A single ‘s’ is enough to mess up the meanings of these words. If you observe minutely, then there’s just an extra ‘s’ in one of the words. As a result, children, including adults, often end up confusing them and using them interchangeably. This article will make sure that students no longer mess up between these words and will point out how the words ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’ are different from each other.
The English Language has lots of such words that often confuse students as most of them don’t know the difference between such words. This article will point out the key differences between one such pair of homophones i.e., dessert and desert. Let’s have a look at the following topics:
- Table Summarising the Difference between Desert and Dessert
- The Difference between Desert and Dessert – Meanings
- Examples of Desert and Dessert
- Desert and Dessert – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between Desert and Dessert
| Desert | Dessert | |
| Meaning | The desert either refers to a geographical feature or abandoning someone/something. | Dessert means a sweet dish that people often have at the end of any meal. |
| Usage | It is used as a noun and verb. | It is used as a noun. |
| Example | Someone deserted a puppy on the road. | Strawberry cake was served as dessert at the wedding. |
This table shows that though ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’ are homophones, they aren’t synonymous nor can’t be used interchangeably. Since students often get confused between these words, this table will help them understand the context they are using these in. Once they get the difference between these two words, they can apply them correctly in sentences.
The Difference between Desert and Dessert – Meanings
When you say the word ‘desert’, it either means a geographical feature, i.e. the land of sands with no/minimum rainfall or abandoning someone/something when used as a verb. When the word ‘desert’ is used to refer to a land filled with sand, then it’s used as a noun, but when it’s used to refer to abandonment, it’s used as a verb. On the other hand, the word ‘dessert’ simply refers to a sweet dish that people enjoy after meals. Once the students understand this difference, it will be easier for them to implement these words in sentences. Students have to be careful while writing the spellings i.e., whether there’s a single ‘s’ or ‘ss’ in the spellings.
Examples of Desert and Dessert
The following examples will help students understand the terms ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’:
Dessert – I have made custard for tonight’s dessert. (noun)
Desert – Did you know that the Sahara desert is the largest desert in the world. (noun)
Once students understand the difference between the words ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’, they can easily apply them in proper contexts.
Desert and Dessert – Conclusion
In conclusion, the words ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’ are homophones, and they cannot be used interchangeably and are not synonymous. When one is using these words, one has to understand the context before using them. This article talks about the essential points that’ll help one to know how these two terms are used. BYJU’S offers various articles on many such ‘Differences Between Two Words’ that people often get confused with.
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