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'Rain' is water falling from the sky; 'reign' is the period during which a monarch rules.
Side-by-side comparison
"Rain" is water falling from clouds as drops. "It's raining" = water is falling from the sky. "Rain boots" = waterproof boots. "Rain forest" = a tropical forest with very heavy annual rainfall.
Heavy rain disrupted flights at the airport for three hours.
It rained solidly for two weeks during the monsoon season.
Don't forget an umbrella, there is a thirty percent chance of rain.
"Reign" is the period during which a monarch holds power. "During her reign" = while she was queen or king. Also figurative: "silence reigned" = silence was complete and dominant.
Queen Victoria's reign lasted sixty-three years.
During his reign, the country experienced rapid economic growth.
Confusion reigned in the office after the unexpected announcement.
Common mistake
- •"The queen's rain lasted seventy years" when meaning the period of rule is wrong (correct: reign).
- •And "There will be reign this afternoon" when meaning precipitation is wrong (correct: rain).
Trick to remember it
- •"Rain" has AI for "air", raindrops fall through the air.
- •"Reign" contains the silent GN like "foreign", kings reign over foreign lands too.
Quick rule
- •Is it water falling from clouds? "Rain".
- •Is it a monarch's period in power? "Reign".
Did you know?
Queen Elizabeth II held the longest reign of any British monarch: 70 years, from 1952 to 2022. The previous record belonged to Queen Victoria at 63 years. And the expression "it reigns supreme" uses REIGN figuratively: what "governs" over everything else, unchallenged.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The queen's _____ lasted over 70 years. It was the longest in history.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
It's been _____ ing non-stop for three days. The fields are flooded.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy