ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateverb / nounverb
GroanvsGrown
'Groan' is a deep sound of pain or annoyance; 'grown' is the past participle of 'to grow'.
Side-by-side comparison
Groan
verb / noun"Groan" is the moan or grunt: the sound you make when something hurts or seems terrible. Also the verb to make that sound.
The audience groaned when the presenter announced another delay.
He let out a groan when he saw the size of the report.
The old floorboards groaned under the weight of the furniture.
Grown
verb"Grown" is the past participle of "grow": to have grown. "She has grown a lot" = she has grown a great deal. "Grown-up" = adult person.
The company has grown from five employees to over two hundred.
The children have grown so much since I last saw them.
By the time she was twenty-five, she was a fully grown professional.
Common mistake
- •"The market has groan significantly" when meaning expanded is wrong: the past participle of "grow" is "grown".
- •"Groan" is the sound of pain or annoyance.
Trick to remember it
- •"Groan" rhymes with "moan": both are sounds of discomfort with OA.
- •"Grown" rhymes with "known", "blown", "thrown": all past participles with OW.
Quick rule
- •Is it the sound of pain or annoyance? "Groan".
- •Is it the past participle of to grow? "Grown".
Did you know?
English has the concept of a "groan-worthy joke", a pun or "dad joke" so bad it provokes an involuntary groan. Research shows the brain anticipates the punchline and when it turns out to be obvious or too easy, the groan is a genuine reaction of mild disappointment. Interestingly, groan-inducing humor serves a real social function: it breaks the ice without creating conflict. The collective groan at a terrible pun is, ironically, one of the most effective social bonding mechanisms, everyone shares the experience of suffering through it together.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
He _____ ed when he saw the pile of dishes in the sink.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The children have _____ so much since I last saw them. They are so tall now!
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