This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Christina in Poland. Here is Christina's question.
Dear Teacher, I would like to know of different ways to use words such as
apply and application for getting jobs or other purposes. Thank you, Christina.
I'm happy to answer this question, Christina.
The word apply is a verb and the word application is a noun.
We can use both words when discussing the process of looking for a job.
We say we apply for a job when we go through the official process of asking an employer for work.
To do this, we usually have to complete a job application.
The application is a form, either online or on paper,
that gives the employer information about the person applying for the job.
We commonly use the phrasal verb fill out to express the act of completing an application. Consider the following examples.
You must fill out this application first.
Did you fill out the application?
While we say apply for when trying to get a job,
we say apply to when we are trying to get accepted into a school or other program,
as in the following example.
She applied to three medical schools in California.
However, we say apply for when we are trying to get financial aid or special awards.
The expression apply to also has another meaning.
It can mean that something relates to something else,
or that something is true for all people or things.
Listen to the following examples.
The new rule only applies to people who work more than 40 hours each week.
The right of freedom of speech should apply to all citizens.
The word application has other meanings besides a form people fill out.
Among these is a computer program that does a specific task or kind of work.
From this meaning, we get the term apps, which we use in our smartphones and computers.
There also is another expression with the verb apply.
If you apply yourself, that means that you are working hard over a period of time
to complete a project or develop a skill.
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Are you applying yourself to your study of English?
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And that's Ask a Teacher. I'm Andrew Smith.