Cool MateBreed vs Species vs Strain vs Type vs Variety
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Breed
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
Species
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
Strain
Top 2,000 (common)C1noun
Type
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Variety
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
| Breed | Species | Strain | Type | Variety | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/briːd/","/briːdz/","/bred/","/ˈbriːdɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/briːd/","/briːdz/","/bred/","/ˈbriːdɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈspiːʃiːz/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈspiːʃiːz/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/streɪn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/streɪn/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/taɪp/"]/🇺🇸 /["/taɪp/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //vəˈraɪəti//🇺🇸 //vəˈraɪəti// |
| Meaning | A kind or type of animal, especially one that has been specially developed. | A group of living things that can reproduce together. | To make a lot of effort or to injure a muscle. | a kind or sort of something | Different types or kinds of something. |
| Example | Farmers often breed animals for specific traits, such as size or temperament. | The tiger is an endangered species due to habitat loss. | The strain on the bridge increased with the heavy traffic. | What type of music do you like? | There is a great variety of fruits in the market. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | B2 | C1 | A1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | noun | noun | noun | noun |
| Collocations | in captivity, successfully, commercially, for, in captivity, successfully, commercially, for | living, extinct, common, be found, grow, live, species of, a member of a species | considerable, enormous, great, be under, come under, feel, show, take its toll (on somebody), tell (on somebody), under the strain, strain on, a bit of a strain, signs of strain, stresses and strains, considerable, enormous, great, be under, come under, feel, show, take its toll (on somebody), tell (on somebody), under the strain, strain on, a bit of a strain, signs of strain, stresses and strains, bad, slight, back, be suffering from, have, get, new, mutant, virulent, discover, identify, analyse/analyze, strain of | distinct, distinctive, specific, distinguish, identify, recognize, in type, of a type, type of, of its type, a range of types, a variety of types, adventurous, athletic, sporty, true to type, (not) your type, bold, boldface, italic, print something in, set something in, use, in… type | variety of options, wide variety, great variety, variety show |
| Antonyms | destroy, kill | individual, variety | relax, release, ease | none | uniformity, similarity |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'breathe' in pronunciation., Using 'breed' in reference to people is often seen as inappropriate., Incorrect plural form; should use 'breeds' for multiple types. | 'Species' is both singular and plural, so don't say 'specieses'., Confusing 'species' with 'special' when talking about unique traits., Using 'specie' which is incorrect when referring to types of plants or animals. | Confused with 'stain' when writing., Used as a noun without clarification (e.g., strain of effort)., Incorrectly conjugating in different tenses. | Confusing 'type' with 'typewriter', which has a different meaning., Using 'types' incorrectly for non-count nouns., Omitting the preposition 'of' after 'type' when necessary. | Confused with 'various', which is an adjective., Using 'variety' with uncountable nouns instead of countable., Incorrect pluralization, thinking 'varieties' is less common. |
| Usage notes | Used when talking about animals, particularly in agriculture or pet ownership. Avoid in casual conversation about people unless referring to heritage. | Used in both scientific and everyday contexts. It’s appropriate for discussions about biology, animals, plants, and environmental topics. Avoid using colloquially or in informal settings. | Use 'strain' when discussing physical effort, injuries, or intense focus. Often used in exercise contexts. Avoid using in overly casual situations. | Use 'type' to refer to categories or examples. It's suitable for most situations but avoid using it in very formal writing where more specific words could be better. | Use 'variety' when talking about different types in a group. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English. |
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Frequently asked questions: Breed vs Species vs Strain vs Type vs Variety
What's the difference between Breed, Species, Strain, Type, and Variety?
Breed: A kind or type of animal, especially one that has been specially developed. Species: A group of living things that can reproduce together. Strain: To make a lot of effort or to injure a muscle. Type: a kind or sort of something Variety: Different types or kinds of something.
Are Breed, Species, Strain, Type, and Variety the same CEFR level?
Breed: C1, Species: B2, Strain: C1, Type: A1, Variety: A2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Breed, Species, Strain, Type, and Variety?
Breed: verb, Species: noun, Strain: noun, Type: noun, Variety: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Breed: Farmers often breed animals for specific traits, such as size or temperament. Species: The tiger is an endangered species due to habitat loss. Strain: The strain on the bridge increased with the heavy traffic. Type: What type of music do you like? Variety: There is a great variety of fruits in the market.
Can I use Breed, Species, Strain, Type, and Variety interchangeably?
Not always. Breed, Species, Strain, Type, and Variety 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.