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Miss vs Lose: What's the Difference?

A2 Verbs

What's the Difference?

Miss" means to miss out on something or to long for something, while "lose" is used in the sense of losing something that one possesses.

Memory Tip: miss = you miss a bus, lose = you lose keys

miss ends with /s/ sound, lose ends with /z/ sound

miss /mɪs/

verb
Feel sad because someone or something is not with you.
Example:
I miss my old friends because they moved to another city.
Common patterns:
miss someone miss something
miss →

lose /luːz/

verb
To lose means not to have something anymore.
Example:
I often lose my keys, so I keep a spare set at home.
Common patterns:
lose a game lose your keys
lose →

Common Mistakes

I will lose the bus if I don't hurry.
I will miss the bus if I don't hurry.
You 'miss' the bus when you fail to catch it.
I miss my keys and can't find them anywhere.
I lost my keys and can't find them anywhere.
You 'lose' your keys when you cannot find them.

Quick Practice

0/2 correct
1. I ____ my old friends because they moved to another city.
2. I often ____ my keys, so I keep a spare set at home.

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