Cool MateThings vs What things
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Things
High-frequency chunk
What things
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Things
| Things | What things | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //θɪŋz//🇺🇸 //θɪŋz// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt θɪŋz//🇺🇸 //wɑt θɪŋz// |
| Meaning | objects or items in general | Items or objects that you are talking about. |
| Example | I need to buy some things for the party. | What things do you like to do on weekends? |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | High-frequency chunk | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | great things, little things, important things, strange things, funny things | what things to bring, what things to consider, what things are available |
| Antonyms | nothing, void, absent | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'thing' instead of 'things' for plural contexts., Confusing 'things' with 'items' in formal situations. | Using 'what thing' when referring to multiple items instead of 'what things'., Inappropriately combining with verbs, e.g., 'What things can you do?' instead of 'What things do you do?', Confusing with 'which things', which is more specific. |
| Usage notes | Used to refer to objects, ideas, or activities; can be vague. Avoid in formal writing. | Use 'what things' to inquire about items in various contexts, suitable in both casual and formal conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Things vs What things
What's the difference between Things and What things?
Things: objects or items in general What things: Items or objects that you are talking about.
Which is more common: Things and What things?
Things is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Things: I need to buy some things for the party. What things: What things do you like to do on weekends?
Can I use Things and What things interchangeably?
Not always. Things and What things 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.