placement

Everyday

1. Putting something in a certain place or position: «the placement of the furniture». tree →
2. (UK, Ireland, Australia) A short job or training time in a workplace to get experience: «a work placement». tree →
3. Finding a place for someone, like a school, job or home: «a school placement». tree →

In the lessons

In school: «placement test» decides the right class or level; older students do work placements. In maths and writing: «the placement of digits» (place value) and «placement of commas» affect the meaning. In everyday life: the placement of a smoke alarm matters for safety. Phrases: «work placement», «placement test», «product placement» (brands shown in films).

Examples

• The placement test showed which reading group I should join. tree →
• My sister has a work placement at a vet's. tree →
• The placement of the smoke alarm is on the ceiling. tree →
• Careful placement of the decimal point changes the number. tree →
• The placement of the plants by the window helps them grow. tree →
• Product placement means films show brand names to advertise them. tree →
• The page numbers in the List of Illustrations do not reflect the new placement of the illustrations, but are as in the original. tree →

Note

Countable. Verb: place; noun: placement. In maths the idea is «place value»: the placement of a digit gives its value (3 in 30 means thirty).