text
A1Neutral (used across all registers from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
Any written material, originally from a book, but now including anything communicated through writing on screens and devices.
A brief electronic message sent via SMS; the main body of a book, article, or document, as distinct from headings or illustrations; a book or piece of writing studied for academic purposes (e.g., a literary text); a passage from scripture used as a theme for a sermon.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning has expanded dramatically with technology. It now almost always implies a written/typed medium, not spoken words. In academic contexts, it can refer to any object of analysis (a film, an advert, a social situation).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight differences in collocations: Brits might be more likely to say 'text message' fully, while Americans often say just 'text'. Pronunciation of the verb: UK English often retains the /kst/ cluster (/tekst/), while US English more commonly simplifies to /tekst/ or /tɛkst/. The verb form is accepted earlier and more universally in US English.
Connotations
Largely identical. The verb 'to text' is equally standard in both varieties.
Frequency
The noun is equally frequent. The verb is extremely high-frequency in both varieties due to mobile phone usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] text: read/analyse/write a text[noun] text: main/body of text[verb] [object]: text someone (a message)[adjective] text: sacred/historical textVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Stick to the text (do not deviate from the written words)”
- “Read between the lines (infer meaning not explicit in the text)”
- “A text-book example (a perfect, classic example)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to written communication in reports, emails, and marketing copy. 'Please refer to the text of the contract.'
Academic
Refers to any primary material for analysis (a novel, a historical document, a film). 'The students will analyse three core texts.'
Everyday
Overwhelmingly refers to SMS/chat messages. 'I'll text you the address.'
Technical
In computing, refers to data in alphanumeric character form, as opposed to binary code. 'Save the file as plain text.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I'll text you the postcode when I leave.
- She texted her boss to say she was running late.
American English
- Text me the details, please.
- He texts his mom every day.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard. 'Textually' is rare).
American English
- (Not standard. 'Textually' is rare).
adjective
British English
- The phone has a basic text editor.
- We need to switch from calls to text communication.
American English
- She prefers text alerts to phone calls.
- It's a text-based adventure game.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I read the text on the board.
- Please send me a text.
- This is a short text.
- The main text of the article was easy to understand.
- Did you get my text about the meeting?
- We studied an historical text in class today.
- The full text of the speech is available online.
- The film can be analysed as a cultural text.
- Legal texts are often difficult for laypeople to interpret.
- His analysis deconstructed the patriarchal assumptions embedded within the canonical text.
- The software parses unstructured text to identify key sentiment drivers.
- The sermon was based on a text from the Book of Psalms.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TEXTbook. A TEXT is the written part you read from a book or a screen. TEXTing is sending written words, not calling.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEXT IS A WOVEN FABRIC (from Latin 'texere' - to weave). Ideas are threads woven into a coherent whole.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'text' for 'textbook'. That is 'учебник'.
- The Russian word 'текст' is a direct cognate, but its range is narrower. In English, 'text' is used for an SMS and as a verb.
- Do not translate 'send a text' as 'послать текст'. Use 'отправить смс' or 'текстовое сообщение'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'text' as a countable noun incorrectly: 'I received a text message' (correct), not 'I received text'.
- Confusing 'text' (SMS) with 'textbook'.
- Spelling: 'text' not 'texte'.
- In early learning, confusing 'text' (noun) with 'test'.
Practice
Quiz
In an academic context, what can the word 'text' refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the verb 'to text' is transitive and takes a direct object. Correct: 'I texted him.' You can add the message as a second object: 'I texted him the details.'
Both 'texted' (/ˈtɛkstɪd/) and 'text' are used informally, but 'texted' is the standard, grammatically correct past tense and past participle.
'Text' is the written material itself. A 'textbook' is a specific type of book, usually for study, which contains such text. They are not interchangeable.
Yes, when referring to written material in general. E.g., 'The page was full of dense text.' However, for individual messages or specific passages, it is countable: 'I sent three texts,' 'analyse the following texts.'