I. Defining Find:
What does Discover mean? As per the Cambridge dictionary, Discover functions as a verb , a noun within the sentence. Roughly interpreted: uncovering something; Archaeological digs. For instance:
- She couldn't find her keys anywhere in the house. (She couldn't find the keys anywhere in the house.) ➞ Find serves as a verb.
- The find of a rare artifact was a significant discovery for archaeologists. (The excavation of a valuable rare artifact is an important find for archaeologists.) ➞ Find serves as a noun.
The verb's forms are in the simple past tense, the present perfect tense, and the past perfect tense of Discover is Discovered. Illustration:
- I've just found a ten-pound note in my pocket. (I just found the £10 bill in my pocket.)
- Has he found himself a place to live yet? (Has he found a place to live?)
II. Utilizing the Discovery Framework
What are the typical applications of the Discover structure? Let's explore with Mytour just below!
1. Discover structure complements nouns
Structure |
|
Meaning |
Express someone's opinion or feelings about whom, or what. |
Example |
The teacher found our team's opinion a great one. (The teacher found our team's opinion to be a very good one.) |
2. Discover structure complements nouns and adjectives
Structure |
|
Meaning |
The Find structure goes with nouns and adjectives used to describe how someone feels about the noun in question. |
Example |
Mary finds the film interesting. (Mary found the film interesting.) |
3. Discover structure combined with pseudo-language It
Structure |
|
Meaning |
The Find structure incorporates the pseudoverbal "It" to describe how someone feels when doing something. |
Example |
I find it difficult to finish this task before Monday. (I find it hard to complete this task before Monday.) |
III. Synonyms for Find
Thus, besides the Discover structure which signifies 'find, discover, sense something', what words/phrases can we utilize instead, preventing word repetition? Below is the chart Synonyms with Discover that Mytour has gathered and consolidated. Take a look!
Synonyms for Find structure |
Meaning |
Example |
Discover |
Discover |
Page discovered a hidden treasure in the cave. (Page discovers a hidden treasure in the cave.) |
Uncover |
Discover |
The archaeologists uncovered ancient artifacts at the site. (Archaeologists have discovered ancient artifacts at the site.) |
Locate |
Positioning |
Can you help me locate my lost phone? (Can you help me locate my lost phone?) |
Spot |
Discover |
Nam spotted a rare bird in the park. (Nam spotted a rare bird in the park.) |
Detect |
Discover |
The detective was able to detect the criminal's fingerprints. (The detective was able to detect the criminal's fingerprints.) |
Identify |
Identification |
Can you identify the person in this photograph? (Can you identify the person in this photo?) |
Ascertain |
Verify |
They ascertained the cause of the problem. (They verified the cause of the problem.) |
Pinpoint |
Determine |
We need to pinpoint the exact location of the incident. (We need to pinpoint the exact location of the incident.) |
Unearth |
Exhume |
They unearthed ancient ruins during the excavation. (They unearthed ancient ruins during excavations.) |
Retrieve |
Get back, find again |
I need to retrieve my files from the backup. (I need to get my files back from the backup.) |
Obtain |
Acquire |
He obtained a copy of the report from the archives. (He obtained a copy of the report from the archive.) |
Acquire |
Acquire |
Lan acquired valuable information from the research. (Lan gained valuable information from the study.) |
Turn up |
Appear |
The missing documents turned up in a drawer. (The missing documents were found in the drawer.) |
Come across |
Happened to see |
I came across an interesting book at the bookstore. (I came across an interesting book at the bookstore.) |
Encounter |
|
We encountered unexpected challenges during the project. (We encountered unexpected challenges during the implementation of the project.) |
Detect |
Discover |
The scientist was able to detect a faint signal. (The scientist was able to detect a faint signal.) |
Recover |
Recovery, regain |
They were able to recover their lost belongings. (They were able to retrieve their lost belongings.) |
Hit upon |
Come up with an idea |
He hit upon a brilliant idea for the new marketing campaign. (He came up with a great idea for a new marketing campaign.) |
Stumble upon |
Chance encounter |
They stumbled upon an abandoned house in the woods. (They came across an abandoned house in the woods.) |
IV. Differentiate Discover and Found
Discover and Found structures are frequently interchanged in their usage. However, what similarities and disparities do they possess? Let's explore with Mytour just below!
