Half vs Part

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Half

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

Part

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

	Half	Part
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/hɑːf/","/hɑːvz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/hæf/","/hævz/"]/ Hear Half	🇬🇧 /["/pɑːt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/pɑːrt/"]/ Hear Part
Meaning	One of two equal parts of something.	A piece or segment of something.
Example	I only finished half of my homework.	She plays a significant part in the school play.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	noun	noun
Collocations	first, second, last, by half, in half, in the… half, about half, almost half, around half, first, second, last, by half, in half, in the… half, about half, almost half, around half	big, good, greater, comprise, constitute, fall into, in part, part of, the parts of the body, foreign parts, private parts, big, good, greater, comprise, constitute, fall into, in part, part of, the parts of the body, foreign parts, private parts, big, good, greater, comprise, constitute, fall into, in part, part of, the parts of the body, foreign parts, private parts, big, good, greater, comprise, constitute, fall into, in part, part of, the parts of the body, foreign parts, private parts, replacement, spare, auto, manufacture, assemble, parts dealer, parts maker, parts supplier, big, good, greater, comprise, constitute, fall into, in part, part of, the parts of the body, foreign parts, private parts, big, good, greater, comprise, constitute, fall into, in part, part of, the parts of the body, foreign parts, private parts, big, bit, small, act, have, play, in the part, part of, act the part, dress the part, look the part, big, huge, leading, have, do, play, part in, big, bit, small, act, have, play, in the part, part of, act the part, dress the part, look the part
Antonyms	whole, full	whole, entirety, total
Common mistakes	Confused with 'whole' when describing completeness., Using 'halfs' as the plural (correct is 'halves').	Using 'parts' when referring to a single piece., Confusing 'part' with 'share' in certain contexts., Misplacing 'part' in compound phrases, such as 'part time' to 'time part'.
Usage notes	Used in everyday conversation as well as in written contexts. It's appropriate for both formal and informal situations, like asking for half a pizza or describing a study that used half the participants.	Use 'part' for referring to a section of a whole. It's appropriate in both spoken and written language, but more formal contexts may prefer 'component' or 'element'.

Frequently asked questions: Half vs Part

What's the difference between Half and Part?

Half: One of two equal parts of something. Part: A piece or segment of something.

Are Half and Part the same CEFR level?

Half: A1, Part: A1 on the CEFR scale.

Can I use Half and Part interchangeably?

Not always. Half and Part 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.