Cite, Sight, and Site

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Cite, Sight, and Site

What are the differences between "cite," "sight," and "site"?

"Cite" means "to mention" or "to quote."
"Sight" relates to vision.
"Site" means a piece of land or "to assign a position to."

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More about "Cite," "Sight," and "Site"

The words "sight," "site," and "cite" sound identical (i.e., they are homonyms), but they mean different meanings.

Click on the Two Correct Sentences
(Interactive Game)

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Cite

The verb "to cite" means "to quote," "to refer to," "to summon to appear before a court of law," or simply "to mention."

Example sentences with "cite":

The lecturer cited several instances of illegal behaviour.
The young inspector was cited for his outstanding achievements.
Remember to cite expert opinion to support your points.

Sight

"Sight" relates to vision. It is the power of seeing (i.e., perception by the eyes). It can also be something that is seen (e.g., What a beautiful sight.)

Example sentences with "sight":

The newborn foal was an emotional sight for all of us.
After the laser treatment, her sight was perfect.

Site

The noun "site" refers to a piece of land (e.g., building site). As a verb, "to site" means "to position in a place" (e.g., I will site the slide near the swings.)

Example sentences with "site":

There are three landfill sites in the local vicinity.
Mr Dodds claimed his tools had been stolen from the archaeological site.

The Culprit Is "Site"

The word "site" (meaning "a piece of land") is the one that causes problems. The most common error is writing "sight" instead of "site."

Remembering "Site"
A site often describes a place where building work is taking place (e.g., a building site). You can remember the definition of "site" using the "te" to remind you of tradesman's entrance. (A site is likely to have a tradesman's entrance.)

The bottom line is this:

A site is a place (e.g. a building site, a camping site, a website).

Interactive Exercise

Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

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Self Help

"Smashing Grammar" (2019)
Written by the founder of Grammar Monster, "Smashing Grammar" includes a glossary of grammar essentials (from apostrophes to zeugma) and a chapter on easily confused words (from affect/effect to whether/if). Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to real-life, entertaining examples. All entries conclude with a section highlighting why the grammar point is relevant for a writer and top-level bullet points summarizing the entry. [More�]

"Grammar for Grown-ups" (2011)
Vocational rather than academic, "Grammar for Grown-ups" is packed with real-life examples and keeps you engaged with a wealth of great quotations from Homer the Greek to Homer the Simpson. Straight talking and methodical, Craig Shrives draws on his years compiling Grammar Monster and as an army officer to present a comprehensive but light-hearted and easily digestible grammar reference guide. [More�]