sth

Meanings

1. 1abbreviation

   A written short form of 'something', used in notes, patterns, and informal messages.

   Grammar: It stands for a thing, not a person. For a person, use 'sb'.

   Patterns

   • give sb sth
   • sth is wrong
   • do sth

   The pattern 'give sb sth' shows that the verb 'give' can take two objects.

   In my notes I wrote 'buy sth for dinner' because I forgot what to buy.

   The dictionary says 'to make sth better' to show the verb needs an object.

2. 2abbreviationinformal

   Used in text messages and online chat instead of writing the full word 'something'.

   Grammar: Common in very informal writing. Do not use it in school essays or business letters.

   Patterns

   • sth like that
   • want sth

   She texted me: 'I need sth from the shop.'

   He posted: 'Can we do sth fun this weekend?'

Common combinations

give sb sth

The teacher wrote 'give sb sth' on the board to show the verb pattern.

sth is wrong

In his note, he wrote 'sth is wrong with the printer'.

do sth

The grammar book uses 'do sth' to mean 'perform an action'.

sth like that

She wrote 'sth like that' at the end of her message because she wasn't sure.

want sth

The pattern 'want sth' shows that 'want' is followed by a noun phrase.

Synonyms and how they differ

something

This is the full word; use it in all normal writing. 'sth' is only a written short form.

sb

This stands for 'somebody' (a person), not a thing, so it is not a synonym but a partner abbreviation.

Commonly confused: sth or sb?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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