Word
city centre
Definition
compound. The main part of a city, where you usually find most of the shops, offices, and restaurants.
compound. The central business and commercial district of a city. This term is standard in British English.
Examples
“The main library is in the city centre.”
“Let's meet for coffee in the city centre after work.”
“The new tram system was designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre and encourage the use of public transport.”
Examples
simple
“The main library is in the city centre.”
contextual
“Let's meet for coffee in the city centre after work.”
complex
“The new tram system was designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre and encourage the use of public transport.”
Usage
This is a British English term; the American English equivalent is 'downtown'.
Teaching tip
Drill the compound noun stress pattern ('CI-ty centre'), contrasting it with a standard adjective + noun phrase like 'a large CI-TY'.
Pitfall
I live in the city center.
I live in the city centre.
In British English, the correct spelling is 'centre'; 'center' is the American spelling.