The words course and coarse are homophones. They’re pronounced exactly the same, but their meanings and usage are very different. In this article, we will define course and coarse, explain how they are typically used, and give examples that show how they are used in sentences. The word course is used as a noun and a verb with many different meanings. Some common meanings as …
Should we keep the pineapple and pizza seperate from each other, or should we keep them separate from each other? What is the correct way to spell this tricky word? In this article, we’ll narrow down the correct spelling of separate and share a tip on how to spell separate, separated, and separation correctly every time. Is it seperate or separate? The word separate—with two a’s—is …
The words quite and quiet look similar, but they are quite different when it comes to meaning and usage. In this article, we will define quite and quite, explain how they are used differently, and provide example sentences that show how we typically use them. The word quite is an adverb that means “completely,” “actually,” or “to a great degree.” Here are some examples of …
If you walk down the aisle of the supermarket past the peanut butter, you’ll find fruity jars of jelly, jam, marmalade, and preserves. Are all of these different names necessary? Do all of those jars have the same stuff in them, or is there actually a difference? In this article, we will help you out of jam by explaining the difference between jelly, jam, marmalade, …
Misdemeanors and felonies are both crimes, but there are differences when it comes to what crimes they refer to and how severe the punishment will be if someone commits either of them. In this article, we’ll take a bite out of crime by examining what the words misdemeanor and felony mean, explaining the common differences between them and providing examples of crimes that are typically …
The phrase you’re welcome is very commonly used when being polite. But it’s a common point of confusion. When someone says “thank you” to us, why do we answer with “you’re welcome” and not “your welcome”? In this article, we’ll break down the difference between you’re welcome and your welcome and explain why you’re welcome is used as the polite response to the phrase thank …
A word lover walks into a bar and asks for a drink made from fermented mashed grains. What exactly will get poured into their glass—whiskey or bourbon? And what’s the difference anyway? In this article, we will drink responsibly as we take a shot at explaining what whiskey and bourbon are, what the differences between them are, and how they are different from other similar …
Where do the buffalo roam? Many Americans may think they know the answer but would be in for a surprise when shown a picture of a buffalo. Which animal actually lives in North America—a bison or a buffalo? In this article, we’ll explain what bison and buffalo are, provide differences to tell them apart, and briefly look at some of their closest relatives. The …
When we communicate with others using words, we’re using language. We’re also using a dialect and an accent, whether we’re aware of it or not. But what do all of these words mean? How are languages, dialects, and accents different from each other? In this article, we will talk about the differences between languages, dialects, and accents while providing examples of each. The word language …
Hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic are three words that are commonly used in science. Specifically, they are used to explain how water will flow between two different chemical solutions. Solutions with a lot of stuff in them, such as saltwater, are often referred to as hypertonic while plain ol’ water is said to be hypotonic. But what does this really mean? In this article, we will …
People often wonder about the difference between macro and micro and their combining forms, macro- and micro-. In particular, it is often unclear how they are used in the context of economics. In this article, we’ll put our money where our mouth is and break down the difference between macro- and micro- while explaining how they are used to mean different things in the words …
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a blimp! Or, no, wait, is it a zeppelin? Is there really any difference between these oversized balloons? In this article, we will prove we aren’t full of hot air by breaking down the difference between a zeppelin and a blimp and explaining what airships and dirigibles are, too. Zeppelins and blimps both …