Words / B1

kor-uh-SPOND-uh-nt/ˌkɒrəˈspɒndənt/

A correspondent is a journalist with a patch: a war correspondent; a political correspondent; our New York correspondent. Reporter is the everyday twin for someone covering an event; correspondent often sounds more specialist or based abroad. Correspondence (letters) is a different noun — a classic exam mix-up. Do not write “the correspondent of the accident” when you mean the reporter at the scene.

Meaning

A journalist who reports from a particular place or on a particular subject.

Examples

• “The BBC health correspondent explained the new hospital figures.”
• “The economics correspondent questioned the inflation figures live on air.”
• “She spent five years as a foreign correspondent in Cairo.”

Good to know

war / political / foreign correspondent. Everyday twin: reporter. Not correspondence (letters). Specialist patch, often abroad.

Near in meaning

reporter

New