contractor

Everyday

1. A contractor is a person or company paid to do a particular job, especially building or repair work, under an agreement. tree →
2. A contractor is a worker hired for a job for a set time rather than as a regular employee. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life contractors build houses, fix roofs and lay roads. In maths problems a contractor often charges a price per hour or per day, or several contractors share the work. Phrases: building contractor, hire a contractor, private contractor.

Examples

• The contractor is building a new garage next door. tree →
• We hired a contractor to fix the leaking roof. tree →
• The contractor charges 40 dollars an hour. tree →
• Two contractors finished the fence in three days. tree →
• My aunt works as a contractor for a computer company. tree →
• The contractor showed us a plan before he started. tree →

Note

Countable: a contractor, contractors. It ends in -or, not -er. A contractor is not the same as a contract (the agreement). In maths: cost = rate × hours; if several contractors work together, the job usually takes less time.