collocation · neutral
be on trial
UK/bi ɒn ˈtraɪəl/US/bi ɑn ˈtraɪəl/be on TRI·al
Band 5-6speakingtask2
to be undergoing a legal trial in court as the accused
Examples
“The businessman will be on trial next month for fraud.”
“For days the town talked about the celebrity who was on trial.”
“Witnesses appeared while the defendant was on trial.”
Band 8 sentence
“Following a lengthy hearing, he will be on trial in the high court next Monday.”
Collocations
- stand trial
- be on trial for (something)
Word family
trial nounstand trial verb phrasebe tried passive verb
Common mistakes
in trial→on trial
on the trial→on trial
Say it for a higher band
5be judged→6stand trial→7+be on trial
Synonyms
stand trial
Easily confused
stand trial
“The defendant will stand trial next month.”
Related words
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In Crime & Law
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