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I saw some sentences. This was written as 'His Web site is still under construction.'

I think it means 'repair process of existing web site' so I chose answer 'He has an online portfolio in his website' answer.

I now understand that it is so abstract that was not correct answer. But I want to know what is the difference between 'under construction' and 'renovation'.

Does it depend on the context?

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    I can't have enough proofs to post an answer but they are almost the same. Frankly I never hear or read "Renovation" but "Under construction" is when you are "building" something new or modifying something (making an overhaul?) and "renovation" I would say that it's more used when you are changing or improving something old.
    – Ender Look
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 2:39
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    The sentence "He has an online portfolio in his website" has no relation to either "under construction" or "renovation". When you say "so I chose answer", what do you mean? Is this from an exam or study exercise?
    – P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 2:54
  • @P.E.Dant yes it's on the TOEIC task book. i saw many sententces, for example, 'the road is under construcrion' i think that means same 'renovation'
    – Liquid.Bear
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:04
  • @Ender Look hmm.. i think that 'the road currently is under construction' meaning same thing 'renovation'. don't it?
    – Liquid.Bear
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:06
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    "He has an online portfolio in his website" is not the correct answer in that case. "His Web site is still under construction" means "He has not yet completed his website". "Renovation" does not mean "repair". Its actual meaning is closer to "make new again".
    – P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:21

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under construction almost always implies something is being built for the first time. It has become a commonplace phrase regarding web sites.

renovation always refers to major repair or overhaul of something that already exists.

One can renovate a site. In that case it is being refreshed, not undergoing its initial establishment.

Both terms traditionally referred to building things like houses, bridges, or roads. They pretty much maintain their traditional meaning when applied to web sites.

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    I'd argue that "under construction" is general enough to use in either case. We're renovating our kitchen; it's been under construction since February.
    – Catija
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:06
  • @cjl750 So "The website is still under construction" is meaning "The website is newly building" and "The website is currently redesigning" is meaning "renovate" right?
    – Liquid.Bear
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:13
  • @SeanSin, yeah I'd say so.
    – cjl750
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:15
  • @cjl750 In fact, the term "under renovation" is often applied to websites.
    – P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:42
  • @Catija I agree. That is why I said "almost always" in the first paragraph and contrasted it with "always" in the second. The denotation of "under construction" is quite broad. However, lacking contextual clues to the contrary, its connotation is that of initial establishment. Even your example sentence provided such a contextual clue, so I think we are in agreement.
    – RichF
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 3:57

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