Word
snowing
Phoneticssnow·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsnoʊɪŋ/
UK/snˈəʊɪŋ/
Definition
v. when soft, white pieces of frozen water fall from the sky.
v. the precipitation of frozen water in the form of hexagonal crystals. Used almost exclusively with the dummy subject 'it'.
Examples
“It is snowing outside right now.”
“We stayed inside all morning because it was snowing too hard to see the road.”
“The weather forecast predicted a light dusting, but by midnight it was snowing heavily enough to bury the garden fence entirely.”
Examples
simple
“It is snowing outside right now.”
contextual
“We stayed inside all morning because it was snowing too hard to see the road.”
complex
“The weather forecast predicted a light dusting, but by midnight it was snowing heavily enough to bury the garden fence entirely.”
Usage
Typically used with the impersonal 'it' as the subject ('It is snowing').
Pitfall
The sky is snowing
It is snowing
English uses the dummy subject 'it' for weather verbs; the sky or the clouds are not used as the subject.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/snowing