Loose or Lose?

This is obviously another pair of tricky words that lots of people get muddled up. However, with slightly different pronunciations and definitions, it’s pretty important that you get these two words right when you’re writing.

Loose

Let’s start with the pronunciation. Because there are two o's, you exaggerate that sound. “Loose” means that something is not tight, usually in the form of something not being tied properly. It is an adjective.

Your shoelaces are loose.
My new diet has made my belt loose.
The handcuffs were too loose so the robber broke free.

Lose

This word is pronounced a lot shorter and sharper due to there only being one “o”. It means that you no longer have something, or that something has gone. It is a verb and its past tense form is “lost”.

You will lose a shoelace if you wear them like that.
I promise I will lose more weight before the end of the month!
The policeman lost the robber.

Here are some sentences with both words in them:

You will lose a shoelace because they are too loose.
My new diet made me lose some weight, and now my belt is loose!
The handcuffs were too loose, so the policeman lost the robber.

If you’re still confused despite my explanation and the image, just think that lose has lost an “o”. Anything else you’d like cleared up? Leave me a comment and I’ll write a tutorial on it.