penalty

Everyday

1. A penalty is a punishment for breaking a rule or a law, such as paying money (a fine). tree →
2. In sports like football (soccer), rugby or hockey, a penalty is a free chance given to one team because the other team broke a rule; in football it is a shot at goal from a spot near the goal. tree →

In the lessons

In sports lessons a penalty is a key rule idea: break a rule and your team loses something. In everyday life libraries, parking and tax offices charge penalties. Phrases: «take a penalty», «score a penalty», «a penalty shoot-out», «penalty kick», «on penalty of», «pay a penalty».

Examples

• The referee gave our team a penalty. tree →
• She scored the penalty and we won 2–1. tree →
• The match ended in a penalty shoot-out. tree →
• There is a penalty for returning library books late. tree →
• Dropping litter can bring a penalty of fifty dollars. tree →
• In hockey a player who trips someone goes to the penalty box. tree →
• The penalty for cheating on the test was a zero. tree →
• And if he failed, his head would pay the penalty. tree →

Note

Countable: penalty, penalties (y → ies). Stress on the first syllable: PEN-al-ty. The verb is «penalise» (UK) or «penalize» (US). In a maths problem a penalty usually means points or money taken away (subtract).