Your Grammar Teacher: Is it right to use "worth" as a verb?

Habeeb Waliyu

Language is your bargaining power, so learn how to be effective with it

Is it right to use  "worth" as a verb? 

It's ungrammatical to say: "The car I bought worth over two million naira."

It's grammatical to say: "the car I bought is worth over two million naira."

'Worth' is an adjective and can also function as a noun but never as a verb. So do not say something worths something.


Worth: This means

1. To have a value of money e.g.

i. His house is worth about two hundred thousands.

ii. Do you know how much the ring is worth?

iii. One of the picture is worth a million naira.


2. It means to be worthy of doing or earning something. E.g.

i. The film is well worth seeing.

ii. The museum is certainly worth a visit.

iii. It's worth making an appointment before I return.

3. Worth can also be used when you gain something from an action. E.g.

i. The show took a lot of time but it was worth it.

ii. The trip was expensive but it was worth every penny.


It can also be used to 'worth somebody's while' which means to offer something to someone so that they will do something for you. e.g.

i. He will do his job if you make it worth his while.

ii. She promised to make it worth our while.


It should be noted that "worth" can also function as a noun


E.g.

i. It's difficult to estimate the current worth of the company.

ii. The new computer system has already proved its worth.

iii. The fire caused thousands of Pounds  worth of damage.


You need to be grammatically inclined