🏠 Home 📚 Lexical Browser 🎧 Talking Points 📖 Grammar Browser 📕 Story Learning
Module code: 951
Understanding: Claim
Frequency: high | Importance: very important

Claim has two main word classes (verb and noun) with distinct meanings. As a verb, it ranges from assertions to requesting money to causing death. As a noun, it covers statements, rights, and insurance requests. Register varies significantly: formal in legal/journalistic contexts, neutral in everyday assertions and administrative requests.

Core Meanings & Usage Patterns

This multi has 10 main meanings. Each card shows the meaning, grammatical pattern, and usage rules.

Meaning 1

Assert something is true

Essential

When you claim something, you state it’s true even though others might doubt you. Common with ‘claim that’ or ‘claim to be’. Often used when evidence is missing or disputed. Key collocations: falsely claim, claim to know, claim that it is.

Pattern: claim + that-clause
Subject: person, organization, abstract
Object: clause
Complement: –
Example: “She claims to be an expert, but nobody has verified her qualifications.”
💡 Use indicative mood after ‘claim that’, not subjunctive.
⚠️ Most common pattern for assertions; clause usually indicative mood
Meaning 2

Request or demand rights/money

Essential

This meaning involves officially asking for money or benefits you’re entitled to, typically from organizations or government. Very common in administrative contexts. Key collocations: claim benefits, claim compensation, claim a refund. No preposition needed before the direct object.

Pattern: claim + to-infinitive
Subject: person, organization
Object: –
Complement: to-inf
Example: “You can claim a tax refund if you paid too much last year.”
💡 Say ‘claim your refund’, not ‘claim for your refund’.
⚠️ Subject of infinitive is same as main subject
Meaning 3

Take or collect something

Important

Used when picking up something that belongs to you or that you’ve won. Common at airports, offices, or prize locations. Key collocations: claim your luggage, claim your prize, claim your baggage. The object is a physical item you own.

Pattern: claim + direct object (money/benefits)
Subject: person
Object: thing, abstract
Complement: –
Example: “Please claim your luggage at baggage carousel 3.”
💡 Typically used at specific collection points like airports.
⚠️ Object typically money, benefits, compensation, or entitlements
Meaning 4

Cause death or damage

Useful

A formal, often journalistic use meaning when disasters, diseases, or accidents cause deaths. Key collocations: claim lives, claim victims, claim casualties. Subject is typically an abstract force like war, earthquake, or disease. Sounds impersonal and official.

Pattern: claim + direct object (possession)
Subject: person
Object: thing
Complement: –
Example: “The earthquake claimed over 5,000 lives in the region.”
💡 Formal register; avoid in personal, emotional contexts.
⚠️ Object is physical item belonging to subject
Meaning 5

Take attention or time

Useful

Means to require or take up your attention, time, or energy. Less common than other meanings. Key collocations: claim attention, claim time, claim energy. Subject is usually work, duties, or projects demanding your focus.

Pattern: claim + lives/victims
Subject: abstract, thing
Object: thing
Complement: –
Example: “Work claims most of his time, leaving little for family.”
💡 More formal; implies something demands your resources.
⚠️ Subject is disaster, disease, war; formal register
Meaning 6

Assertion (noun)

Useful

A statement that something is true, especially when others doubt it or evidence is lacking. Extremely common noun use. Key collocations: make a claim, false claim, bold claim. Often modified by adjectives showing validity or doubt.

Pattern: claim + attention/time
Subject: abstract, thing
Object: abstract
Complement: –
Example: “His claim that he invented the device was proven false.”
💡 Countable noun; needs article in singular: ‘a claim’.
⚠️ Object is attention, time, energy, or focus
Meaning 7

Right or entitlement (noun)

Essential

A right to have, do, or receive something, usually for legal or official reasons. Key collocations: claim to something, valid claim, legitimate claim. Use preposition ‘to’ or ‘on’ to show what you have rights to.

Pattern: make a claim + that-clause
Subject: person, organization
Object: thing
Complement: that-clause, about-phrase
Example: “She has a strong claim to the inheritance under the will.”
💡 Use ‘claim to’ for ownership, ‘claim on’ for demands.
⚠️ Noun pattern for assertions; often with adjectives
Meaning 8

Insurance/compensation request (noun)

Important

An official request for money from insurance companies due to loss, damage, or injury. Very common in administrative contexts. Key collocations: insurance claim, file a claim, claim for damages. Follows formal procedures and documentation.

Pattern: have a claim + to/on + noun
Subject: person, organization
Object: thing
Complement: prep_phrase
Example: “She filed an insurance claim after the car accident.”
💡 Use ‘file’ or ‘submit’, not ‘do’ or ‘make’.
⚠️ Prepositions to or on indicate object of entitlement
Meaning 9

Demand on resources (noun)

Important

Something requiring your attention, time, money, or effort, often competing with other demands. Usually plural. Key collocations: claims on time, competing claims, claims on resources. Preposition ‘on’ is required.

Pattern: file/submit/make a claim
Subject: person
Object: thing
Complement: for-phrase
Example: “There are too many claims on my time this week.”
💡 Almost always plural: ‘claims on’, not ‘claim on’.
⚠️ Insurance or compensation context; formal procedures
Meaning 10

Stake or interest (noun)

Useful

A legal or moral right to own, have, or do something, especially land or property. Key collocations: stake a claim, territorial claim, lay claim to. Often used in historical or legal contexts about ownership disputes.

