External is an adjective that describes something located, connected, or coming from outside a particular boundary. The boundary might be a building, computer, organization, country, or person’s immediate situation. Because the reference point changes, it helps to ask “external to what?” before using the word. An external hard drive sits outside a computer; an external auditor comes from outside the organization being reviewed.
This guide explains what external means, how it differs from exterior and outdoor, and which word combinations sound natural. It includes everyday, school, workplace, and technology examples, along with fixes for several awkward phrases in the original example list.
What does external mean?
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries gives several related senses: something can be connected with or located on the outside of a thing or person; it can happen or come from beyond a place, organization, or situation; or it can be arranged by someone from outside a school or organization. For example, external walls are on a building’s outer side, external factors come from beyond a situation, and an external examiner is appointed from outside the school. Cambridge Dictionary likewise defines the word around what exists, is intended, or happens outside a person, organization, place, or country.
External and internal: the reference point matters
Internal is the usual opposite of external. If a company’s own staff make a decision, that may be an internal process; if a consultant from another firm reviews it, the review is external to the company. In the same way, an internal hard drive is installed inside a computer, while an external drive connects from outside. These labels only make sense when the reader knows which organization, object, or system forms the boundary.
| Phrase | What is outside? | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| external hard drive | The computer | I backed up the photos to an external hard drive. |
| external audit | The organization being audited | An external audit checked the nonprofit’s annual accounts. |
| external factors | The person’s or group’s immediate situation | Weather and shipping delays were external factors in the project. |
| external sources | The paper, organization, or document | Use external sources and cite them in your research report. |
| external walls | The inside of the building | The building’s external walls are made of brick. |
| external examiner | The school or university | An external examiner reviewed the final assessment. |
External, exterior, and outdoor
These words overlap, but they do different jobs. External often describes a relationship to a boundary, including influences and organizations. Exterior usually refers to the outer surface or visible outside of a physical object: “The car’s exterior was scratched.” Outdoor means happening or used outside in the open air: “The school planned an outdoor concert.” When you simply mean that something is outside, outside may be the clearest choice: “The weather outside is sunny.”
Common phrases with external
The noun after external usually makes the boundary clear. Common combinations include external hard drive, external audit, external factors, external sources, external pressure, external influence, and external examiner. In each case, something is outside a computer, organization, situation, or institution. Use the adjective where that relationship matters, rather than adding it simply to make an ordinary noun sound more formal.
Original examples: usage notes
The examples below are preserved from the original article. Several use external where a more specific everyday word sounds more natural. The review after the original list gives revised versions and explains the intended meaning.
7 Examples Of External Used In a Sentence For Kids
- The external weather is sunny today.
- My house has red paint on its external walls.
- Birds sing from the external trees.
- Cars drive on the external road.
- I see the moon in the external sky at night.
- The teacher drew a big smiley face on the external whiteboard.
- Bees buzz around the external flowers in the garden.
14 Sentences with External Examples
- External exams will be conducted for all subjects at the end of the semester.
- Make sure to save your work on an external hard drive to avoid losing important data.
- The college library has a vast collection of external resources that can help with research projects.
- It is important to reference any external sources used in your assignments to avoid plagiarism.
- Joining an external club or organization can help you meet new people and develop valuable skills.
- Consider taking up an external internship during the summer break to gain practical experience in your field of study.
- The college offers external scholarships for students who excel academically or are in need of financial assistance.
- Forming study groups with external classmates can be a great way to prepare for exams and share knowledge.
- Attend external workshops or seminars to enhance your understanding of complex subjects and stay updated on industry trends.
- Utilize external online platforms and resources to supplement your learning and improve your academic performance.
- Collaborating with external experts or professionals can provide valuable insights and perspectives for your projects.
- Many college events and competitions are open to external participants from other institutions.
- Consult external advisors or mentors for guidance on career planning and personal development.
- An external audit of the college’s finances and operations is conducted annually to ensure transparency and accountability.
How To Use External in Sentences?
To use the word External in a sentence, start by identifying a noun that you want to describe as being on the outside or not part of something. For example, you could say, “The external noise from the construction site made it difficult to focus on my work.” In this sentence, the word External is used to describe the type of noise coming from outside the building.
