Breath vs. Breathe: A Grammar Guide

Last updated on September 21, 2024 by Liam Daniel

“Breath” and “breathe” are related words, but they have different meanings and functions in a sentence. Here’s how to distinguish between them:

Breath vs. Breathe: What’s the Difference?

Key Distinctions:

  • Breath: Noun – the air you inhale or exhale.
    • Example: “He took a deep breath.”
  • Breathe: Verb – the action of inhaling and exhaling.
    • Example: “Just breathe and relax.”
Breath vs. Breathe
Breath vs. Breathe – Created by 7ESL

Breath vs. Breathe: Definition, Usage

‘Breath’ as a Noun

  • Meaning: The air that you take in and let out of your lungs.
  • Use: Refers to the actual air or the act of inhaling and exhaling.
  • Examples:
    • “Take a deep breath before you start speaking.”
    • “After running, he was out of breath.”
  • Explanation: “Breath” is a noun and refers to the air we inhale or exhale.

‘Breathe’ as a Verb

  • Meaning: The act of inhaling and exhaling air.
  • Use: Refers to the action of taking in and expelling air.
  • Examples:
    • “It’s important to breathe deeply when you’re stressed.”
    • “She struggled to breathe in the smoke-filled room.”
  • Explanation: “Breathe” is a verb and refers to the action of drawing in and expelling air.

Tricks to Learn the Difference

When distinguishing between breath and breathe, one can employ simple tips to ensure correct usage in writing and speech.

Pronunciation:

  • Breath: Ends in a short “e” sound, pronounced like “Beth”.
  • Breathe: Contains a longer “ee” sound, akin to “seethe”.

Part of Speech:

  • Breath: A noun representing the air inhaled or exhaled.
  • Breathe: A verb meaning to draw air into and expel it from the lungs.

Spelling Cue: Use the presence of the additional “e” at the end of breathe to recall that it is an action verb, extending the word just as one extends the act of breathing.

Mnemonic Device: Remember the phrase, “When you take a breath, it’s short-lived, just like the shorter word.” Conversely, “When you breathe in and out, it’s a longer process, hence the longer word with an ‘e’ at the end.”

Breath vs. Breathe: Common Mistakes

Using “breath” instead of “breathe” for the action:

  • Incorrect: “Remember to breath slowly.”
  • Correct: “Remember to breathe slowly.”
  • Explanation: “Breathe” is the verb form, so it’s used to describe the action.

Using “breathe” instead of “breath” for the noun:

  • Incorrect: “He took a deep breathe.”
  • Correct: “He took a deep breath.”
  • Explanation: “Breath” is the noun, so it’s used to describe the thing being taken.

Breath vs. Breathe Examples

Examples of “Breathe” 

  1. It’s important to breathe deeply to calm your nerves.
  2. She had to breathe through her mouth because her nose was blocked.
  3. The doctor told him to relax and breathe slowly during the examination.
  4. We can’t breathe underwater without the help of scuba gear.
  5. The meditation instructor taught the class how to breathe properly.

Examples of “Breath“

  1. He took a deep breath before diving into the pool.
  2. You could see her breath in the cold winter air.
  3. The scent of flowers was a breath of fresh air.
  4. Hold your breath while I take a quick photo.
  5. After the sprint, he was out of breath and needed to rest.

Breath vs. Breathe Exercises

Determine if the usage of “breath” or “breathe” is correct.

  1. Remember to breathe deeply before you start singing. (True/False)
  2. She took a deep breath before diving into the pool. (True/False)
  3. If you don’t breath, you’ll pass out. (True/False)
  4. You can see your breath in the cold winter air. (True/False)
  5. He has asthma and sometimes struggles to breathe. (True/False)
  6. The doctor said to take a breath in and hold it. (True/False)
  7. I can’t breath when I think about how excited I am. (True/False)
  8. The fresh mountain air is a nice change of breath. (True/False)
  9. When you get anxious, just focus on your breathe. (True/False)
  10. The scent of flowers made her breath in deeply. (True/False)

Answers

  1. True
  2. True
  3. False (Correct usage: “breathe”)
  4. True
  5. True
  6. True
  7. False (Correct usage: “breathe”)
  8. False (Correct usage: “breath”)
  9. False (Correct usage: “breath”)
  10. False (Correct usage: “breathe”)
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