Tour – in its function as a noun, “tour” is used to refer to an organized trip to a place, possibly with a guide, or to move from one place to another place. As a verb, tour denotes an action of traveling around a place, city, country, or region.
Pronunciation Tips for “Tour”
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
The vowel is /ʊ/ followed immediately by an r, similar to the sound in “poor”, “sure”, and “cure” in many American accents. Avoid pronouncing it as two syllables (TOO-er) or using the long /uː/ sound found in “food”.
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“Tour” Grammar: Noun Forms and Verb Use
Discover how this word works as a noun and a verb. Being two parts of speech at once makes the word “tour” common in travel English, business English, music, education, and even politics.
|
Form |
Example |
Meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
Singular noun |
We booked
|
One planned visit |
|
Plural noun |
The agency offers food and history
|
More than one tour |
|
With “the” |
|
A specific tour |
|
Base verb |
They
|
Travel around |
|
Past Simple |
The band
|
Travelled around |
|
Past Participle |
France and especially Paris have been
|
Visited as part of a tour |
|
Gerund |
|
The action of touring |
Popular Types of “Tours” You Will Hear
English speakers will place different words before “tour” in order to describe its purpose. This structure is important to learn since it is used in booking websites, travel blogs, museum signs, company trips, and event information.
|
Type of tour |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Guided tour |
A tour led by a guide |
We took a
|
|
Walking tour |
A tour done on foot |
The
|
|
City tour |
A tour around a city |
They joined a
|
|
Food tour |
A tour focused on local dishes |
The
|
|
Museum tour |
A guided visit inside a museum |
The
|
|
Campus tour |
A visit around a university or school |
Parents attended a
|
|
Concert tour |
A series of concerts in different places |
The singer announced a new
|
Common Mistakes with “Tour”
Students tend to confuse the words “tour”, “trip”, “travel”, and “journey”. These words have something in common, but each one has a different meaning. A “tour” generally involves a specific route, destination, or guide, while a “trip” is a journey anywhere away from your place.
|
Why |
||
|---|---|---|
|
We made a tour of Paris by ourselves.
|
We took a tour of Paris by ourselves.
|
Use “take a tour” or “go on a tour.” |
|
The guide explained us the tour.
|
The guide explained the tour to us.
|
Use “explain something to someone.” |
|
They went to a tour of the museum.
|
They went on a tour of the museum.
|
Use “on a tour.” |
|
The band did a travel around Europe.
|
The band toured Europe.
|
Use “tour” as a verb for a series of visits or performances. |
“Tour” in Other Languages
Translations are helpful when you first meet a word, but be careful. English “tour” can refer to travel, guided visits, performances, and official visits. Other languages may use different words depending on the situation.
|
Language |
Translation |
Example meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
|
tour / recorrido / gira |
Recorrido is a route or visit; gira is a concert or work tour. |
|
|
visite / tour / tournée |
Visite is common for guided visits; tournée is used for concerts or events. |
|
|
Tour / Führung / Rundreise |
Führung means guided tour; Rundreise means a trip through several places. |
