plus

The word "plus" is used when talking about something that is positive or when adding numbers or groups together.

• What’s two plus two?
• Two plus two equals four.
• Our family plus your family will make a group of about 30 people.
• We’re ordering several pizzas plus drinks for a party at our house.
• Heavy snow plus wind can result in a blizzard.

When the word "plus" is used as a noun, it means that a situation is good.

• Having friends you can count on is a plus.
• Owning real estate is a plus for a long-term investor.
• Good public transportation is a plus for any metropolitan area these days.
• There are many plusses and minuses in regards to mobile technology. (There are advantages and disadvantages in regards to mobile technology.)

Schools use "plus" when recording grades or academic results for students:

• Tracy received an A+ on her test.
• Todd scored a D+ on a final exam.
• George thinks of himself as a C+ student.
• Amanda wasn’t happy with the B+ on her report card. She was hoping for at least an A-.

Note: In the American education system, many schools still rely on letter grades based on percentages when recording scores for students. While there is some variability in this system, here’s an example of the way that system might look. If you are a student or a parent of a student, this is good to know about.

Some students are allowed to negotiate with the teacher for a higher grade by doing extra work.

Visit the Word of the Day section for more vocabulary.

December 13, 2018