# again

/əˈɡeɪn/ (US) · /ɐɡˈɛn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/again
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 1. one more time

adverb · CEFR A1

one more time; a repeat of something that happened before.

For teachers: indicating a repetition of an action or occurrence.

- Can you play that song again? I really liked it.
- The software failed to load the first time, so I had to restart the installation process again from the beginning.

### 2. returning to a state

adverb · CEFR A2

back to how things were before.

For teachers: indicating a return to a previous place, condition, or state of being.

- It is nice to be home again after a long trip.
- After several weeks of physical therapy, he was finally able to walk again without the assistance of a cane.

### 3. asking for a reminder

adverb · CEFR B1

you use this when you want someone to repeat information you forgot.

For teachers: used metalinguistically to request the repetition of information within a conversation.

- What was your sister's name again?
- I am sorry, could you tell me the departure time again? I didn't catch it the first time.

### 4. adding a point

adverb · CEFR B2

used to add another fact or reason to what you are saying.

For teachers: used to introduce an additional point or a counter-argument in a discussion.

- The car is expensive, but then again, it is very reliable.
- The project is risky; then again, the potential rewards for the company are significant enough to justify the investment.

### 5. against

preposition · CEFR C2 · Dialect · Archaic

an old or regional way to say 'against' or 'next to'.

For teachers: a regional variant of 'against', used to indicate physical opposition or proximity.

- He leaned the ladder again the wall of the shed.
- In the local dialect, it was common to hear the villagers speak of leaning their tools again the fence after a day's work.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly regional and rare in modern standard English; learners should use 'against' instead.

## Examples

- Please read the instructions again.
- I forgot to save my work, so I had to type the entire report again from the beginning.
- The director asked the actors to perform the final scene again, hoping to capture a more authentic emotional response than they had achieved during the previous takes.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I again saw him" but "I saw him again" — In simple sentences, 'again' usually follows the object or the verb rather than sitting between the subject and the verb.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed at the end of a clause or sentence.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.