usual
/ˈjuːʒuəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈjuːʒuəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈyü-zhə-wəl -zhəl; ˈyüzh-wəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈjuː.ʒu.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈjuː.ʒu.əl/ (ame, ipa)
usual — adjective
- usualpositive
- more usualcomparative
- most usualsuperlative
1. happening or used more often than any other option; the one that you would norma
happening or used more often than any other option; the one that you would normally expect in a particular situation.
Linh took her usual seat by the window, next to the tall wooden bookshelf.
The usual check-in time at this hotel is three o'clock in the afternoon.
the usual + noun for standard expected times
It was the usual August heat — hot, sticky, and impossible to escape.
For breakfast, Ryo had his usual toast with eggs and a banana.
Kemi found that the usual route to school was closed for road repairs.
- normal
interchangeable in most contexts; 'normal' feels slightly more about what is expected by a standard, while 'usual' focuses on frequency
- typical
emphasises that something represents a common example of its kind, not just the most frequent choice
- customary
more formal; suggests something done according to tradition or established practice
- ordinary
focuses on lack of special qualities rather than on frequency
- unusual
the direct opposite; something rare or surprising
- exceptional
implies something out of the ordinary, often with a positive connotation
文法句型
the usual + noun
it is usual for someone to do something
more usual than
用法筆記
Frequently placed before a noun. The pattern it is usual (for someone) to do something is common for describing typical behaviour. The comparative more usual and superlative most usual are acceptable in formal writing.
常見錯誤
usual — noun
1. a drink, meal, or other item that someone regularly orders, especially at a bar,
a drink, meal, or other item that someone regularly orders, especially at a bar, café, or restaurant that they visit frequently.
The bartender saw Rachid walk in and started pouring his usual without being asked.
possessive + usual as noun for habitual order
Christopher smiled at the waiter and said, "I'll have the usual, please."
What is your usual at this café — the flat white or the matcha latte?
Defne greeted the barista and asked for her usual, a small pot of black tea.
文法句型
the / my / his / her + usual
have the usual
用法筆記
Only used in the singular. The definite article 'the' or a possessive determiner (my, his, her, your) is always required. This sense is extremely common in bars, cafés, and restaurants in informal spoken English.