BEAR


Meaning of BEAR in English

verb

1

BAD : The government also controls the number of children that a

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couple can bear.

GOOD : The government also controls the number of children that a couple can have.

BAD : I want to get married and bear children.

GOOD : I want to get married and have children.

Bear (sb) a child is used only in formal styles and refers to the physical process of giving birth: 'She bore her husband two daughters and one son.' The subject of bear is always a woman.

When you are talking about beginning a family or the number of children in a family, use have (NOT bear ): 'We'd like to have children while we're still young.'

2

BAD : 'I can't bear any longer,' he said. 'I'm ready to resign.'

GOOD : 'I can't bear it any longer,' he said. 'I'm ready to resign.'

BAD : I can't bear if someone starts cracking their knuckles.

GOOD : I can't bear it if someone starts cracking their knuckles.

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can't bear + it (+ if/when clause): 'I can't bear it when people start complaining about nothing.'

Longman Common Errors English vocabulary.      Английский словарь распространенных ошибок Longman.