Meaning & use
air vents
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Meanings
nouncountable
Openings in a wall, floor, ceiling, or machine that let air move in or out.
Grammar: Countable; use 'an air vent' for one and 'air vents' for several.
Patterns
- air vents in something
- through the air vents
The air vents in the ceiling keep the office cool in summer.
Dust had blocked the air vents, so the room felt stuffy.
You can adjust the air vents above your seat on the plane.
nouncountabletechnical
The openings on a car's dashboard that direct warm or cool air toward passengers.
Grammar: Often used in the plural when talking about the dashboard as a whole.
Patterns
- point the air vents at someone
- close the air vents
She pointed the air vents at her face because it was so hot.
The air vents in the back seat are broken.
Word forms
| singular | air vent |
|---|
Common combinations
- blocked air vents
- Blocked air vents can cause the engine to overheat.
- clean the air vents
- We clean the air vents every spring to remove dust.
- air vents in the ceiling
- There are air vents in the ceiling of every classroom.
- open the air vents
- Open the air vents to let some fresh air in.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- vent noun
- An opening or pipe that allows air or gas to escape.
- ventilation noun
- The system or process of supplying fresh air to a space.
- ventilate verb
- To allow fresh air to enter and move around a room or building.
Commonly confused: air vents or air vent?
air vents vs air vent
The singular form; use it for one opening. 'Air vents' is simply the plural.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'air vents' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Air vents' is a plural countable noun, so it takes a plural verb and no article: 'The air vents ... let'. Option A uses a singular verb, B uses 'a' with a plural, and D uses a non-existent form 'air venting'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “air vents”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.