Meaning & use
a cardigan sweater
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Meaning
nouncountable
a knitted piece of clothing with buttons down the front, worn on the upper body.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a cardigan sweater,' 'two cardigan sweaters,' etc. Often shortened to 'cardigan.'
Patterns
- wear a cardigan sweater
- a cardigan sweater with buttons
She put on a cardigan sweater because the office was cold.
He bought a blue cardigan sweater for the winter.
A cardigan sweater is easy to take off if you get warm.
Word forms
| plural | cardigan sweaters |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a cardigan sweater
- I usually wear a cardigan sweater over my shirt.
- a warm cardigan sweater
- She packed a warm cardigan sweater for the trip.
- a button-up cardigan sweater
- He prefers a button-up cardigan sweater to a pullover.
- a light cardigan sweater
- A light cardigan sweater is perfect for spring evenings.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- cardigan noun
- Short form of 'cardigan sweater'; a buttoned knitted jacket.
Commonly confused: a cardigan sweater or sweatshirt? a cardigan sweater or jumper?
a cardigan sweater vs sweatshirt
A sweatshirt is a loose, thick cotton top, often with a hood, while a cardigan sweater is knitted and usually has buttons.
a cardigan sweater vs jumper
In British English, 'jumper' means a sweater; in American English, it is a type of dress. A cardigan sweater is always buttoned.
Practice
She wore ______ over her blouse because the room was chilly.
Choose one answer.
We use 'a' to introduce one unspecified cardigan sweater. 'Cardigan sweater' without an article is not correct in this singular countable context; 'the' would suggest a specific one already known, and 'cardigan sweaters' is plural and does not fit 'she wore' with a single item.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a cardigan sweater”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.