What is week? Pronunciation and usage in English

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

Definition & pronunciation of week

weeknoun

/wiːk/
Definition & pronunciation of week

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "week." It's a tricky one for many learners! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and accepted pronunciation is:

  • /wiːk/ (rhymes with "peek" or "seek")

Here's how to articulate it:

  1. "Wi": Pronounce it like the word "we." The vowel sound is a long "e" sound.
  2. "k": Just a standard "k" sound as in "kite."

Here's a more detailed breakdown, considering regional variations:

  • American English: Generally, it's always /wiːk/.
  • British English: There's a bit more variation:
    • Received Pronunciation (RP) - "Standard British": /wiːk/ (like American English)
    • Cockney (London): /wik/ - This is a very distinctive pronunciation where it sounds more like "wick." It’s regional and not universally used.

Resources to help you hear it:

To summarize, focus on /wiːk/ and it will sound correct in most contexts.

Do you want me to:

  • Pronounce "week" for you?
  • Give you some example sentences to practice with?

Usage and examples with the word week in English

Let's break down how to use the word "week" in English. It's a pretty versatile word!

1. Basic Definition:

  • A week is a period of seven days. This is the core meaning.

2. Common Uses:

  • Referring to a time period:

    • “This week I’m going to focus on finishing my report.”
    • “Let’s meet next week.”
    • “I’ve been working really hard all week.”
    • “The sales figures for this week were excellent.”

  • Referring to a specific week (often numerically):

    • “Week 1 of the course”
    • “Week 3 of the project”
    • "I’m on week 2 of my new diet."

  • As part of expressions:

    • Have a good week! (Wishing someone well)
    • Weekend: The week ends with the weekend (Friday evening to Sunday).
    • Busy week: Meaning a week filled with a lot of activity.
    • Slow week: Meaning a week with little activity.

  • In dates (sometimes):

    • “The meeting is scheduled for next week on Tuesday.” (Often, the day is specified.)

3. Grammar Points:

  • Countable Noun: "Week" is a countable noun. You can say "one week," "two weeks," "three weeks," etc.
  • Plural Form: The plural of "week" is "weeks."
    • “I spent three weeks on vacation.”

4. Examples in Sentences (with varying contexts):

  • Business: “Our marketing team will review the campaign results from this week.”
  • Personal: “I’m looking forward to a relaxing week at the beach.”
  • Academic: “The assignment is due at the end of this week.”
  • General: “I’ve been feeling a little tired this week.”

5. Related Words/Phrases:

  • Weekends: The days Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  • Weekly: Describing something that happens once a week (e.g., “a weekly meeting”).
  • Make a week of it: To prolong something (usually negatively) – "He's made a week of this bad weather."

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

  • What are you trying to use "week" in? (e.g., writing an email, speaking conversationally, understanding a news article, etc.)
  • Can you give me a specific sentence or situation where you’re unsure how to use it?

Synonyms for the word week

Idioms of the word week

the other day/morning/evening/week
recently
  • I saw Jack the other day.
  • I was in your area the other week.
  • I woke up the other morning and just could not get myself out of bed.
  • I was watching TV the other evening, when…
today, tomorrow, Monday, etc. week
seven days after the day that you mention
  • I'll see you Thursday week.
week after week
(informal)continuously for many weeks
  • Week after week the drought continued.
week by week
as the weeks pass
  • Week by week he grew a little stronger.
week in, week out
happening every week
  • Every Sunday, week in, week out, she goes to her parents for lunch.
a week next/on/this Monday, etc. | a week tomorrow, etc.
seven days after the day that you mention
  • It's my birthday a week on Tuesday.
a week yesterday, last Monday, etc.
(especially British English)seven days before the day that you mention
  • She started work a week yesterday.

Practice with vocabulary week

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. The project deadline is at the end of next ________, so we need to accelerate our efforts.
  2. Please ensure all necessary documents are submitted ________ Friday at 5 PM to meet the regulatory requirements.
  3. Our team holds a stand-up meeting every Monday morning to review the progress of the past ________.
  4. The company hosts a biannual executive retreat, occurring once every six ________.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. Which of the following describes a standard period of seven consecutive days? A) a decade B) a fortnight C) a week D) a month

  2. When planning a short business trip abroad, which duration options are commonly considered economical and efficient? A) an hour B) a day C) a week D) a fortnight

  3. The new marketing strategy will be launched starting the first ________ of October. A) era B) day C) week D) session

  4. After a particularly challenging sprint, many developers feel mentally ________ by Friday afternoon. A) week B) weary C) wicked D) weakly

  5. Which terms indicate a specific measurement of time? A) hour B) week C) day D) calendar

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. Our current schedule requires us to work more than forty hours in a seven-day period. (Rewrite using "week" or a related form)
  2. The manager announced a bonus for employees with perfect attendance over the course of a four-week interval. (Rewrite using "week" or a related form)
  3. The training session will last for a seven-day period. (Rewrite using a suitable replacement word, but do not use "week")

Answer:

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. week
  2. by
  3. week
  4. months

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. C) a week
  2. B) a day, C) a week, D) a fortnight
  3. C) week
  4. B) weary
  5. A) hour, B) week, C) day

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. Our current schedule requires us to work more than forty hours per week.
  2. The manager announced a bonus for employees with perfect attendance for four weeks.
  3. The training session will last for a duration of seven days.

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