allowance meaning

allowance means 'a sum of money given regularly for a specific purpose'.

allowance :

money, stipend

noun

▪ She gives her children a weekly allowance.

▪ She gives her children a weekly money.

▪ His allowance helps him buy books.

▪ His money helps him buy books.

paraphrasing

▪ pocket money – allowance

▪ budget – money for spending

▪ funds – available money

▪ grant – fixed money

allowance

Pronunciation

allowance [əˈlaʊəns]

The stress is on the second part 'low' and sounds like 'uh-LOW-uhns'.

Common phrases and grammar about allowance

allowance - Common meaning

noun
money, stipend

Part of Speech Changes for "allowance"

▪ allowances (noun) – extra money given for specific reasons

▪ allow (verb) – to give or permit

▪ allowance-related (adjective) – connected to allowance

Common Expressions with "allowance"

▪ weekly allowance – money given every week

▪ monthly allowance – money given every month

▪ allowance for books – money given to buy books

▪ allowance increase – more money given

Important examples of allowance in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, allowance often refers to money given regularly for personal use.

▪She receives a monthly allowance from her parents.
▪She gets money from her parents every month.

Example of a confusing word: allocation (distribution)

▪She receives a monthly allocation from her parents.
▪She gets a distribution of resources from her parents every month.
"Allowance" is a noun meaning a regular amount of money given for personal use, often used in the context of parents giving money to children. In "She receives a monthly allowance," the usage is correct and natural. "Allocation," however, refers to the distribution of resources or funds and is typically used in contexts involving budgeting or organizational resource management. Saying "She receives a monthly allocation" suggests a formal distribution process, which is not the intended meaning. Therefore, "allowance" is the correct choice here.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

Allowance is used as a noun to indicate regular money given, often in personal or family contexts.

▪He has a fixed allowance for his expenses.
▪He has a fixed sum of money for his expenses.

allowance

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

monthly allowance

'regular monthly money', used when discussing personal budgets.

▪Her monthly allowance helps her manage her expenses.
▪Her regular money each month helps her pay for things.

personal allowance

means 'individual budget', used in financial planning.

▪She has a personal allowance for her shopping.
▪She has a set amount of money for her shopping.

Differences between similar words and allowance

allowance

,

budget

differences

Allowance is specific money given regularly, while budget is a plan for how to spend money.

allowance
▪She manages her allowance carefully.
▪She manages her budget carefully.
budget
▪They set a budget for the trip.
▪They set an allowance for the trip.

allowance

,

stipend

differences

Allowance is usually given for personal use, while stipend is often for work or education.

allowance
▪He receives a monthly allowance.
▪The scholarship provides money for students.
stipend
▪The scholarship provides a stipend for students.
▪The scholarship provides money for students.

Words with the same origin as allowance

The origin of allowance

The word 'allowance' comes from the Old French 'alouer', meaning 'to approve or set aside money'.

Word structure

It has the prefix 'all-' (similar to 'allow'), root 'low', and suffix '-ance', so allowance means 'the act of allowing money'.

Words with the same origin

The root of allowance is 'allow'. Words with the same root include allow, allowable, and allowance itself.

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