Meaning & use
unique opportunities
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Meaning
nounplural
Chances to do something special that are not available to most other people.
Grammar: Plural noun phrase; use a plural verb: unique opportunities exist / are available.
Patterns
- unique opportunities for someone
- unique opportunities to do something
- provide unique opportunities for someone
- create unique opportunities
Studying abroad gave her unique opportunities to learn two new languages.
The job offers unique opportunities for young engineers to lead their own projects.
Small towns can provide unique opportunities for artists who need cheap space.
Common combinations
- provide unique opportunities
- The program provides unique opportunities for students to work with scientists.
- unique opportunities for
- Volunteering abroad creates unique opportunities for personal growth.
- unique opportunities to learn
- This course offers unique opportunities to learn from experienced doctors.
- a wealth of unique opportunities
- The city has a wealth of unique opportunities for young musicians.
- take advantage of unique opportunities
- She took advantage of the unique opportunities her scholarship gave her.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chances
- More general and less emphatic; 'unique opportunities' suggests almost nobody else gets them.
- openings
- Often means jobs or positions that are free, rather than special chances in general.
- possibilities
- Talks about things that might happen; 'opportunities' are usually good and worth taking.
Opposites
Word family
- opportunity noun
- A single chance to do something.
- opportune adjective
- Happening at a good or suitable time.
- opportunistic adjective
- Taking advantage of situations quickly, often without planning.
Commonly confused: unique opportunities or possibility?
unique opportunities vs possibility
A possibility is anything that might happen; an opportunity is a good chance you can actually use.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses the phrase most naturally.
Choose one answer.
'Opportunities' is plural and is followed by 'to' + verb for the activity. Option 1 uses the wrong preposition, option 2 mixes 'a' with a plural noun, and option 3 leaves out the plural ending and uses an awkward pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unique opportunities”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.