Writers occasionally confuse the words 'breath' and 'breathe'.
Breath
The word 'breath' is a noun.
It denotes the air that is either inhaled or exhaled during breathing. Colloquially, it can also mean a short pause (e.g., Take a breath and try
again.) 'Breath' rhymes with 'death'.
Examples:
 Paul pinched
his nose, took a breath and jumped off the boat. 
He would
fight until his last breath.
Breathe
The word 'breathe' is a verb.
It rhymes with 'seethe'. It has the following closely related meanings:
To inhale and
expel air from the lungs.
Is she breathing?
(Note: Breathe drops the 'e' when 'ing' is added.)
Virtually all fish breathe through gills.
(Gills are a fish's lungs.) |
To allow gas or
moisture to pass through.
The new synthetic material can breath to prevent moisture building up
against the skin. |
To impart (often used
figuratively).
He breathed new life into the project.
He breathed a sigh of relief. |
Select the correct version:
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BREEEEATHE
Native English speakers only tend to confuse 'breath' and 'breathe' in writing.
Therefore, if you use the 'e' on the end of 'breathe' to remind you that
the 'ea' is pronounced 'EE' (i.e., breathe rhymes with seethe), then you will
eliminate this error.
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Common grammar errors
