coverage
High (B2)Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The extent or degree to which something is observed, analyzed, reported on, or protected.
The reporting of news or events by the media; the amount of protection provided by an insurance policy; the area reached by a service or signal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Most commonly a noun. 'Coverage' often implies a scope, a network, or a provision of service or information. It can be concrete (like insurance coverage) or abstract (like media coverage).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily differences in collocation and context frequency, not meaning. 'TV coverage' is equally common. In finance, 'coverage ratio' is standard in both.
Connotations
Neutral in both. No significant connotative difference.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in US English in business/insurance contexts (e.g., 'healthcare coverage'). Media usage is equally high.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have + coverage (We have full coverage.)provide + coverage (The policy provides coverage for theft.)give + coverage to + something (The paper gave extensive coverage to the election.)receive + coverage (The protest received little coverage.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “blanket coverage (complete and all-encompassing)”
- “wall-to-wall coverage (continuous and exhaustive media reporting)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the scope of insurance or service contracts (e.g., 'Our liability coverage is up to £5 million.').
Academic
Used to discuss the breadth of research or analysis (e.g., 'The literature review provides comprehensive coverage of the topic.').
Everyday
Most commonly about news or mobile/internet signals (e.g., 'There's no mobile coverage here.').
Technical
In telecoms: area served by a network; in photography: area a lens can capture.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My phone has good coverage in the city.
- The football match had TV coverage.
- The insurance policy offers worldwide coverage for medical emergencies.
- There was a lot of media coverage about the new law.
- The report's coverage of the economic factors was thorough but missed the social impact.
- Our mobile network provider is expanding its 5G coverage to rural areas.
- The journalist was praised for her nuanced coverage of the protracted diplomatic crisis.
- The algorithm's test coverage was insufficient, leading to undetected bugs in edge cases.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a camera LENS COVER. When you remove it, you get full PICTURE COVERAGE. The word 'cover' is inside 'coverage'.
Conceptual Metaphor
COVERAGE IS A BLANKET (providing even, complete protection or inclusion).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not directly translate as 'покрытие' for media contexts; use 'освещение'. For insurance, 'страховое покрытие' is correct.
- Avoid using 'диапазон' for signal coverage; use 'зона покрытия'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'coverage' as a verb (incorrect: 'The journalist will coverage the event.' Correct: 'The journalist will cover the event.').
- Confusing 'coverage' with 'cover' as a noun (a cover is a thing that goes over something; coverage is the extent of covering).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'coverage' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually uncountable. You do not say 'coverages'. However, you can refer to 'types of coverage' (countable) in insurance.
'Cover' is primarily a verb (to cover) or a concrete noun (a book cover, bed cover). 'Coverage' is an abstract noun describing the extent, scope, or provision of covering.
Yes, it is usually neutral. Positive/negative depends on adjectives: 'excellent coverage' vs. 'biased coverage'.
'Debt service coverage ratio' (DSCR) is a key financial metric.
Collections
Part of a collection
Media and Communication
B1 · 50 words · Language for discussing media and communication.