Bear vs. Bare—What’s the Difference?

Homophones sound the same but are spelled differently. People often confuse homophone pairs, and bare and bear are no exception. Which phrase is correct—bear with me or bare with me?

The Difference between Bear and Bare

Besides being the name of a big furry animal, bear functions as a verb. It means to tolerate, to carry something, or to endure.

The grizzly bear seemed friendly, but we wisely kept our distance.

She could hardly bear the thought of selling her beloved vintage car.

It is too cold to go outside with bear arms.

Bare functions as an adjective or a verb. As an adjective, it can mean minimal, naked, uncovered, or without supplies. The verb bare means to reveal or open something to view.

The cupboard was bare.

Darlene had no idea why she began to bare her heart to the stranger.

The backpack weighed thirty pounds, a heavy burden to bare.

How to Remember the Difference

To forbear means to be patient despite annoyance or provocation. Encapsulated in the word forbear is the verb bear. If you associate bear with the meaning and spelling of forbear, you will never confuse it with bare.

Commonly Confused Phrases With Bear or Bare

Here are some phrases that contain bear or bare. These phrases might have confused you before, but you should easily understand them now. For instance, is it bear with me or bare with me?

Bear with me means “be patient with me.” My husband bears with me even when I am grumpy.

Bear in mind means “keep in mind.” Bear in mind that the forecast calls for rain today.

Bear the cost (or expense) means “to pay for something.” The company considered hiring additional staff, but it couldn’t bear the cost.

Bare minimum means “the least possible.” Keep costs to a bare minimum.

Bear weight means “support.” The builders designed the structure to bear weight.

Bear the pain means “endure the pain.” Ask for an aspirin if you can’t bear the pain.

To bear fruit means “to have positive results.” Studying really bears fruit on exam day.

Examples

Words dazzle and deceive because they are mimed by the face. But black words on a white page are the soul laid bare.

Guy de Maupassant

Do you think I am an automaton?—a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup?

Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

I have decided to stick to love . . . Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

E.g. vs. I.e.–What’s the Difference?

I.e. and e.g. are both Latin abbreviations. E.g. stands for exempli gratia and means “for example.” I.e. is the abbreviation for id est and means “in other words.” Remember that E is for example (e.g.) and that I and E are the first letters of in essence, an alternative English translation of i.e.

But why bother with all this Latin? Don’t we have enough abbreviations in English?

Think about it. How would you feel if you got a text message that ended in SWAK? Many of the parents who took a quiz on texting acronyms weren’t sure what it meant. While some teenagers may laugh a little at the older generation’s inability to master texting lingo, the truth is that many of them would be hard-pressed to explain the difference between i.e. and e.g. Now you know the basics, but let’s get into the nitty-gritty of what everyone from student to professional writer needs to know about these meaningful letters.

What Does E.g. Mean?

Once again, e.g. is short for exempli gratia, a Latin phrase that means “for the sake of example.” As you may guess, you use it to introduce one or more examples. Don’t worry about listing every possibility; e.g. is used to introduce a few examples, not a complete list.

And now for some examples of e.g.:

Should that happen to poor, as-yet unaffected places (e.g., most of South Asia and Africa) the suffering can be great. —“WHO rejects calls to move Olympics over Zika fears”

There’s a common view that Malcolm Turnbull’s ‘30-minute city’ is yet another slight variation on the many terms we already have for a more sustainable urban form e.g. compact city, walkable city, smart growth, new urbanism, urban consolidation. —“Is Turnbull’s ’30-minute city’ a serious election issue?”

What Does I.e. Mean?

What about i.e.? A lot of people confuse this expression with e.g., but this one does not have to do with listing examples. I.e.’s Latin origin is the phrase id est, which translates to English as “that is to say” or “in other words.” Here’s a trick to remember this: associate the I of i.e. with the I of “in other words.” Alternately, imagine that the I and E stand for “in essence.”

And now, let’s take a look at i.e. in action:

[What privilege] would allow them to refuse to answer investigators’ questions? Only one: the Fifth Amendment privilege—i.e., the refusal to answer on the grounds that truthful responses might be incriminating. — “How to Read the IG Report”

Besides math and crossword puzzles, I am passionate about self-supported bicycle touring, i.e., traveling hundreds and thousands of miles on a bike with all my camping gear and other supplies. —The New York Times

How to Use E.g. and I.e. in Writing

E.g. and i.e. are both lowercase when they show up in the middle of a sentence (i.e., like this). Most American style guides recommend a period after both letters in both abbreviations.

In general, you add a comma after e.g. and between each subsequent example if there is more than one item in your list. If you want your examples or your narrowing-down set apart from the rest of the sentence, you can enclose e.g. and i.e., along with the examples associated with them, in parentheses.

Even though exempli gratia and id est are both Latin (and therefore italicized), no need to put e.g. or i.e. in italics when they’re in abbreviated form. Abbrevs are all about keeping things quick and easy, after all.

Let’s recap.

E.g. is used to give one or more possible examples. It’s a signal that you’re seeing one or a few of multiple possibilities.

