Questions tagged [difference]
This tag is for questions about the difference in meaning between certain words, phrases, or sentences.
5,053 questions
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The difference between to discourage and to dissuade
what is the difference between to discourage and to dissuade, please?
At first sight they mean identical things but I have a gut feeling there must be some difference between them.
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Victory will/would put them eight points clear [duplicate]
Since the match hasn't happened yet, the result is not known. Which should I use "will" or " would" in the following sentence?
Hearts host Celtic on Sunday. Victory will / would ...
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Is "unlike" incorrect in this sentence?
I was doing some exercises and came across this example:
_______ its seemingly claustrophobic size, the house is surprisingly
well-lit thanks to the semi-transparent polycarbonate materials used
in ...
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"it's THE custom to do something" VS "it's A custom to do something"
a pattern from oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
It is the custom for somebody to do something.
an example from oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
(1a) It is the custom in that country for women to marry ...
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Are "into the game "or "in the game" interchangeble?
Can "into the game" be substitued for "in the game" in this context? Do they have the same meaning?
An hour played, and the team are searching for a way back into the
game.
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What is the difference between the structures “It is + adjective + to + verb” and “It is + adjective + verb-ing”?
What is the difference between the structures “It is + adjective + to + verb” and “It is + adjective + verb-ing”?
When should each one be used?
It is + adjective + to + verb
I feel that these are more ...
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Terminology for substitute examination
What is the difference between "retake examination", "make-up examination", "replacement examination" and "substitute examination"?
I work in an international ...
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"If" vs. "If and When" — Any Differences?
While reading a Facebook post today, I came across the phrase "if and when."
Idiom of the Week: Cross that bridge when one comes to it
This idiom means one will worry about a possible ...
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"the river's outlet to the sea" — Why is the possessive case correct here?
britannica.com:
(1) the river's outlet to the sea
What rule allows the use of the possessive case in this specific example?
my variant:
(2) the river outlet to the sea
What's the difference between (1)...
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What's the difference between these titles? 'Discourse on (topic)' VS 'On (topic)' VS '(topic)'
What subtleties do 'discourse' and 'on' carry? Like,
Discourse on the Method vs On the Method vs The Method
Discourse on the Arts and Sciences vs On the Arts and Sciences vs The Arts and Sciences
...
- 3,662
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"I once bought a car" "I bought a car once"
"I once bought a car".I know if I put "I" straight after the "subject" it means formarly/at one point in time in past I bought a car. But could it also mean that "I ...
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The right context with the word “purpose”
“Purpose” is different than “goal”. We use it more to show the reason of something.
What is the purpose of the engine?
What is the reason behind it?
Yet, sometimes “purpose” is used like “goal” and ...
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"away too long" x "away for too long" question
In the song Mamma Mia by the group ABBA it is said:
I think you know that you won't be away too long.
You know that I'm not that strong.
Wouldn't the correct answer in this case have been "away ...
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regret or regrets... which should I use?
I'm not sure whether to use "regret" in the singular or "regrets" in the plural in a sentence like the example below. Which ones are correct and which ones should be avoided?
I ...
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"I shall get myself a little boat and sail her around the world." — Why is it possible to use "her" to refer to a boat? [duplicate]
collinsdictionary.com:
(1) I shall get myself a little boat and sail her around the world.
A boat is it, not her.
Why is it possible to use "her" to refer to a boat?
my variant:
(2) I shall ...
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dirty VS grimy ("dirty dishes" VS "grimy dishes") ("dirty hands" VS "grimy hands")
a meaning of "dirty" from oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
dirty — not clean
a meaning of "grimy" from oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
grimy — covered with dirt
What's the ...
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What's the difference(s) between LEARNING and STUDY as complements?
ChatGPT said that study goes better with certain words, and learning, with others. For example:
study + group/plan/session/habits/timetable
learning + environment/style/outcomes/difficulties/process
...
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Use of "would" instead of "will"
My question is why does person B use "would" rather than "will?" Why doesn't speaker B say "A more complete sentence/context will be helpful?"
A: Does "could" ...
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66
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Difference between "rub (someone) up the wrong way" and "get on someone's nerves"
Are there any differences in the meaning of or when we use the idioms 'rub (someone) up the wrong way' and 'get on someone's nerves'? The definitions in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary are:
rub (...
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In the English language, what's the difference between the phrases "an English compendium" and "a compendium of English"?
Is it correct to state that the first implies a compendium that is somehow English in character (e.g., a compendium made by the English) but not necessarily English in content (for example, it could ...
curious_george
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He placed a one-dollar bill on the table and ran his hand over it to <smooth it out> vs <straighten it out> vs <flatten it out>
He placed a one-dollar bill on the table and ran his hand over it to
smooth it out.
He placed a one-dollar bill on the table and ran his hand over it to
straighten it out.
He placed a one-dollar bill ...
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801
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"enclosed by" VS "enclosed with"
I'd like to understand the difference between "enclosed by" and "enclosed with".
For this purpose, I found the following examples.
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
(1a) The yard ...
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491
views
What is the difference between ‘types’ and ‘kinds’?
Can we use these sentences interchangeably, without any differences?
Lions, tigers and domestic cats are all kinds of cats.
Lions, tigers and domestic cats are all types of cats.
Unfortunately there ...
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"a sink full of dirty dishes" VS "a sink full of THE dirty dishes" — How does "the" affect the meaning?
cambridge.org:
the dishes — all the plates, glasses, knives, forks, etc. that have been used during a meal
In this meaning, dictionaries usually use "dishes" with "the".
But I ...
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The story unravels VS the story unfolds VS the story develops
Corpus of Contemporary American English: MAG: Jet, 1997 (Nov), Samuel L. Jackson & Lynn Whitfield star in movie about success and secrets of Louisiana family 'Eve's Bayou'
Eve also discovers a ...
