membership card

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A small card that shows you belong to a club, gym, library, or similar organization and are allowed to use its services.

   Grammar: Countable: say a membership card, two membership cards, my membership card.

   Patterns

   • a membership card for something
   • show your membership card
   • renew a membership card

   The librarian asked to see my membership card before I could take the book out.

   New members get a membership card in the mail about a week after they join.

   He keeps his gym membership card in the same wallet pocket as his bus pass.

2. 2nouncountable

   A card that gives you discounts or special prices at a shop or chain because you have signed up with them.

   Grammar: Countable and often used with a store name before it: a Costco membership card.

   Patterns

   • use your membership card
   • scan a membership card
   • a membership card gives you something

   Scan your membership card at the till and you get ten percent off.

   I left my membership card at home, so I had to pay the full price.

   The supermarket gives you points every time you swipe your membership card.

Word forms

Common combinations

show your membership card

Please show your membership card at the front desk.

a valid membership card

You need a valid membership card to enter the pool area.

renew your membership card

I have to renew my membership card before it expires in June.

a library membership card

She got a library membership card the day she moved to the city.

swipe your membership card

Swipe your membership card here and the gate will open.

Synonyms and how they differ

membership

Use membership for the state of belonging; use membership card only for the physical card you carry.

pass

A pass also lets you in, but it is often for a single visit or a short period, not for ongoing membership.

ID card

An ID card proves who you are; a membership card proves you belong to a group, and it may not have a photo.

Word family

member noun

A person who belongs to a group or organization.

membership noun

The state of being a member, or the members of a group as a whole.

member of staff noun

British phrase for an employee of an organization.

Commonly confused: membership card or member card?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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