Meaning & use
pencil
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Meanings
nouncountable
A thin writing or drawing tool with a graphite center inside wood or plastic.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a' or a number: a pencil, three pencils.
Patterns
- a pencil
- with a pencil
- in pencil
I need a pencil to fill out this form.
She drew the outline in pencil first.
The pencil needs sharpening.
verbtransitive
To write, draw, or mark something using a pencil.
Grammar: Takes an object: pencil a note, pencil the drawing.
Patterns
- pencil something
- pencil something in
He penciled his name at the top of the page.
Pencil the corrections lightly so you can erase them.
verbtransitive
To schedule something tentatively, knowing it may change.
Grammar: Often used as 'pencil someone/something in'; takes an object.
Patterns
- pencil someone in
- pencil something in for a time
Let's pencil the meeting in for Tuesday, but we may need to move it.
I've penciled you in for 3 p.m.
Word forms
| plural | pencils |
|---|---|
| third person singular | pencils |
| past tense | penciled |
| past participle | penciled |
| -ing form | penciling |
Common combinations
- pencil and paper
- Take a pencil and paper to the lecture.
- pencil sharpener
- The pencil sharpener is on the desk.
- pencil case
- She keeps her pens in a pencil case.
- write in pencil
- Please write in pencil so you can correct mistakes.
- pencil in
- I'll pencil in the date for now.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: pencil or pen?
pencil vs pen
A pen writes with ink and cannot be erased; a pencil uses graphite and can be erased.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The phrasal verb 'pencil in' means to schedule tentatively. 'Pencil' alone means to write with a pencil, which does not fit the meaning of scheduling.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pencil”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.