chalkmark

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A line or shape drawn on a surface with chalk, especially to label, measure, or guide something.

   Grammar: Countable: you can talk about one chalkmark or several chalkmarks.

   Patterns

   • a chalkmark on something
   • draw a chalkmark
   • leave a chalkmark

   The tailor made a chalkmark along the hem before cutting the cloth.

   A faint chalkmark on the wall showed where the shelf should go.

   She wiped the chalkmark off the blackboard with a damp cloth.

2. 2nouncountable

   A white or pale mark that chalky material leaves behind when it rubs against something.

   Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural for several such smudges.

   Patterns

   • leave a chalkmark
   • chalkmarks on something

   The children's hands left chalkmarks all over the door frame.

   There were dusty chalkmarks on the dark sleeve of his jacket.

Word forms

Common combinations

leave a chalkmark

Be careful not to leave a chalkmark on the customer's table.

a faint chalkmark

Only a faint chalkmark remained after the rain.

draw a chalkmark

The builder drew a chalkmark where the pipe would enter.

wipe off a chalkmark

He wiped off the chalkmark before the guests arrived.

Synonyms and how they differ

mark

Much more general; it covers any visible spot or line, while 'chalkmark' names the material used to make it.

line

Refers only to a long thin stroke, so it fits when the chalkmark is straight rather than a dot or shape.

Word family

chalk noun

The soft white rock or stick used to write and draw.

chalky adjective

Containing chalk or tasting and feeling like chalk.

chalkboard noun

A dark board that you write on with chalk.

Commonly confused: chalkmark or checkmark?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “chalkmark”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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