What is ex? Pronunciation and usage in English

ex means . Learn how to pronounce and use ex through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of ex

expreposition

/ɛks/
Definition & pronunciation of ex

The pronunciation of "ex" in English is tricky, and it depends heavily on the word it's in! It can sound like:

1. /eks/ (like "eggs") - This is the most common pronunciation.

  • Examples: excellent, example, expect, exercise

2. /iks/ (like "icks") - This is also very common, especially in American English.

  • Examples: exist, index, quick

3. /ɛks/ (like "ex" in "text") - This pronunciation is increasingly common, particularly in British English and younger speakers.

  • Examples: exact, exit, text

Here's a breakdown of how to figure it out:

  • Latin Roots: "Ex" comes from the Latin word for "out" or "from." This is why you'll often hear it pronounced with an "x" sound.

  • Stress: Where the stress is in the word is a key clue. If the stress is on the syllable with "ex," you're more likely to hear /eks/ or /iks/.

  • Word Type: Certain word categories have a stronger tendency:

    • Words related to movement or going out: Tend to have /eks/. (e.g., exit, expect)
    • Words with a more "formal" or technical feel: Are more often /iks/. (e.g., exist, index)
    • Words ending in -ex: Often /eks/. (e.g., exercise)

Resources for Hearing the Pronunciation:

To help me give you a more precise answer, could you tell me:

  • In what context are you asking about "ex"? (e.g., "in the word 'exercise'?", "in general?")

Usage and examples with the word ex in English

The word "ex" is a versatile little prefix in English, and it can be tricky to master because its meaning changes depending on the context. Here's a breakdown of how to use it, broken down by common usages:

1. Former/Past: This is the most common and well-understood use.

  • Meaning: Used to indicate something that used to be something else, but no longer is.
  • Examples:
    • "She was a teacher, but now she's an architect - she's an ex-teacher." (She used to be a teacher.)
    • "He was the CEO of the company, but he's an ex-CEO now." (He previously held that position.)
    • "I met my ex-boyfriend at a party last week." (I met my former boyfriend.)

2. Excluding/Except: Used to indicate “not including” or “leaving out.”

  • Meaning: To remove something from a group or category.
  • Examples:
    • "All students except John will take the exam." (Everyone else will take the exam.)
    • "The price includes tax, but not shipping - it’s excluding shipping." (Shipping is not included in the price.)
    • "I liked all the books except the first one." (I didn't like the first book.)

3. “Ex-” as a Prefix - Related to Something (Less Common Now): Historically, "ex-" indicated something originally connected to a particular thing. This usage is much less frequent today.

  • Meaning: This is an older, more formal usage that originally meant "out of" or "from." It’s more common in legal and academic contexts.
  • Examples (Older Usage - These are still used, but less often):
    • Ex-wife/Ex-husband: Formerly married woman/man. (Literally "out of" marriage)
    • Ex-president: Formerly president.
    • Ex-communication: Isolation from a religious community.
    • Ex-territory: Outside of a territory. (Historically "out of territory")

4. Shortened Forms (Informal): Sometimes "ex-" is used informally to shorten words, particularly names.

  • Examples:
    • Ex: Often used as a quick way to say “formerly” - “He's an ex.” (He was formerly something.)
    • Ex-girl/Ex-boyfriend: (Same as above – informal shortening)

Key Points & Considerations:

  • Capitalization: When "ex-" is used as a prefix to form a new word (like "ex-wife"), it starts with a capital letter. When referring to the concept of past or excluding, it's usually lowercase.
  • Context is Crucial: The meaning of "ex-" depends entirely on how it’s used in the sentence. Pay attention to the surrounding words.
  • Don't Overuse: While convenient, constantly shortening words with "ex-" can sound slightly awkward.

Resources for Further Learning:

To help me give you even more tailored advice, could you tell me:

  • Are you struggling with a specific example of how to use "ex-"?
  • Are you interested in a particular area where it's often used (e.g., legal writing, casual conversation)?

Synonyms for the word ex

Practice with vocabulary ex

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. To ensure the project's success, we must not permit costs to _____ the initial budget.
  2. The recent data clearly _____ the positive impact of the new marketing strategy on sales figures.
  3. Despite the challenging circumstances, the team managed to _____ all their targets for the quarter.
  4. The final report will _____ the detailed analysis of the market trends and consumer behavior.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. The legal department provided a comprehensive list of documents required for the audit, detailing every possible scenario. a) expansive b) exhaustive c) extensive d) expressive

  2. Employees who have worked for the company for over twenty years are _____ from the mandatory quarterly training sessions. a) exempt b) excluded c) external d) excerpted

  3. After careful consideration, the board decided to _____ the planned merger to expand into new international markets. a) exhibit b) expropriate c) execute d) exhort

  4. The consultant offered a unique _____ on how to approach the complex problem, which proved very insightful. a) perspective b) aspect c) dimension d) outlook

  5. Due to the sudden change in regulations, the company had to quickly _____ its operational procedures. a) adopt b) adapt c) adept d) appraise

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. Original: The company showed remarkable growth last year, far beyond what was expected. Rewrite the sentence, starting with "The company's growth..." and using a word related to "ex".

  2. Original: The diplomat conveyed his country's official apologies clearly and directly during the press conference. Rewrite the sentence, using a form of "express".

  3. Original: The team carefully removed the sensitive documents from the secure vault. Rewrite the sentence, using a word that means "remove" but does NOT start with "ex".

Answer:

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. exceed
  2. exemplifies
  3. achieve
  4. contain

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. b) exhaustive
  2. a) exempt
  3. c) execute
  4. a) perspective, d) outlook (both are plausible depending on context, but 'perspective' is a very strong fit for 'unique point of view')
  5. b) adapt

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The company's growth last year exceeded all expectations.

  2. The diplomat expressed his country's official apologies clearly and directly during the press conference.

  3. The team carefully extracted the sensitive documents from the secure vault. (Using "extracted" to show how an "ex" word could be used, then replacing it as per the instruction.) Corrected answer as per instructions to not use "ex" in this specific rewrite: The team carefully removed the sensitive documents from the secure vault. (Self-correction: The instruction for Q3 was "1 required sentence do not use 'ex', but use a suitable replacement word." My example was poor because it used "extract". Let's fix that specific rewrite to avoid "ex".)

    Revised Exercise 3, Q3 Answer: 3. The team carefully retrieved the sensitive documents from the secure vault.

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