I.e, on the other hand, clarifies; you are providing more precise information. Where e.g. opens up more options, i.e. narrows them down.

Compare these two examples:

After work, I’ll walk over to that new sports arena, i.e., Thunderdome.

After work, I’ll walk over to a sports arena, e.g., Thunderdome or Victory Court.

In the first example, you are clarifying that Thunderdome is the exact arena that you will visit. In the second example, you will visit Thunderdome, Victory Court, or any other sports arena.

Now you have a response if a teen teases you about your lack of texting expertise. You can ask her to tell you the words behind some abbreviations that you understand (e.g., id est). FYI (i.e., for your information), SWAK means “sealed with a kiss.”

5 Book-to-Movie Adaptations Worth Your Time

1. Great Expectations (1947) Book: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Rotten Tomatoes: 100% Fresh This film adaptation of the literary classic immediately became the standard for Dickens adaptations. However, none have really been able to live up to the power of this version. The use of black and white film (despite the availability of color technology) lends a degree of austerity that reflects themes from the novel quite well on the screen.

2. The Godfather (1972) Book: The Godfather by Mario Puzo Rotten Tomatoes: 99% Fresh Given that Puzo assisted with the screenplay, it may not be such a surprise that the film adaptation maintains so much of the book’s integrity. This relationship paid off, however — the film (and its franchise) is known as a cinematic behemoth. It remains one of the most frequently quoted and referenced film franchises in popular culture.

3. The Big Sleep (1947) Book: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler Rotten Tomatoes: 96% Fresh This film is a great example of what skilled casting and shared vision do for a piece of art. Director Howard Hawks captures and keeps the essence of the novel while Bacall and Bogart embody it perfectly.

4. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) Book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Rotten Tomatoes: 94% Fresh There is a reason that Gregory Peck won Best Actor for his portrayal of Atticus Finch. He nails it and makes the film work. Strong screenplay and outstanding casting make this adaptation utterly wonderful.

5. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Book: The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris Rotten Tomatoes: 94% Fresh This film has become such a landmark in cinema that some may not realize that it was first a best-selling book. It is the careful and intimate adaptation of the dark and difficult themes of the book that make this film adaptation a masterpiece.

What is your favorite book-to-film adaptation?

Knowledge is Power: Using Idioms To Give Power To Your Writing

Some writers use idioms to “add color” to their writing, while others are adamant about keeping their text as simple as possible. While idioms can certainly clutter your work with unnecessary detail, they may also introduce powerful imagery into your text. Since “knowledge is power,” let’s take a look at the best way to accomplish this.

First, what is an idiom? An idiom is an expression with a figurative meaning that differs from the literal meaning. We hear idioms every day – both in conversation and in the media. Used correctly, idioms can amplify messages in a way that draws readers in and helps to awaken their senses. But, how?

Idioms help us “think outside the box”

Incorporating idioms into your writing is an effective way to make your work more creative. This is because an idiom can be used as an artistic expression. For example, if you’re working on an article related to financial planning you could say: “You should save your money.” Or, you could use an idiom such as “A penny saved is a penny earned.” The idiom livens up the text and prompts readers to think beyond the facts, and about saving money in a different way. By not spending money, you’re really saving money. (Go figure!)

Another example of a creative idiom that helps to expand our frame of reference is to “bite off more than you can chew.” When using this phrase in a sentence, you are essentially telling someone that perhaps they’ve taken on a bigger task than they can handle; however, the idiom gives the sentence more charm – while also providing a dynamic visual. It conveys your message well and makes it more interesting for your readers.

Idioms help us find our “sense of humor”

Idioms can also add humor to your writing in places where you may otherwise seem brash. For example, rather than writing about a character who is not smart – or at least not thinking straight – you could say “the lights are on, but nobody’s home” or he’s “not playing with a full deck.” These idioms tend to be softer and somewhat less insulting.

Similarly, “when pigs fly” is a more dynamic way to say that something is highly unlikely to occur. And rather than say that someone is not very good at something, you could say, “Don’t give up your day job.”

Idioms “dress [our writing] to impress”

There are quite a few idioms that can take dull writing and make it more impressive, which used in the right context will serve writers well. For example, using “add insult to injury” sounds just a bit more impressive than telling someone that they are making a situation worse by their mockery. Instead of telling someone that they have no manners, you can say they have “not a spark of decency.”Are you trying to convey that you agree with someone? Perhaps you could say that you “see eye to eye.” Does this happen very rarely? Maybe it happens “once in a blue moon?”

When you’re writing, keep a list of idioms handy so you can draw from that list and incorporate these sayings into your writing where appropriate. Be careful not to “go overboard”. Too many idioms can be a distraction. Also, be sure that you know the correct meaning of the idiom before you use it in your writing. Not using it in the right context can confuse readers and turn some of them off to your work.

Trust me, it is easier than you think to incorporate idioms into your writing. Once you get familiar with a list of common idioms, you’ll discover that you already know many of them – and getting them on paper will be “a piece of cake”.