您现在的位置: Language Tips > BBC > QA of the Week

Oldest and Eldest 两个词的区别

Oldest and Eldest 两个词的区别

Hi. I have a question. What is the difference between the words 'older' and 'elder'?

Ming Shu

收听与下载

Our question this week relates to two similar words, older and elder. They are both to do with comparing ages. For example when comparing two objects the older one is the one that has been around the longest. However we can only use the word elder when comparing people who are related so for example, the elder brother in a family is the one who was born first.

There is also the word oldest which means the thing or person of the greatest age. And the eldest member of the family is the person who's been alive the longest.

Oldest and Eldest 两个词的区别

Which is the oldest car?

Join Rob and Feifei in Question and Answer of the Week as they talk more about this and explain the idiom 'the oldest trick in the book.'

Do you have a question about learning English? 你有没有英语学习上问题?

Then email us at questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk