BREATH vs BREATHE vs BREADTH: simple spelling tips to remember the difference

The words BREATH, BREATHE and BREADTH are easy to confuse because they look alike – yet their meanings are very different! Here’s how to remember the difference between these commonly confused words.

Here are my simple tips to remember the difference between BREATH, BREATHE and BREADTH.

When to use BREATH

BREATH is a noun that refers to the full cycle of breathing.

You can use BREATH in a sentence like this:

“Take a deep BREATH before you respond.”

OR

“I ran all the way home. I’m out of BREATH now!”

When to use BREATHE

BREATHE is a verb that describes the action of inhaling and exhaling air from the lungs.

You can use BREATHE in a sentence like this:

“Please BREATHE in deeply.”

OR

“And BREATHE…”

Here’s a simple tip to help you remember how to spell BREATHE:

Imagine breathing in to the long EEEEE sound in the word BREATHE to remember it ends in E. 

When to use BREADTH

BREADTH is another word for width, or the extent of something. 

You can use BREADTH in a sentence like this:

“Don’t underestimate the new lecturer. The BREADTH of his knowledge is incredible!”

OR 

“The BREADTH of the boat made it hard to navigate the canal.”

I hope these tips help you remember the difference between BREATH, BREATHE and BREADTH in future!

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