English is full of confusing words. Numerous exceptions dot the language. Imply vs Infer and advise vs advice are two terms that are commonly confused. They look like they can be used as a substitute for one another; however, the two terms are quite different. In this post, we look at the crucial difference between imply and infer and learn how they should be used.
Let us first understand the meaning of the two terms. Imply means to say something indirectly while infer means to deduce a conclusion from a particular statement.
Imply
Let us understand the two terms using examples.
1) Sheila did not say it outright, but implied that Ronald was not interesting enough.
In this sentence, we understand that Sheila did not say something directly but rather said indirectly that Ronald was insufficiently interesting.
2) Josh implied he was going to end the relationship.
In the second example, we see that Josh did not say something outright; rather he provided a hint that he was going to end the relationship.
Infer
Let us now understand the concept of infer.
Infer means to conclude. When you come to a conclusion based on an implied sentence, you are drawing an inference, or inferring.
Let us understand the same using these examples.
1) Am I to infer that she called Tina fat?
In this sentence, it is clear that the second speaker did not say that Tina was fat directly; rather, the first speaker concluded from the ongoing conversation that the second speaker was saying as much.
2) We inferred John would be back in less than three days since he did not pack enough luggage for a long trip.
From this sentence, we understand that we had inferred or came to a conclusion on John’s returning home based on the luggage he carried.
From these examples, the difference between imply and infer should be clear. Now let us try and understand the difference between another set of words that sounds similar but are actually quite different.
Advise vs Advice
This pair of words is a bit more difficult to understand than imply vs infer. The main reason is that both words have almost near identical spellings and they both point towards the same meaning. However, if you understand a few simple concepts, it is easy to use the two words correctly.
Advice is a noun which means guidance or recommendation concerning prudent future action.
Let us understand using a few examples:
1) I offered him advice and he turned it down
2) The advice you get from your first boss should never be forgotten
On the other hand, let us try and understand the meaning of the word advise. Advise is a verb and it means to suggest or to recommend.
Let us understand using a few examples:
1) The doctor advised her to stay away from sugar.
2) Her mother advised her to stay away from David
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