“Aisle” or “isle”?
Though they are only a letter off and may sound the exact same, the words “aisle” and “isle” are completely unrelated in meaning. Learn the difference, and never get them confused again!
When to use aisle or isle?
| Examples with “aisle” | Examples with “isle” |
| Coffee and tea are in the next aisle. | I once lived on the … island of Antiparos, a tiny isle behind Paros. (Emily Prager) |
An aisle (pronounced like the contraction I’ll) is a noun that refers to, “a passage between rows of seats in a church, theatre, train, etc., or between rows of shelves in a supermarket”. It’s the more commonly used word of the two, so if you’re thinking of the phrase “walking down the aisle“, this is the correct spelling.
An isle is also a noun, but it refers to an island, usually a small one. Isle is often used as part of an island’s name, like the Isle of Dogs in London, or the Isle of Wight off the coast of Hampshire in southern England. Also, the British Isles is a pretty famous one. We can remember that isle means island from the spelling; just think, isle = island.
| Sentences with the noun aisle |
Please walk down the aisle to your seats in the theatre. The aisles in the church were decorated with flowers for the wedding. I walked down the narrow aisle of the airplane to find my seat. |
| Sentences with the noun isle |
They sailed to a beautiful isle in the Caribbean for their vacation. While on the plane, I saw hundreds and hundreds of isles. The isle was known for its unique wildlife, including rare bird species. |
Synonyms of aisle
As with all synonymous words, each has its own unique definition and application. Make sure that you’ve chosen the correct word given the context!
- passage
- passageway
- corridor
- gangway
- walkway
- path
- lane
- alley
Synonyms of isle
- archipelago
- atoll
- bar
- cay
- enclave
- haven
- islet
Read posts on other confused words!
- Is it Elude or Allude?
- When To Use Infer vs. Imply
- What’s the Difference Between Invoke and Evoke?
- Is it Allot, A lot or Alot?
- Which is it: Allusion or Illusion?
- Insure, Ensure or Assure?
- Averse or Adverse?
- “Accept” vs. “Except”: What’s the Difference?
Sources
- Definition of aisle, Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.
- Definition of isle, Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.