Pattern: claims on + resources/time
Subject: abstract
Object: abstract
Complement: prep_phrase
Example: “They staked their claim to the land in 1849.”
💡 Common in expressions: ‘stake a claim’, ‘lay claim to’.
⚠️ Usually plural; preposition on required

Formal vs Informal Usage

Learn when to use “Claim” and when to choose more formal alternatives.

Informal/Conversational
“He claims it’s true.”
→
Formal/Academic
“He asserts that it is accurate.”
📝 In formal academic writing, prefer ‘assert’, ‘maintain’, or ‘contend’ over ‘claim’.
Informal/Conversational
“She made a claim about the results.”
→
Formal/Academic
“She advanced a claim regarding the findings.”
📝 Academic contexts prefer ‘advance a claim’ or ‘put forward a claim’ over simple ‘make’.
Informal/Conversational
“The disease killed his father.”
→
Formal/Academic
“The disease claimed his father’s life.”
📝 Journalistic/formal register uses ‘claim lives’. Personal contexts use simpler ‘kill’ or ‘die from’.

All Forms of “Claim”

Base Form claim
3rd Person claims
Past Simple claimed
Past Participle claimed
Present Participle claiming

Common Collocations

These are the most natural word combinations with “Claim” – learn them as fixed phrases.

v+that
  • claim that it is
  • claim that they have
  • falsely claim that
extremely high
Used in: Pattern 1
v+to-inf
  • claim to be
  • claim to have
  • claim to know
very high
Used in: Pattern 2
verb + noun
  • claim benefits
  • claim compensation
  • claim damages
very high
Used in: Pattern 3
verb + noun
  • claim responsibility
  • claim credit
  • claim victory
high
Used in: Pattern 1
verb + noun
  • claim lives
  • claim victims
  • claim casualties
high
Used in: Pattern 5
verb + noun
  • make a claim
  • file a claim
  • submit a claim
very high
Used in: Pattern 7, Pattern 9
adj+n
  • false claim
  • insurance claim
  • compensation claim
very high
Used in: Pattern 7, Pattern 8, Pattern 9
adj+n
  • valid claim
  • legitimate claim
  • dubious claim
high
Used in: Pattern 7, Pattern 8
n+prep
  • claim to something
  • claim on something
  • claim for damages
very high
Used in: Pattern 8, Pattern 9
verb + noun
  • reject a claim
  • deny a claim
  • support a claim
high
Used in: Pattern 7, Pattern 9
verb + noun
  • dispute a claim
  • verify a claim
  • substantiate a claim
high
Used in: Pattern 7
adj+n
  • territorial claim
  • competing claims
  • conflicting claims
high
Used in: Pattern 7, Pattern 10
verb + adverb
  • falsely claim
  • rightfully claim
  • legitimately claim
high
Used in: Pattern 1, Pattern 2
n+v
  • claim arises
  • claim stands
  • claim holds
high
Used in: Pattern 7

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from these typical errors and avoid them in your own usage.

subjunctive misuseMeaning 1Pattern 1
❌ He claims that he be innocent.
✓ He claims that he is innocent.

Use indicative mood after claim, not subjunctive. Claim reports assertions, not demands or suggestions.

infinitive subject mismatchMeaning 1Pattern 2
❌ She claims him to be guilty.
✓ She claims that he is guilty.

Cannot use claim with object plus infinitive. Use that-clause when subject of claim differs from assertion subject.

preposition errorMeaning 2Pattern 3
❌ I want to claim for my refund.
✓ I want to claim my refund.

No preposition needed between claim and direct object when requesting money or benefits you are entitled to.

article omissionMeaning 6Pattern 7
❌ He made claim about the accident.
✓ He made a claim about the accident.

Countable noun claim requires article in singular form. Use a or the depending on context.

preposition confusionMeaning 7Pattern 8
❌ She has a claim for the property.
✓ She has a claim to the property.

Use claim to for ownership or rights; claim for is used for compensation or damages only.

verb collocationMeaning 8Pattern 9
❌ She did a claim with the insurance.
✓ She filed a claim with the insurance company.

Use file, submit, or make with claim in insurance contexts, not do. Also specify insurance company.

tense in reported claimMeaning 1Pattern 1
❌ He claims that he saw it yesterday.
✓ He claims that he saw it yesterday. OR He claimed that he had seen it.

When claim is present tense, past events in the clause can stay past. Backshift optional.

register inappropriatenessMeaning 4Pattern 5
❌ The disease claimed his dad.
✓ The disease took his father’s life. OR His father died from the disease.

Claim lives is formal/journalistic. In personal contexts, use simpler expressions like die from or take life.

Idiomatic Expressions

There are approximately 3-5 common idioms using “Claim”. Here are some you should know:

  • stake a claim (to assert ownership or rights)
  • lay claim to (to state you have a right to something)
  • claim to fame (the thing someone is famous for)

Limited idiomatic usage; mostly literal meanings

← Previous Page 1 of 1 Next (Coming Soon) →