Cool MateExperience is your strong suit vs Skill
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Experience is your strong suit
Top 2,000 (common)
Skill
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Most common: Skill
| Experience is your strong suit | Skill | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɪkˈspɪəriəns ɪz jɔː strɒŋ sjuːt//🇺🇸 //ɪkˈspɪr.i.əns ɪz jʊr strɔŋ sut// | 🇬🇧 /["/skɪl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/skɪl/"]/ |
| Meaning | Something you are very good at. | The ability to do something well, usually because of training or practice. |
| Example | In this job, you can excel because experience is your strong suit. | He has a skill for painting that impresses everyone. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | play to your strong suit, identify your strong suit, leverage your strong suit | considerable, consummate, extraordinary, range, set, have, possess, combine, level, set, acquisition, with skill, skill as, skill at, a degree of skill, a level of skill, a lack of skill, considerable, consummate, extraordinary, range, set, have, possess, combine, level, set, acquisition, with skill, skill as, skill at, a degree of skill, a level of skill, a lack of skill |
| Antonyms | - | inability, ignorance |
| Common mistakes | Forgetting to use 'is' before 'your strong suit'., Misunderstanding 'strong suit' as a negative phrase., Confusing 'strong suit' with 'weakness' instead. | Confused with 'ability' — skill usually implies training or practice., Used as a verb incorrectly — skill is a noun. |
| Usage notes | Used to highlight someone's skills or strengths. Appropriate in both professional and casual contexts. | Use 'skill' to talk about abilities in various contexts, from sports to arts. Avoid using it in very informal settings where simpler terms like 'talent' might fit better. |
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Frequently asked questions: Experience is your strong suit vs Skill
What's the difference between Experience is your strong suit and Skill?
Experience is your strong suit: Something you are very good at. Skill: The ability to do something well, usually because of training or practice.
Which is more common: Experience is your strong suit and Skill?
Skill is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Experience is your strong suit: In this job, you can excel because experience is your strong suit. Skill: He has a skill for painting that impresses everyone.
Can I use Experience is your strong suit and Skill interchangeably?
Not always. Experience is your strong suit and Skill 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.