Search from various English teachers...
Bean
What's your budget?
Somewhere under $700.00 a month.
# Can I use “about” or “around” instead "somewhere" here?
Feb 6, 2024 1:40 AM
Answers · 10
1
You can't say "Around/About under $700 a month". You can't byse them with 'under'. This is because 'around' and 'about' mean 'more or less'. They both mean close to $700 but perhaps a little more or less. It doesn't make sense to say 'a little more or less than under $700 a month'.
February 6, 2024
Yes, you can say those. The mathematical meaning of "about under" or "around under" is fuzzy. I would not want to try to define what they mean exactly. However, there is no "Preposition Police" to enforce any rules about which prepositions can or cannot be used.
In your sentence, I would interpret "about" or "around" to mean that you are uncertain about what you are about to say. The sentence would thus mean
"I'm not sure about this, but roughly I think the budget will be under $700 a month"
So you can use those words to produce a valid sentence whose fuzziness reflects your own uncertainty.
February 6, 2024
yes sounds good,
February 6, 2024
about
February 6, 2024
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Bean
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
22 likes · 17 Comments

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
17 likes · 13 Comments

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
15 likes · 6 Comments
More articles
