B2
imprison vs imprisonment vs jail vs prison
The difference
| Word | Meaning | Goes with | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| imprisonverb/ɪmˈprɪz.ən/ | Meaning to put someone in prison or keep them in a place they cannot leave | Goes with wrongly imprison | Example The government imprisoned hundreds of protesters without a trial. |
| imprisonmentnoun/ɪmˈprɪz.ən.mənt/ | Meaning the punishment of being kept in prison | Goes with life imprisonment | Example The court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for fraud. |
| jailnoun/dʒeɪl/ | Meaning a place where people are kept as punishment for a crime or while waiting for trial | Goes with go to jail | Example The driver was sent to jail for causing a fatal accident while drunk. |
| prisonnoun/ˈprɪz.ən/ | Meaning a building where people are kept as punishment after a court finds them guilty of a crime | Goes with go to prison | Example He spent five years in prison for stealing money from his company. |
Which word fits?
1 of 8Pick the word for the gap. Its form may change in the sentence.
The law allows police to people without trial.