repetition

/ˌrepəˈtɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌrepəˈtɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌre-pə-ˈti-shən/ (ame, mw)

repetition — noun

  • repetitionsingular
  • repetitionsplural

1. The act of performing an action or uttering words more than once, typically to l

1.名詞B1
釋義

The act of performing an action or uttering words more than once, typically to learn, practise, or reinforce.

例句

Learning a new language requires constant repetition of words and phrases.

requires + repetition of [something]

Caleb used flashcards to aid repetition when studying for his chemistry exam.

aid repetition

同義詞
  • repeating

    The gerund form, used when describing the action itself rather than the broader concept; less abstract

  • reiteration

    More formal, typically used for spoken or written statements rather than actions

  • recurrence

    Describes something that happens again on its own, not because someone actively repeats it

反義詞
  • variety

    The quality of being different or diverse rather than doing the same thing over and over

  • originality

    Emphasises newness and creativity, the opposite of repeating existing material

文法句型

repetition + of + noun phrase

repetition + is + essential/required/key

用法筆記

Typically uncountable when referring to the general act; do not add '-s' for the activity itself (e.g. 'repetition helps', not 'repetitions help'). When the repeated item needs specifying, use the pattern 'repetition of + [noun phrase]'.

常見錯誤

❌Repetition the exercises improved my skills.
✅Repetition of the exercises improved my skills.
💡Use 'of' to connect the repeated item to the act of repeating.
❌The job involves many repetitions of the same task.
✅The job involves a lot of repetition of the same task.
💡For the general act, use uncountable 'repetition' rather than the plural form.

2. An event or situation that is very similar to one that took place before, often

2.名詞B2
釋義

An event or situation that is very similar to one that took place before, often when this outcome is unwelcome.

例句

The store changed suppliers to avoid a repetition of last month's shortage.

avoid a repetition of [something]

Layla's error was an unfortunate repetition of the mistake she had made the previous month.

a repetition of [someone's mistake]

同義詞
  • rerun

    More informal; describes an event that plays out the same way, often predictably

  • recurrence

    Neutral register; used especially for medical conditions, natural events, or patterns that return

  • replay

    Often used for sports or media events that are shown or experienced again

反義詞
  • first occurrence

    The original instance that the repetition copies; the opposite of a repeat

  • novelty

    Something new and original rather than a repeat of past events

文法句型

a + repetition + of + noun phrase

avoid/prevent + a + repetition + of

用法筆記

In this sense 'repetition' is countable and nearly always appears with an article ('a' or 'another') followed by 'of' + noun phrase. The meaning is often negative, describing an unwanted repeat of a past problem or failure.

常見錯誤

❌The flood was repetition of last year's disaster.
✅The flood was a repetition of last year's disaster.
💡In the 'repeated event' sense, 'repetition' is countable and requires an article.
❌The team wanted to avoid repetition of the mistake.' (when referring to a specific single event)
✅The team wanted to avoid a repetition of the mistake.
💡Use 'a' when pointing to one particular repeat of an event.