Words / B2

EL-ij-uh-bl/ˈelɪdʒəbl/

Eligible means you meet the rules, so you may do or receive something: eligible for a grant, eligible to vote, eligible for free school meals. Allowed is everyday and wider; qualified often points to exams or training. Eligibility is the noun. In speech, allowed because you meet the rules is enough. The pattern is eligible for + noun, eligible to + verb. Do not write “eligible of”, and do not mix eligible with illegible (impossible to read).

Meaning

Having the right to do or receive something because you meet the rules (eligible for / to).

Examples

• “Only full-time students are eligible for the grant.”
• “Part-time staff are not eligible for the bonus this year.”
• “You are eligible to apply at eighteen, which is the rule, not a promise you will get in.”

Good to know

eligible for + noun; eligible to + verb. Noun: eligibility. Everyday: allowed because you meet the rules. Mix-up: illegible.

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