Meaning & use
ell building
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Meanings
nouncountable
A building that has an L-shaped plan, typically formed by a main block with a wing extending at a right angle.
Grammar: Countable; use 'an ell building' or 'ell buildings'.
Patterns
- an ell building
- ell buildings
The old farmhouse was an ell building, with the kitchen in the rear wing.
Many 19th-century schools were ell buildings, with a long central hall and a shorter wing.
The architect designed an ell building to fit the corner lot.
nouncountable
The wing of such a building, especially a rear or side extension.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'the ell' to mean the extension.
Patterns
- the ell
- a rear ell
They added a new ell to the back of the house.
The ell contains the bedrooms and a bathroom.
The ell was built in 1890 and still has the original windows.
Word forms
| plural | ell buildings |
|---|
Common combinations
- an ell-shaped house
- They live in an ell-shaped house with a large porch.
- the rear ell
- The rear ell was converted into a modern kitchen.
- a two-story ell
- The two-story ell has a separate entrance.
- add an ell
- They decided to add an ell to accommodate a growing family.
Synonyms and how they differ
- L-shaped building
- A more descriptive term; 'ell building' is a specific architectural term often used in historical contexts.
- wing
- Refers to a part of a building that extends from the main structure; an ell is a type of wing that forms an L shape.
Word family
- ell noun
- The letter L or something shaped like it; also the wing of a building.
- L-shaped adjective
- Having the shape of the letter L.
Commonly confused: ell building or L building?
ell building vs L building
Could refer to a building named 'L' (e.g., Building L on a campus), not necessarily shaped like an L. 'Ell building' specifically means a building with an L-shaped floor plan.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'ell building' correctly?
Choose one answer.
An ell building is L-shaped, typically with a main block and a wing. Option 2 correctly describes this. Option 1 is wrong because it describes a circular shape. Option 3 is wrong because height is not a defining feature. Option 4 is wrong because material is not relevant to the term.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ell building”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.