ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateverbverb
PrecedevsProceed
'Precede' means to come before something in time or order; 'proceed' means to continue forward or carry on with something.
Side-by-side comparison
Precede
verb"Precede" means to come before in time, order, or position. "The introduction precedes the main chapter" = the introduction comes before the chapter.
A detailed agenda preceded the meeting so participants could prepare in advance.
The appetiser precedes the main course in a traditional three-course meal.
His reputation preceded him, everyone had already heard about his exceptional work.
Proceed
verb"Proceed" means to continue forward with an action, especially after a pause. "Proceed with caution" = move forward carefully. "How do you wish to proceed?" = how do you want to continue?
Once the contracts are signed, we can proceed with the renovation work.
She paused for a moment, then proceeded to explain the entire process step by step.
Please proceed to the boarding gate, your flight begins boarding in fifteen minutes.
Common mistake
- •"The section preceeds the conclusion" is wrong, the correct spelling is "precedes" (one E, not two).
- •And "We will precede with the meeting" when meaning continue is wrong (correct: proceed).
Trick to remember it
- •"Precede" has PRE like "prefix" and "preview", something that comes before.
- •"Proceed" has PRO like "progress" and "propel", forward movement.
Quick rule
- •Is it to come before in time or order? "Precede".
- •Is it to continue forward with something? "Proceed".
Did you know?
Both words share the Latin root "cedere" (to go, to march, to yield), and from that same root come more than a dozen modern English words: RECEDE, CONCEDE, SECEDE, ACCEDE, INTERCEDE, EXCEED, SUCCEED, ACCESS. "Proceed" also gives PROCEEDS (money that "advances" to you from a sale) and PROCEEDINGS (minutes of a meeting or legal process). And "precede" gives PRECEDENT and UNPRECEDENTED. An entire linguistic tree growing from one Latin root, and "cedere" is the reason both PRECEDE and PROCEED end in a similar "-ceed" or "-cede" sound.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
A light starter usually _____ s the main course at a formal dinner.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
After the short break, we'll _____ with the second half of the presentation.
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