ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediatenounverb
FleavsFlee
'Flea' is the small jumping parasite insect; 'flee' means to run away or escape from danger.
Side-by-side comparison
Flea
noun"Flea" is the small parasitic insect that jumps and bites animals and people. "Flea market" = an open-air market selling secondhand goods.
The dog was scratching constantly, we discovered it had fleas.
A flea market is a great place to find antique furniture at low prices.
A single flea can jump over one hundred times its own height.
Flee
verb"Flee" is the verb to run away or escape quickly from danger. Its past tense is "fled". "They fled the country" = they escaped from the country.
Thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes during the flooding.
The suspect fled the scene before police arrived.
They had to flee the country and rebuild their lives abroad.
Common mistake
- •"The refugees had to flea" when meaning escape is wrong: the verb to run away is "flee".
- •"There was a flee on the dog" is also wrong: the small jumping parasite is "flea".
Trick to remember it
- •"Flea" has EA like "beast" and "creature": the flea is a tiny creature.
- •"Flee" has double E like "speed" and "feet": when you flee, you go fast on your feet.
Quick rule
- •Is it the small jumping parasite? "Flea".
- •Is it the verb to run away? "Flee".
Did you know?
"Flea market" gets its name from the French "Marché aux Puces" (literally flea market), the famous outdoor market on the edge of Paris. Second-hand clothing and old furniture were said to potentially harbor fleas. Founded in the late 19th century on the outskirts of Paris, it is now one of the world's largest antique markets with over 2,000 dealers. "Flee" comes from Old English "fleon" (to run away), the same root as "fly" in its older sense of rapid movement.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The cat has been scratching all day. I think it might have a _____.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The family had to _____ their home when the forest fire got too close.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy