spend a day
/spend ə deɪ/
Meaning
This phrase means to pass or use a 24-hour period (or the daylight hours of a day) doing a specific activity or being in a particular place.
Examples
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We plan to spend a day exploring the museums in the city center.
We plan to spend a day exploring the museums in the city center.
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I would love to spend a day relaxing at the beach with a good book.
I would love to spend a day relaxing at the beach with a good book.
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They decided to spend a day at the amusement park with their kids.
They decided to spend a day at the amusement park with their kids.
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How would you choose to spend a day if you had no work?
How would you choose to spend a day if you had no work?
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We spent a day hiking in the mountains last weekend.
We spent a day hiking in the mountains last weekend.
Common Mistakes
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✗ I want to pass a day at the beach.
✓ I want to spend a day at the beach.
In English, we 'spend' time (like money), whereas 'pass' is used for passing tests or time passing by itself.
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✗ We spent a day to shop.
✓ We spent a day shopping.
The phrase 'spend time' is followed by a gerund (verb-ing), not an infinitive (to + verb).
Related Expressions
Practice
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Let's ___ at the spa next weekend.
💡 Use a whole day for an activity.
Show answer
spend a day
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They want to ___ visiting the ancient ruins.
💡 Dedicate 24 hours or a full daylight period to something.
Show answer
spend a day