English Word Pairs That Seem the Same, But Aren't! 🤯
Maybe vs. May Be
Maybe is an adverb meaning "perhaps." Think of it as another way to say "possibly." It usually kicks off a sentence.
Example: Maybe it will stop raining soon.
May be also hints at possibility, but it's a verb phrase (modal verb + verb). It's often followed by an adjective or a verb ending in -ing.
Example: He may be a genius.
Something vs. Some Things
Some things are two separate words: some meaning "a few," and things referring to multiple objects or items.
Example: I need some things to complete the task: a highlighter, a hammer, and glue.
Something refers to a single unspecified object or matter.
Example: There's something he's been hiding from us.
Everyday vs. Every Day
Everyday is an adjective meaning "ordinary" or "commonplace." It describes a noun.
Example: Using everyday objects, basic scientific principles can be explained to young children.
Every day is an adverbial phrase meaning "each day" or "regularly." It modifies a verb.
Example: You should take a shower every day.
Everybody vs. Every Body
Everybody is a pronoun meaning "everyone."
Example: Everybody knows Alex.
Every body (two words) literally means "each body," often in a literal sense.
Example: Every body in the morgue was investigated.
Sometimes vs. Some Time
Sometimes is an adverb of frequency, meaning "occasionally" or "now and then."
Some time (two words) refers to "a period of time," often implying a considerable duration.
Example: You should spend some time with your sister. She looks sad.
Bonus: Sometime (one word, no "s") is an adverb indicating an unspecified point in the future, or an adjective meaning "former."
Example: I'll return the book sometime.
Example: John, a sometime bartender at our bar, has returned and become the bar's manager.
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