accommodation
B1Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
a place where people can live, stay, or work; the provision of lodging or living space.
An adjustment or adaptation to suit a particular purpose or to reconcile differences; a settlement or compromise.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
In British and Commonwealth English, the primary meaning relates to lodging/housing. In American English, the 'adjustment/compromise' meaning is more frequent, though both are understood.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'accommodation' is most commonly used as an uncountable noun referring to a place to live or stay (e.g., 'student accommodation'). In the US, it is more often a countable plural noun ('accommodations') meaning lodgings, or a singular/uncountable noun meaning an adjustment or compromise.
Connotations
UK: Strongly associated with housing, renting, and tourism. US: Strongly associated with compromise in formal contexts (e.g., 'reach an accommodation') and hotel/travel lodgings.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English in daily use. In US English, 'lodging', 'housing', or 'a place to stay' are often preferred for the concrete meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
accommodation for [number] peopleaccommodation in [place]accommodation with [feature]accommodation between [parties]reach an accommodationVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “reach an accommodation”
- “come to an accommodation”
- “make accommodation for”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to corporate housing for employees or business travel lodgings.
Academic
Common in sociology/urban studies (housing supply) and biology (visual accommodation of the eye).
Everyday
Booking a hotel or finding a flat. Discussing compromise in relationships.
Technical
In ophthalmology: the eye's adjustment of focal length. In law: a settlement agreement.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The hotel can accommodate up to 200 guests.
- We need to accommodate the new regulations.
American English
- The software can accommodate various file formats.
- The schedule was accommodated to fit the time zone difference.
adverb
British English
- They nodded accommodatingly to our suggestion.
- The rules were applied accommodatingly in her case.
American English
- He smiled accommodatingly and agreed to the change.
- The system was designed accommodatingly for left-handed users.
adjective
British English
- She was very accommodating and changed our booking.
- An accommodating attitude helped the negotiations.
American English
- He's known for being accommodating to clients' requests.
- The policy is not very accommodating to part-time workers.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I need to find accommodation in London.
- The hotel offers good accommodation.
- We booked our accommodation months before the trip.
- Student accommodation is expensive in this city.
- The two parties finally reached an accommodation after lengthy talks.
- The resort provides luxury accommodation with sea views.
- The visual accommodation of the lens allows for focus on near objects.
- The treaty was an uneasy accommodation of their conflicting interests.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of two 'c's and two 'm's needing accommodation in the word: A C C O M M O D A T I O N.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPACE IS A CONTAINER (finding accommodation), AGREEMENT IS A SHARED SPACE (reaching an accommodation).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'аккомодация' (biological term) for housing.
- Do not use 'accommodation' for 'удобства' (amenities/facilities).
- Remember it's often uncountable in UK English: 'an accommodation' is usually wrong for housing.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'accomodation' (missing an 'm'), 'accomodation' (missing a 'c').
- Using 'an accommodation' for UK housing context.
- Confusing with 'accommodating' (adjective).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'accommodation' used as an uncountable noun in British English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically uncountable in British English when referring to places to live/stay ('look for accommodation'). It can be countable in the plural ('hotel accommodations') in American English, or when referring to specific adjustments/compromises ('mutual accommodations').
In American English, 'accommodations' often refers to lodgings (e.g., 'book accommodations'). In British English, the singular uncountable 'accommodation' is used for the same concept. The plural can also refer to multiple adjustments or provisions.
It has a double 'c' and a double 'm', which is uncommon. A mnemonic is: 'It takes two cots (cc) and two mattresses (mm) to provide good accommodation.'
Yes, especially in formal or American English, e.g., 'The political groups reached an accommodation.' This meaning is less common in everyday UK speech.
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