|
Aid or Aide: Which One Do You Mean?
|
|
The words aid and aide are spoken the same way, and the only difference in their spelling is a single e. Does that mean you can use either one?
Actually, the two words have entirely different meanings and uses. We will explain them in today's short post.
How to Use the Word Aid
The word aid has two meanings. As a verb, it means "to help" or "to assist."
Examples
Joan's doctor recommended vitamins to aid her body in recovering from illness.
The bank manager kindly offered to aid me with my loan application. |
Aid can also be used as a noun that means "assistance."
Examples
A good night's sleep can be a wonderful study aid.
A simple kind word can sometimes be a great aid to someone. |
You are probably familiar with both of these usages. But what about the differently spelled word aide?
What Does Aide Mean?
The word aide is a noun that refers to a person who assists someone else. It can also be used as a title in some positions and contexts.
Examples
I wasn't able to speak with the governor, but his aide was very helpful.
My mother has been able to live independently with occasional visits from a home health aide. |
|
View and comment on this
article on our website.
|
|
|
|
Pop Quiz
Using what you have learned about aid and aide, choose the proper word in each sentence.
1. My sister and I are close. She knows I will always come to her [aid / aide].
2. Sometimes I feel as if the senator's [aid / aide] is the one who is truly in charge.
3. Colleges provide many forms of [aid / aide], but it can still be difficult for some students to pay their tuition.
4. I will have to serve as an [aid / aide] to the professor before submitting work under my own name.
5. Science has shown that being around plants and forests can [aid / aide] a person's mental health.
|
 |
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Lester Kaufman and Jane Straus |
The Authority on English Grammar! Twelfth Edition Now Available
An indispensable tool for busy professionals, teachers, students, homeschool families, editors, writers, and proofreaders.
Available in print AND as an e-Book! Over 2,000 copies are purchased every month!
To order the book, simply click the link to order the book from the GrammarBook.com website.
|
Free BONUS Quiz for You!
[[firstname]], because you are a subscriber to the newsletter, you get access to one of the Subscribers-Only Quizzes. Click here to take an Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz and get your scores and explanations instantly!
We will be adding many more quizzes this year to our already substantial list of them. If you have suggestions for topics we have not yet covered, please send us a message at help@grammarbook.com.
|
Hundreds of Additional Quizzes
at Your Fingertips
Subscribe now to receive hundreds of additional English usage quizzes not found anywhere else!
Teachers and Employers
Save hours of valuable time! You may assign quizzes to your students and employees and have their scores tallied, organized, and reported to you! Let GrammarBook.com take the hassle out of teaching English!
"Fun to test my skills."
"The explanations really help ... thanks!"
"I can select the quizzes to assign to my students, and then the results are reported to me automatically!"
If you think you have found an error in a quiz, please email us at help@grammarbook.com
|
Wordplay
Pop Quiz Answers
1. My sister and I are close. She knows I will always come to her aid.
2. Sometimes I feel as if the senator's aide is the one who is truly in charge.
3. Colleges provide many forms of aid, but it can still be difficult for some students to pay their tuition.
4. I will have to serve as an aide to the professor before submitting work under my own name.
5. Science has shown that being around plants and forests can aid a person's mental health.
|
 |
English in a Snap:
68 One-Minute English Usage Videos FREE |
Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Share them with your colleagues (and boss), children, teachers, and friends as well! Click here to watch.
|
|
