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'Real' means actual, genuine, or true; 'reel' is a cylinder for winding material, or to stagger/feel dizzy.
Side-by-side comparison
"Real" describes what actually exists and is not imagined or fake. "Is this real?" = does this actually exist? Informally, "for real" = seriously. "Real estate" = property and land.
Is this a real signature or a copy?
The real cost of the project exceeded estimates by forty percent.
For real this time, the meeting is confirmed for Tuesday.
"Reel" is a cylindrical spool on which material is wound: a fishing reel, film reel, or hose reel. As a verb: to stagger or spin from a shock. Also a fast Scottish or Irish folk dance.
He cast the fishing line and waited for the fish to bite before starting to reel it in.
She was still reeling from the shock of the unexpected redundancy.
The film reel snapped during the screening and the cinema had to issue refunds.
Common mistake
- •"Is this for reel?" when meaning serious is wrong (correct: for real).
- •And "The reel cost was higher" when meaning actual cost is wrong (correct: real cost).
Trick to remember it
- •"Real" has EA like "mean" and "clean", grounded and true.
- •"Reel" has double EE like "wheel" and "feel", things that spin.
- •A reel spins, and you reel when dizzy or shocked.
Quick rule
- •Is it genuine, actual, or existing? "Real".
- •Is it the spool/cylinder or the verb to stagger? "Reel".
Did you know?
"Real" here means "property of physical objects" (land and buildings). The same Latin root gives "regal" and "royal," because historically land ownership was a royal matter. The REEL in fishing is what allows you to cast and retrieve the line. "To reel in" = to wind in, to attract toward you (also figurative: "reel in customers" = to attract customers).
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Is that diamond necklace _____ or is it a fake?
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The fisherman wound the line back onto the _____ after catching his fish.
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