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Level: B1

Break vs Brake

Break (to damage; a short rest) and brake (what stops a car) sound exactly the same. The rule is simple: brake belongs to vehicles, break to everything else. Practice with the sentences below.

🔍 Confused words · pair 8 of 54 ⏱ about 5 minutes 🔊 every sentence has audio

  • Break – to damage or stop working; also a short rest.
  • Please don’t ______ the vase. – break
  • Let’s take a short ______. – break
  • Be careful not to ______ your phone. – break
  • Glass can ______ easily. – break
  • If you drop it, it will ______. – break
  • I need a coffee ______. – break
  • Don’t ______ your promise. – break
  • The kids might ______ the window with that ball. – break
  • We get a lunch ______ at noon. – break
  • Machines like this ______ down all the time. – break
  • He didn’t mean to ______ the toy. – break
  • Never ______ the rules of the pool. – break
  • Spring ______ starts next Friday. – break
  • Careful — those old chairs ______ easily. – break
  • Let’s ______ the chocolate into pieces. – break
  • A loud noise can ______ your concentration. – break
  • Brake – the device that stops a vehicle; to slow down using it.
  • Use the ______ when you stop the car. – brake
  • The driver hit the ______ to avoid the dog. – brake
  • My bike’s front ______ is loose. – brake
  • Press the ______ pedal slowly. – brake
  • The mechanic checked the ______ system. – brake
  • Pull the emergency ______ on a hill. – brake
  • The ______ lights turned red ahead of us. – brake
  • Release the hand ______ before you drive. – brake
  • His foot slipped off the ______. – brake
  • You have to ______ gently on ice. – brake
  • The taxi had to ______ suddenly to avoid the cat. – brake
  • Check the ______ fluid every few months. – brake
  • The new car has an automatic ______ system. – brake
  • Squeeze the left ______ to slow your bike. – brake
  • Don’t ride a bike with a broken ______. – brake
  • ______ early when the road is wet. – Brake

Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between break and brake?
Break means to damage something, to stop working, or a short rest: don’t break the vase; take a break. Brake is the device that stops a vehicle, or the act of using it: press the brake.
Is it take a break or take a brake?
Take a break — a break is a short rest. Brake only belongs to vehicles: cars, bikes, trains.
How do I remember break vs brake?
You brake in a car — brake is only for vehicles. Everything else — damage, rest, broken rules — is break.