Find |
Found |
||
Same |
Find and Found are verbs (where Found is the verb in the past tense of Find) both mean to discover, to discover something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Discover, discover something. |
Formation, establishment and construction. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns |
Verb |
|
Example |
(To win this contest, you must find a code hidden in that room.) |
Mai donated money to found a wildlife refuge. (Mai donated money to establish a wildlife shelter.) |
V. Differentiate Encounter, Investigate, Seek out, Pursue, Quest for, Pinpoint, Uncover
In English, the Encounter structure is often mistaken for words such as: Investigate, Seek out, Pursue, Quest for, Pinpoint, Uncover,... So how do we distinguish them? Below, Mytour has analyzed thoroughly how to utilize Encounter and the remaining terms so that you comprehend how to utilize it. Explore it now!
1. Distinguish Find and Look around for
Find |
Look for |
||
Same |
Find and Look for both mean finding something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Find or discover something after you've done a search or discovery. |
Search for something carefully or intent on searching. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns. |
Verb. |
|
Example |
I finally found my lost keys under the sofa. (I finally found my lost key under the sofa.) |
I need to look for my glasses; I can't see without them. (I need to find my glasses; I can't see anything without them.) |
2. Differentiate Find and Investigate for
Find |
Search for |
||
Same |
Find and Search for both mean finding something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Find or discover something . |
Perform an organized or imperative search process, usually involving the use of tools or means to search. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns. |
Verb. |
|
Example |
I couldn't find Andrew's phone number. (I can't find Andrew's phone number.) |
The police are searching for the missing person in the area. (Police are searching for missing people in the area.) |
3. Differentiate Find and Pursue
Find |
Seek |
||
Same |
Find and Seek both mean finding something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Find or discover something. |
Look for or try to learn something seriously, often not just tangible things. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns. |
Verb. |
|
Example |
After hours of searching, they finally found the missing dog in the neighbor's yard. (After several hours of searching, they finally found the missing dog in a neighbor's yard.) |
She seeks knowledge through reading and research. (She seeks knowledge through reading and research.) |
4. Distinguish Find and Explore for
Find |
Hunt for |
||
Same |
Find and Hunt for both mean finding something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Find, feel, or detect something. |
The search is aggressive and aggressive, often used when the search requires great effort. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns. |
Verb. |
|
Example |
I can't seem to find my car keys anywhere. (I can't seem to find my car keys anywhere.) |
They went hunting for wild mushrooms in the forest. (They go hunting wild mushrooms in the woods.) |
5. Differentiate Find and Pinpoint
Find |
Locate |
||
Same |
Find and Locate both mean finding something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Find or discover something. |
Identify or locate the specific location of an object or thing. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns. |
Verb. |
|
Example |
They found the perfect spot for a picnic by the lake. (They found the perfect spot to picnic by the lake.) |
The GPS helped us locate the nearest gas station. (The Global Positioning System helps us locate the nearest gas station.) |
6. Differentiate Find and Uncover
Find |
Look for |
||
Same |
Find and Discover means finding, discovering something. |
||
Different |
Meaning |
Find or discover something. |
Detect something new or unknown, often something previously unknown. |
Part of speech |
Verbs, nouns. |
Phrasal verb. |
|
Example |
She found her lost wallet under the couch cushions. (She found the missing wallet under the sofa cushions.) |
They discovered a hidden cave deep in the mountains. (They discovered a cave hidden deep in the mountain.) |
MICRO. Words/phrases associated with Find
Furthermore to the synonyms for Find mentioned above, we can also explore numerous idiomatic expressions and phrases using the Find structure. Take a look below!