Another way to use External in a sentence is to describe a feature or element that is separate from the main part. For instance, you might say, “The laptop has an external hard drive for extra storage.” Here, the word External is used to indicate that the hard drive is located outside the laptop and is not an integral part of it.
You can also use External to refer to something that is outwardly visible or related to the outside of an object. For example, “The car’s external paint job was scratched and needed to be repainted.” In this sentence, External is used to describe the layer of paint on the exterior of the car.
In summary, when using the word External in a sentence, remember to consider its meaning of being on the outside, separate, visible, or related to the exterior of something. With practice, you will become more comfortable incorporating this word into your writing and conversation.
Conclusion In writing, sentences with external references to outside sources or entities play a crucial role in providing context or supporting arguments. They help to strengthen the author’s point by drawing on information beyond the immediate text. These sentences offer readers additional insights and connections with the broader world, thus enhancing the overall depth and credibility of the written work. By incorporating sentences with external references, writers can enrich their content, provide evidence, and demonstrate a well-researched and informed perspective. Whether citing studies, quotations, or real-world examples, external sentences add weight to the text and demonstrate a writer’s ability to engage with a diverse range of sources. In conclusion, sentences with external references serve as valuable tools for building persuasive and insightful writing.15 clear examples of external in a sentence
- The laptop has an external keyboard for desk work.
- An external drive stores a second copy of the project files.
- The building’s external walls need a new coat of paint.
- Rain was an external factor that delayed the outdoor event.
- The company hired an external auditor to review its accounts.
- Students may consult external sources, but they must cite them.
- The university invited an external examiner to assess the course.
- She plugged an external microphone into the camera.
- Several external influences shaped the artist’s early work.
- The team faced external pressure to finish the repairs before winter.
- For this cream, “external use only” means it is applied to the skin.
- The government announced a plan to reduce external debt.
- Our organization uses an external security service to monitor its network.
- A strong external force pushed the gate open.
- The report separates internal costs from external expenses.
How to improve the original sentences
External is most useful when the sentence names or clearly implies an inside boundary. Some expressions in the original list are grammatically possible in a special context, but they sound unusual without that boundary. In everyday writing, choose a more precise phrase when you mean simply “outside.”
| Original wording | Clearer sentence | Why revise it? |
|---|---|---|
| The external weather is sunny today. | The weather outside is sunny today. | External needs a reference point; outside is natural for ordinary weather. |
| Birds sing from the external trees. | Birds sing in the trees outside our window. | The sentence gives the location instead of an unclear inside/outside relationship. |
| Cars drive on the external road. | Cars drive on the road outside the school. | Name the place the road is outside. |
| I see the moon in the external sky at night. | I can see the moon in the night sky. | Night sky is the usual phrase; external adds no useful meaning. |
| The teacher drew a smiley face on the external whiteboard. | The teacher drew a smiley face on the classroom whiteboard. | A whiteboard is not external unless it is outside a specified room or organization. |
| Bees buzz around the external flowers in the garden. | Bees buzz around the flowers in the garden. | The word does not clarify the flowers’ relation to a boundary. |
| Forming study groups with external classmates can be a great way to prepare. | Forming a study group with students from another school can help you prepare. | Name the outside group; external classmates is unclear. |
Some examples from the original list use external naturally in a specific sense: an external hard drive is separate from a computer, and external sources come from outside the assignment or author’s own material. Likewise, external exams can refer to assessments administered by an outside body in some education systems. Context decides whether the adjective is informative.
External: common questions
What is a simple sentence using external?
“The laptop connects to an external monitor.” The monitor is outside the laptop itself. Another example is “External factors delayed the delivery,” where the causes came from beyond the immediate delivery process.
What is the opposite of external?
Internal is the common opposite. An internal review is conducted within an organization; an external review is arranged by or comes from outside it. In a physical description, interior may contrast with exterior.
Can external describe a person?
Yes, when the person or role is outside a defined group. An external consultant works from outside the organization that hired them, and an external examiner assesses a course from outside the institution. In everyday contexts, name the group so the reference is clear.
