'Pole' is a long thin rod or the geographical poles; 'poll' is a survey or the counting of votes.
Noun. A long thin rod of wood or metal. The North or South Pole. Also: a person from Poland.
The tent poles collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow.
She wrapped a banner around the flag pole outside the building.
Explorers have reached both the North and South Pole.
Noun/verb. A survey of opinion. The counting of votes in an election. Also: to conduct a survey.
The opinion poll showed a ten-point lead for the incumbent candidate.
Voters went to the polls in record numbers despite the rain.
The team was polled on their preferred working arrangements.
Common mistake
"The pole shows the candidate is winning" when meaning survey (correct: poll). Or "We need to put up a poll in the garden" when meaning a post (correct: pole).
Trick to remember it
'Pole' has OLE like 'role' and 'stole' — objects with shape and function. 'Poll' has OLL like 'roll' and 'toll' — processes of counting or collecting.
Quick rule
Is it the long rod or geographical pole? 'Pole'. Is it the survey or vote count? 'Poll'.
Did you know?
Exit polls (encuestas de salida) interview voters as they leave polling stations to predict results before official counts. The first major US exit poll was in 1980. 'Poll' in the sense of counting heads comes from Low German 'pol' (top of the head) — you literally counted heads. 'Pole' and 'poll' were the same word in Old English — both meant 'top' or 'head'. They diverged in meaning over centuries, which is why they still sound identical.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
A recent _____ found that eighty percent of employees prefer a hybrid work model.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The sign was mounted on a tall metal _____ at the corner of the street.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it the long rod or geographical pole? 'Pole'. Is it the survey or vote count? 'Poll'.
"The pole shows the candidate is winning" when meaning survey (correct: poll). Or "We need to put up a poll in the garden" when meaning a post (correct: pole).
'Pole' has OLE like 'role' and 'stole' — objects with shape and function. 'Poll' has OLL like 'roll' and 'toll' — processes of counting or collecting.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy