Desert vs Dessert: What's the Difference?
What's the Difference?
Desert" means a barren, sandy region, while "dessert" refers to a sweet course typically eaten at the end of a meal.
Memory Tip: desert = sandy place, dessert = sweet treat
desert has first syllable stress, dessert has second
desert
verbTo desert means to abandon someone or something in a time of need or to leave a place without permission, often in a way that is considered disloyal or irresponsible.
Example:
Camels walk slowly across the hot desert.
Common patterns:
desert a friend
desert a post
desert a cause
desert /dɪˈzɜrt/
nounA desert is a very dry place with a lot of sand and little water.
Example:
Camels walk slowly across the hot desert.
Common patterns:
hot desert
cold desert
dessert /dɪˈzɜːrt/
nounA sweet food eaten at the end of a meal.
Example:
After dinner, we are going to have ice cream for dessert.
Common patterns:
sweet dessert
dessert menu
dessert wine
Common Mistakes
After dinner, we had a delicious desert.
After dinner, we had a delicious dessert.
Dessert refers to the sweet course typically eaten at the end of a meal.
Camels are often used to travel across the dessert.
Camels are often used to travel across the desert.
Desert refers to a barren, sandy region.
Quick Practice
0/3 correct1. Camels walk slowly across the hot ____.
2. Camels walk slowly across the hot ____.
3. After dinner, we are going to have ice cream for ____.
Other Confusing Words
Never confuse desert / dessert again
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