qualify

/ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkwɑːlɪfaɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkwä-lə-ˌfī/ (ame, mw)

qualify — verb

  • qualifypresent simple I / you / we / they
  • qualifieshe / she / it
  • qualifiedpast simple
  • qualifying-ing form

1. to complete the education, training, or exams needed for a particular job or pro

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to complete the education, training, or exams needed for a particular job or profession.

例句

Inês qualified as a nurse after three years of study and practical work.

qualify + as + profession

The training program qualifies graduates for entry-level jobs in the finance industry.

transitive: qualify + object + for + role

同義詞
  • certify

    Focuses on the official body granting formal recognition, not the individual's achievement

  • graduate

    Refers specifically to completing a course of study, not necessarily meeting professional standards

  • meet standards

    Phrasal synonym focusing on reaching required benchmarks

反義詞
  • fail

    Not reaching the required standard

文法句型

qualify + as + profession

qualify + to-infinitive

qualify + object + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Frequently followed by 'as' when naming the profession achieved ('qualify as a doctor'), or by a 'to'-infinitive when describing the permission gained. Can be used transitively (a course qualifies someone) or intransitively (someone qualifies after training).

常見錯誤

❌The course made me qualify as a teacher.
✅The course qualified me as a teacher.
💡Use 'qualify' transitively instead of 'make + object + qualify'.
❌She qualified to become a doctor.' (wordy)
✅She qualified as a doctor.
💡Use 'qualify as + profession' directly for job titles.

2. to meet the conditions needed for a particular right, benefit, or opportunity; t

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to meet the conditions needed for a particular right, benefit, or opportunity; to make someone eligible for something.

例句

Families who live in this school district qualify for free after-school care.

qualify for + benefit

Ishaan qualified for a government housing grant because of his low income.

同義詞
  • be eligible for

    State of meeting conditions; same meaning but stative rather than active

  • entitled to

    Stronger sense of a guaranteed right; often legal

反義詞

文法句型

qualify + for + benefit/right

qualify + object + for + benefit/right

用法筆記

Commonly takes the preposition 'for' followed by the benefit or right. The subject can be a person, a household, or an organization meeting certain criteria.

常見錯誤

❌I qualify the discount because I am a student.
✅I qualify for the discount because I am a student.
💡Use 'qualify for' when you meet conditions for a benefit, not a direct object.
❌They qualified visiting the museum for free.
✅They qualified for free entry to the museum.
💡The right or benefit follows 'for', not as a direct object.

3. to perform well enough to enter a contest or advance to a later stage of one.

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to perform well enough to enter a contest or advance to a later stage of one.

例句

The Brazilian football team qualified for the World Cup after a 3–1 victory.

qualify for + competition (sports context)

Jin ran his fastest time ever to qualify for the national championships.

同義詞
  • advance to

    Focuses on moving forward in a competition; slightly more formal

  • make the cut

    Informal; implies passing a selection process

反義詞

文法句型

qualify + for + competition/event

qualify + object + for + competition/event

用法筆記

Typical in sports, games, and academic contests. The subject is often a team or an athlete, and the object of 'for' is the competition or stage reached.

常見錯誤

❌Our team qualified the finals.
✅Our team qualified for the finals.
💡'qualify' is intransitive in this sense; use the preposition 'for'.
❌He qualified to the race.
✅He qualified for the race.
💡Use 'for', not 'to', when naming the competition.

4. to add conditions or details to a statement in order to make it less absolute or

4.動詞及物C1
釋義

to add conditions or details to a statement in order to make it less absolute or extreme.

例句

The scientist qualified her findings by adding that more testing was needed.

qualify + findings + by adding [condition]

Cyrus qualified his earlier remarks when he learned the full truth about the situation.

同義詞
  • modify

    Broader; can mean any kind of change, not just making less absolute

  • temper

    Suggests softening the tone or force; more literary

  • hedge

    Informal; implies deliberately avoiding a firm position

反義詞
  • assert

    State firmly without conditions

  • affirm

    Declare positively without qualification

文法句型

qualify + statement/claim/findings

qualify + with + condition

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person with authority or expertise (a scientist, judge, or speaker). The object is typically an abstract noun such as 'statement', 'claim', 'findings', or 'remarks'. Common in academic and formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌He qualified that he did not mean it.' (vague)
✅He qualified his earlier statement by saying he had not seen the full report.
💡'qualify' needs a concrete statement or claim as the object, not just a general intention.

5. in grammar, to limit or add meaning to another word, making its reference more s

5.動詞及物C2
釋義

in grammar, to limit or add meaning to another word, making its reference more specific.

例句

In the phrase “bright red,” the adjective “bright” qualifies the color word.

Adverbs like “quite” or “very” frequently qualify adjectives in English sentences.

adverb qualifies adjective

同義詞
  • modify

    Standard grammatical term with the same meaning; more widely used in teaching

  • describe

    Less precise; describing adds attributes but does not necessarily limit

文法句型

qualify + noun

qualify + adjective

qualify + verb

用法筆記

Most often encountered in grammar instruction. The qualifying word is typically an adjective or adverb that adds specificity to a noun, verb, or adjective.