conscientious

Everyday

1. Careful to do your work well and thoroughly, because you want to do the right thing. tree →
2. Guided by what you believe is right and wrong, as in a «conscientious objector», a person who refuses to fight in a war because they believe it is wrong. tree →

In the lessons

In school reports a «conscientious pupil» is one who checks their work, hands in homework on time and tries hard; it is high praise. In stories it tells the reader a character is reliable and dutiful. In history lessons «conscientious objector» comes up in the World Wars. Phrases: «a conscientious worker», «conscientious about (something)».

Examples

• Maya is a conscientious pupil who always checks her sums twice. tree →
• The teacher wrote «conscientious and hard-working» on my report. tree →
• Be conscientious about washing your hands before you cook. tree →
• He was a conscientious objector and refused to carry a gun in the war. tree →
• A conscientious dog owner always picks up after the dog. tree →
• Our conscientious librarian puts every book back in the right place. tree →
• She conscientiously recorded the temperature every hour for her science project. tree →

Note

Adjective, used before a noun or after «be». Spelling trap: «consci-» like «conscience», then «-entious»; say «con-shee-EN-shus». Do not confuse with «conscious» (awake and aware) or «conscience» (the inner sense of right and wrong).