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The way she talks about her favorite books completely <rules out> vs <excludes> her ability to understand
A: What happened to you? Why do you look so annoyed?
B: I was having
my lunch when Jenny from the sales department entered the kitchen and
started to ask me something about my favorite books. I didn't ...
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What's the difference between "Closeout" and "Closure"?
Hi What's the difference between "Closeout" and "Closure"?
I got a scenario where a project runs at a site which is a research institution. By the end of project, people sometimes ...
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"Make certain of your flight times before you leave for the airport." — Why is "times" in plural? Why just not "time"?
merriam-webster.com:
(1a) Make certain of your flight times before you leave for the airport.
Why is "your flight times" in plural?
Using "times" seems odd to me here.
What context ...
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"a way that will get the best result" — What does "get" mean here? (Dictionaries don't say "get" can mean "give")
britannica.com:
(1) to maximize - to use (something) in a way that will get the best result
Perhaps "get" means "give" here. But I couldn't find the dictionary which would say &...
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cover VS case — Help me please to define what is depicted in pictures
I have difficulty in choosing the right word for the things depicted below.
Could you tell me please where a cover is and where a case and why?
(1) a transparent silicon thing for phone backs: a ...
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Skin(of fruit/vegetable). Countable or uncountable?
Skin - [countable, uncountable] the outer layer of some fruits and vegetables (Oxford Dictionary)
I can't understand how it can be both countable and uncountable. What is the difference?
A chemical ...
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"in no uncertain manner" — Does this mean "in a clear manner"? (I have difficulty in understanding such double negatives as this.)
an example from oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com (from the section "Extra Examples" under the second item):
(1) He told her in no uncertain manner that her actions were unacceptable.
"...
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"Doing something" vs "to be doing something"
Could you please let me know if there is a difference in meaning between the structure doing something and to be doing something? For example:
Quitting the job won't do you any good.
To be quitting ...
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"How far have you come"? Vs "How far have you come from"m
Could you please tell whether these two sentences same or different with and without "from"?
Determining the progress someone made in life or to inquire about the starting point or origin of ...
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"change into" and "change to" for "changing file name"
I read this post: I'm wondering about the difference between "change into" and "change to" but I still don't get the rule in case of "changing name of file" or in ...
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In "A delicacy about the license plates and the lights made Gay choose back streets." is the indefinite article "A" grammatically acceptable?
It is from the novel "Cannery Row".
There were two small technical legal difficulties with the truck—it had
no recent license plates and it had no lights. But the boys hung a rag
...
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Correct use of "there"
Why is "there" in " What events could there be in the city?" but not in "What could be in the city?"?
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"make someone's day" instead of "music to someone's ears" [closed]
Is it OK if we use "make someone's day" instead of "music to someone's ears" in a sentence? and would the meaning of the sentences be exactly the same?
The definitions in the ...
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"Games that scare FROM the outside" or "ON the outside"?
I'm trying to translate the title of my friend's video essay from Spanish to English: "Juegos que aterran por fuera", It's about horror games that use the technique of giving you files and ...
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With a comparative such as "Jack does X as often as Jill" should "does" be added at the end of the phrase?
Which is the better usage
Jack washes his hands as often as Jill
or
Jack washes his hands as often as Jill does?
Does the answer depend on the level of formality of the discourse?
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difference between future continuous and present continuous used as future
Unfortunately with this release the band ordered 15 for their gig in Bristol this Friday so we won’t be selling them.
Could we say "we are not selling them"? I think so because the non-...
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Is it correct to say "an office workman" instead of "an office worker"?
cambridge.org:
a worker — someone who works in a particular job or in a particular way
Therefore, we can say "an office worker".
cambridge.org:
a workman — a man who uses physical skill ...
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Difference between "make an exhibition of yourself" and "make a spectacle of yourself"
Are there any differences in the meaning of or when we use the idioms 'make an exhibition of yourself' and 'make a spectacle of yourself'? The definitions in the Cambridge Dictionary are:
make an ...
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a craft fair VS a crafts fair
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com:
(1) a craft fair
merriam-webster.com:
(2) a crafts fair
What's the difference between (1) and (2)?
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Past simple for two immediate actions
How the difference between the past simple and the past perfect affect the meaning of these sentences:
At the final moment of his quest, he (had) accomplished what he had set out to do.
And here he ...
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544
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Difference between "blow a fuse/gasket" and "have a fit"
Are there any differences in the meaning of or when we use the idioms 'blow a fuse/gasket' and 'have a fit'? The definitions in the Cambridge Dictionary are:
blow a fuse/gasket: to become very angry
...
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1
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37
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Difference between "way/direction the wind blows" and "find out/see how the land lies"
Are there any differences in the meaning of or when we use the idioms 'way/direction the wind blows' and 'find out/see how the land lies'? The definitions in the Cambridge Dictionary are:
way/...
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151
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Will/would be a good idea
Is there any difference between the following sentence? Which one should I use?
Your helping me with my homework will be a good idea.
Your helping me with my homework would be a good idea.
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"in my summer vacation" VS "on my summer vacation" (E.g.: "I want to put a little fun in/on my summer vacation.")
As far as I understood from forum.wordreference.com:
(1a) In my summer vacation, the weather was wonderful. — unnatural
(1b) On my summer vacation, the weather was wonderful. — natural
(2a) I want to ...
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Difference between "down in the dumps" and "the doldrums"
Are there any differences in the meaning of or when we use the idioms 'down in the dumps' and 'the doldrums'? The definitions in the Cambridge Dictionary are:
down in the dumps: unhappy
the doldrums: ...