Words/phrases with Find structure |
Example |
Find out (something) |
She wanted to find out the truth about the accident. (She wants to learn the truth about the accident.) |
Find (something) out |
He managed to find out the secret code. (He succeeded in figuring out the secret code.) |
Find yourself somewhere (idiom) |
After wandering through the forest for hours, they found themselves somewhere deep in the wilderness. (After wandering through the woods for several hours, they found themselves somewhere in the wilderness.) |
Find (the) time (idiom) |
Despite his busy schedule, he always manages to find the time to exercise. (Despite his busy schedule, he always finds time to exercise.) |
Find your way (phrase) |
Even in the dark, she managed to find her way out of the maze. (Even in the dark, she found her way out of the maze.) |
Find a way (idiom) |
When faced with obstacles, she always finds a way to overcome them. (When faced with obstacles, she always finds a way to overcome them.) |
Get/Find your bearings (phrase) |
After getting lost in the unfamiliar city, it took him a while to find his bearings and figure out where he was. (After getting lost in an unfamiliar city, it takes him a while to determine the direction and know where he is.) |
Find yourself |
Sometimes, you need to take a break and find yourself before making big decisions. (Sometimes, you need to take a break and get to know yourself before making an important decision.) |
Find /Take shelter |
When the rain started pouring, we had to find shelter under a tree. (When the rain started falling, we had to seek shelter under a tree.) |
Find fault with someone/something (phrase) |
He always finds fault with his coworkers, which creates tension in the office. (He's always looking for fault in colleagues, which causes stress in the office.) |
Find your feet (idiom) |
After a few weeks in the new job, she finally found her feet and started feeling comfortable. (After a few weeks at her new job, she finally understood how to work and felt comfortable.) |
Find your tongue/find your voice (idiom) |
In front of the large audience, she found her tongue and delivered a powerful speech. (In front of a large audience, she's ready to speak and give a powerful presentation.) |
Find against sb |
The jury found against the defendant, leading to a guilty verdict. (The jury found the inmate guilty, leading to a conviction.) |
Find your own level (idiom) |
In a competitive environment, people often find their own level of competence. (In a competitive environment, people often find out their level of competence.) |
Find in someone's favor |
The judge found in the plaintiff's favor, awarding them compensation. (The judge found benefits for the petitioners, awarding them compensation.) |
Find out/see how the land lies (idiom) |
Before making a decision, he wanted to find out how the land lies in the company. (Before making a decision, he wants to find out the actual situation in the company.) |
Find it in your heart to do something (idiom) |
I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for my mistake. (I hope you can forgive me for my mistake.) |
Explore more articles:
- "Catching" 8 Phrasal verb with Find often appears in English
VIII. Exercises involving the Find structure
To fully understand the Find structure, it's essential not only to thoroughly study the theory but also to practice various exercises. Below, Mytour has compiled 2 sample exercises on the Find structure for your reference!
1. Practice Sessions
Exercise 1: Select the correct option
- She found it _____ to adapt to the new work environment.
- difficult
- difficultly
- difficulty
- He found it _____ to resist the temptation of the delicious chocolate cake.
- Impossible
- Impossibly
- Impossibility
- They found it _____ to communicate with each other despite the language barrier.
- Easy
- easier
- easily
- Jerry finds the dress so _____.
- beautifully
- beautiful
- beauty
- I find it _____ that they have solved all problems in time.
- Amaze
- amazing
- Amazingly
Exercise 2: Fill in the appropriate words in the provided blanks: Unearth, Disclose, Pinpoint, Retrieve, Discern (adjust verb forms according to tense if necessary)
- The explorer _______ a hidden cave deep in the jungle.
- During the excavation, archaeologists _____ ancient artifacts.
- They were able to _______ the missing hikers using a GPS device.
- After the surgery, it took her some time to _______ fully.
- The security system ____ unauthorized access to the building.
2. Solutions
Task 1:
- A
- A
- A
- B
- B
Task 2:
- Discovered
- Uncovered
- Locate
- Recover
- Detected
VIII. Concluding Remarks
We trust that the discourse on the Find structure provided by Mytour above has enhanced your comprehension of both the theoretical framework and practical applications. Should you have further inquiries or require assistance, please engage with Mytour's educators through the learning pathways below!
- TOEIC exam Mytouraration
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