Word
live alone
Definition
fixed phrase. to stay in your own home without any other people like family or roommates.
fixed phrase. to reside in a dwelling without cohabitants. While 'live' is the head verb, the phrase functions as a standard collocation to describe a specific domestic status.
Examples
“Many people choose to live alone after university.”
“After her husband passed away, she decided to live alone rather than move into a retirement home.”
“Sociologists have noted a significant increase in the number of urban professionals who prefer to live alone despite the rising costs of housing.”
Examples
simple
“Many people choose to live alone after university.”
contextual
“After her husband passed away, she decided to live alone rather than move into a retirement home.”
complex
“Sociologists have noted a significant increase in the number of urban professionals who prefer to live alone despite the rising costs of housing.”
Usage
usually functions as an intransitive verb phrase; 'alone' acts as an adverb describing the state of living.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'lonely' to ensure students understand that 'live alone' describes a physical fact, whereas 'lonely' describes an unhappy emotion.
Pitfall
He lives lonely in a small flat.
He lives alone in a small flat.
'alone' is the adverb for the physical state of being by oneself, while 'lonely' is an adjective for the feeling of sadness.