phase

Everyday

1. A phase is one stage of something that changes over time. tree →
2. The phases of the Moon are the different shapes the Moon seems to have during a month. tree →
3. A phase can be a short time when someone likes or does something a lot. tree →
4. To phase something out means to stop using it slowly, step by step. tree →

In the lessons

In science, the Moon's phases go new moon, crescent, first quarter, gibbous, full moon and back, about every 29.5 days, because we see different amounts of its sunlit side. In science of matter, the states solid, liquid and gas are sometimes called phases. In everyday talk, parents say a child is «going through a phase». Phrases: phases of the Moon, a new phase, going through a phase, phase out.

Examples

• The Moon has different phases every month. tree →
• Tonight the Moon is in its full moon phase. tree →
• Draw the phases of the Moon in order. tree →
• A caterpillar goes through several phases to become a butterfly. tree →
• My brother is going through a dinosaur phase. tree →
• The building work is in its last phase. tree →
• Plastic straws are being phased out. tree →
• A crescent is the thinnest phase of the Moon we can see. tree →

Note

Countable: a phase, phases. The ph is said like f: «faze». Do not confuse with «faze», which means to worry or confuse. The Moon does not really change shape; only the lit part we see changes.