Break vs Brake at a glance
- break
/breɪk/ · verb
To damage something so it separates into pieces or stops working.
- Be careful not to break the glass.
- If you drop the remote again, it will break.
- brake
/breɪk/ · noun
The part of a vehicle that makes it slow down or stop.
- She hit the brake when the light turned red.
- My bike's back brake isn't working.
How to remember it
A car brake stops a car: both brake and car have the letter a.
Good to know
Break is also a noun meaning a short rest (a coffee break). Brake is also a verb: to brake suddenly.
Common mistakes
Wrong: The driver pressed the break.
Right: The driver pressed the brake.
Wrong: Let's take a ten-minute brake.
Right: Let's take a ten-minute break.
Quick quiz
1.Don't drop the plate or it will .
2.The car's failed on the hill.
3.We have a lunch at one o'clock.
Pick the right word for each gap.