ENGLISH
REFERENCE

queues

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈkjuz// UK //kjˈuːz// queues

n. lines of people or vehicles waiting for something. You join one when you wait for your turn at a shop or a bus stop.

n. sequences of people, vehicles, or data items waiting to be attended to or processed. Typically used in British English contexts where American English would use 'lines'.


SIMPLE

The queues at the supermarket were very long today.

CONTEXTUAL

Commuters faced long queues at the ticket office due to a sudden failure of the automated machines.

COMPLEX

Despite the freezing temperatures, dedicated fans formed orderly queues outside the stadium hours before the gates were scheduled to open for the championship match.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'join', 'jump', or 'stand in'.

Pitfall

I am waiting in a queue for two hours.I have been waiting in a queue for two hours.When describing an action that started in the past and continues to the present, use the present perfect continuous rather than the present continuous.

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