You must have heard about these two terms very often, but don’t they appear to be confusing at times? Of course, they do! Majority of people mess up is the usage of these words as both of them have similar kinds of spellings and even sound similar. This article will help students to understand the difference between these words so that they don’t mess them up when they use them.
The English Language is filled with such words that often sound similar but have different meanings and, as a result, end up confusing students. So let’s have a look at points that this article will cover to clear all confusion regarding the words ‘conscious’ and ‘conscience’.
- Table summarising the difference between Conscious and Conscience
- The Difference between Conscious and Conscience – Meanings
- Examples of Conscious and Conscience
- Conscious and Conscience – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between Conscious and Conscience
| Conscious | Conscience | |
| Meaning | Conscious means being aware of one’s surroundings/actions or being awake. | Conscience means having the moral understanding of what’s wrong and right. |
| Usage | It is used as an adjective. | It is used as a noun. |
| Example | Ross was conscious of what he was doing. | Penny’s conscience told her to return the money she had found on the table. |
This table shows that the words conscious and conscience are completely different. Students often get confused between these words, so remembering this table would help them avoid those confusions.
The Difference between Conscious and Conscience – Meanings
Being conscious means one is aware of their surroundings and of what they are doing. It also sometimes refers to being awake. If the word ‘conscious’ is used in a sense, then it’s used as an adjective e.g., ‘The student was consciously cheating in the exam’, whereas the word ‘conscience’ is used to refer to the ability or the moral sense to understand what’s wrong or right, for example, ‘The boy’s conscience told him not to lie to his parents.’ Once students get this concept, they can easily differentiate between these terms.
Examples of Conscious and Conscience
The following examples will help students understand the terms ‘conscious’ and ‘conscience’ better.
- Conscious – The doctors are checking whether the patient is conscious or not.
- Conscience – Always listen to your conscience before doing a thing.
Once students understand the difference between these words, they can easily apply them in the proper context.
Conscious and Conscience – Conclusion
In conclusion, ‘conscious’ and ‘conscience’ can’t be used interchangeably and are neither synonymous. When one is using these words, one has to understand the context of the sentence before using these words in it. BYJU’S offers plenty of articles that provide explanations for pairs of easily confused words.
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