Cool MateEnsure vs Make sure your children feel safe
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Ensure
Top 2,000 (common)B2verb
Make sure your children feel safe
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Ensure
| Ensure | Make sure your children feel safe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈʃʊə(r)//ɪnˈʃɔː(r)/","/ɪnˈʃʊəz//ɪnˈʃɔːz/","/ɪnˈʃʊəd//ɪnˈʃɔːd/","/ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ//ɪnˈʃɔːrɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈʃʊr/","/ɪnˈʃʊrz/","/ɪnˈʃʊrd/","/ɪnˈʃʊrɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //meɪk ʃʊə jɔː ˈtʃɪldrən fiːl seɪf//🇺🇸 //meɪk ʃʊr jʊr ˈtʃɪldrən fil seɪf// |
| Meaning | To make sure something happens or is true. | Tell your kids they are protected and not in danger. |
| Example | Please ensure that all doors are locked before leaving the building. | Always **make sure** your children feel safe at home. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | practically, virtually, effectively, must, aim to, try to, an attempt to ensure something, efforts to ensure something, measures to ensure something | make sure your children, make sure everyone, make sure they feel safe |
| Antonyms | neglect, ignore | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'insure' which relates to insurance., Used incorrectly as a standalone verb without an object., Mispronounced as 'en-sure' instead of 'en-shur'. | Using 'makes sure' instead of 'make sure' with the subject 'you', Confusing 'make sure' with 'ensure' in informal contexts, Omitting the object after 'make sure' |
| Usage notes | Use 'ensure' when you want to guarantee an outcome or confirm safety. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, though more commonly in formal writing. Avoid using 'ensure' in casual conversations where simpler words like 'make sure' might be more fitting. | Use 'make sure' in everyday conversation about responsibilities. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts but avoid using it in very casual settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Ensure vs Make sure your children feel safe
What's the difference between Ensure and Make sure your children feel safe?
Ensure: To make sure something happens or is true. Make sure your children feel safe: Tell your kids they are protected and not in danger.
Which is more common: Ensure and Make sure your children feel safe?
Ensure is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Ensure: Please ensure that all doors are locked before leaving the building. Make sure your children feel safe: Always **make sure** your children feel safe at home.
Can I use Ensure and Make sure your children feel safe interchangeably?
Not always. Ensure and Make sure your children feel safe are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.