because Nila spoke Tamil and Erik spoke only Swedish.
A common goal united the team despite their different backgrounds and opinions.
- shared
more concrete; used for physical objects or spaces
- collective
more formal; emphasises the group as a whole
- mutual
focuses on a reciprocal relationship between two parties
- private
belonging to one person only
- individual
relating to a single person rather than a group
用法筆記
Frequently used before nouns that describe shared spaces (common room, common area) or shared qualities (common interest, common goal).
常見錯誤
2. happening many times or seen in many places, so that people are familiar with it
happening many times or seen in many places, so that people are familiar with it
Colds are a common illness among schoolchildren during the winter months.
common illness / common problem — frequent occurrence
It is common for libraries in this city to stay open until nine in the evening.
it is common for + noun + to-infinitive
A common mistake among new drivers is to forget checking the blind spot.
The case was dismissed for lack of evidence, a common outcome in such disputes.
Reuben heard the song so often that the tune became a common sound in his head.
- frequent
slightly more formal; emphasises the time interval
- widespread
emphasises the large area or number of people affected
- everyday
suggests routine ordinariness rather than statistical frequency
文法句型
it is common + to-infinitive
it is common + for someone + to-infinitive
常見錯誤
3. found or existing over a wide area or among a large number of people.
found or existing over a wide area or among a large number of people.
The use of ride-sharing apps is now common across all age groups in the city.
It is common practice in Japanese schools for students to clean their classrooms daily.
common practice — widespread custom or habit
Air pollution has become a common concern for residents of large cities worldwide.
A common belief in the region held that the old temple brought good luck to the village.
- widespread
more emphatic about geographic or social range
- prevalent
more formal; used in academic or medical contexts
- general
broader; can also mean 'not specific'
用法筆記
Contrast with sense 2 (FREQUENT / FAMILIAR): sense 3 describes broad geographic or social reach, while sense 2 describes frequent occurrence. Compare 'a common disease' (affects many people = sense 3) vs 'a common complaint' (heard repeatedly = sense 2).
4. not special, unusual, or from a high social class; like most other people or thi
not special, unusual, or from a high social class; like most other people or things
The hero of the story is a common person who finds the courage to help others.
Eri comes from a common family with no famous relatives or political connections.
The hotel provided common soap and shampoo, nothing special, but the room was clean and the bed was comfortable.
The shop sells common household items like soap, towels, and kitchen knives.
- special
having unusual qualities
- extraordinary
far beyond what is ordinary
用法筆記
When describing people, 'common' can sound dismissive. Use 'ordinary' or 'average' in neutral or positive contexts.
常見錯誤
5. lacking good manners, taste, or education; not refined or polite
lacking good manners, taste, or education; not refined or polite
The other guests were shocked by his common table manners and loud jokes.
common manners — lack of politeness or refinement
Amani found the comedian's jokes too common and walked out of the show early.
Her grandmother said that dyeing your hair bright pink looked common and cheap.
The landlord spoke in a common way that made the job applicants uncomfortable.
用法筆記
This sense is dated and often carries a class-based judgment. It is more common in older British English; modern speakers usually prefer 'vulgar', 'crude', or 'tasteless'.
常見錯誤
commons — noun
1. the lower house of the British Parliament, whose members are elected by the publ
the lower house of the British Parliament, whose members are elected by the public to make laws and debate government policy
The new education bill was debated in the House of Commons for over six hours.
House of Commons — proper noun, always capitals
Maja was elected to the Commons in 2019 and quickly became a well-known MP.
The Speaker of the House of Commons called for order during the heated debate.
A vote in the Commons decided whether the country would join the new trade agreement.
- House of Lords
the upper house of the British Parliament
文法句型
the Commons
House of Commons
用法筆記
Always capitalised and preceded by 'the'. 'Commons' alone (without 'House of') is acceptable in British news writing but less common in formal texts.
常見錯誤
2. ordinary people who are not members of the nobility or clergy, viewed as a socia
ordinary people who are not members of the nobility or clergy, viewed as a social or political group
In medieval England the nobles controlled the land while the commons worked the fields.
The king's new tax fell hardest on the commons, who had no voice in the decision.
the commons — ordinary people as a social class
A charter was drawn up to protect the rights of the commons against the barons.
The commons had no seat in the great council, so their grievances went unheard for decades.
- commoners
more modern equivalent; still somewhat formal
- the public
neutral, everyday term for ordinary citizens
- the populace
more formal and literary
- the nobility
the aristocratic class
- the clergy
the religious class in historical three-estate model
文法句型
the commons
用法筆記
Chiefly historical. In modern English, 'the public', 'ordinary people', or 'commoners' (less frequent) are more natural. 'The commons' is mostly encountered in historical or political theory texts.
3. an area of open land that belongs to the community and can be used freely by the
an area of open land that belongs to the community and can be used freely by the public, typically for grazing animals or recreation
Every morning the shepherd drives his sheep across the common to reach the river.
The village common is a popular spot for summer picnics and outdoor concerts.
village common / town common — typical collocation
Eri and Anjali walked their dogs on the common every evening after work.
Old laws still protect the commons from being sold off for housing development.
- village green
specifically the grassy centre of a village, often used for events
- public park
more general; may include playgrounds and sports fields
- town common
chiefly US term for a central public open space
用法筆記
Often part of a place name in Britain (e.g., Clapham Common, Hampstead Heath — though 'Heath' differs). In the US, the equivalent is 'town common' or 'village green'. The plural 'commons' can refer either to a single such area or multiple areas.