Cool MateVariety vs We've had all sorts of visitors
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Variety
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
We've had all sorts of visitors
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Variety
| Variety | We've had all sorts of visitors | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //vəˈraɪəti//🇺🇸 //vəˈraɪəti// | 🇬🇧 //wiːv hæd ɔːl sɔːts əv ˈvɪzɪtəz//🇺🇸 //wiv hæd ɔl sɔrts əv ˈvɪzɪtɚz// |
| Meaning | Different types or kinds of something. | We have had many different kinds of guests. |
| Example | There is a great variety of fruits in the market. | We've had all sorts of visitors this week, from tourists to local friends. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | variety of options, wide variety, great variety, variety show | all sorts of things, all sorts of people, all sorts of options |
| Antonyms | uniformity, similarity | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'various', which is an adjective., Using 'variety' with uncountable nouns instead of countable., Incorrect pluralization, thinking 'varieties' is less common. | Confusing with 'all kinds of' which is more casual., Using 'sorts' with singular nouns, e.g., saying 'all sort of visitors'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'variety' when talking about different types in a group. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English. | Commonly used in informal conversations to emphasize variety; can be used in both spoken and written contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Variety vs We've had all sorts of visitors
What's the difference between Variety and We've had all sorts of visitors?
Variety: Different types or kinds of something. We've had all sorts of visitors: We have had many different kinds of guests.
Which is more common: Variety and We've had all sorts of visitors?
Variety is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Variety: There is a great variety of fruits in the market. We've had all sorts of visitors: We've had all sorts of visitors this week, from tourists to local friends.
Can I use Variety and We've had all sorts of visitors interchangeably?
Not always. Variety and We've had all sorts of visitors 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.