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'Tied' is the past tense of 'tie', to fasten or draw equal; 'tide' is the rise and fall of the sea.
Side-by-side comparison
"Tied" is the past tense of "tie": you fastened something with a knot, or achieved an equal score. "They tied the score" = both sides were equal. "Tied up" = busy or bound.
She tied the parcel with a red ribbon and a bow.
The match ended tied at two goals each.
He tied his shoelaces quickly and ran out of the door.
"Tide" is the periodic rise and fall of sea levels caused by the moon's gravity. "High tide" = when the sea is at its highest. "Turn of the tide" = the moment it changes direction.
The high tide left seaweed all along the beach.
We checked the tide times before planning the coastal walk.
The turning of the tide can be dangerous for swimmers.
Common mistake
- •"The score was tide" when meaning equal or drawn is wrong (correct: tied).
- •And "She tide the ribbon" when meaning fastened it is wrong (correct: tied).
- •"Tide" is only the sea's periodic rise and fall.
Trick to remember it
- •"Tied" ends in ED like other past tense verbs: worked, walked, played.
- •"Tide" ends in silent E like "ride" and "slide", the tide rides in and slides out.
Quick rule
Is it the past tense of fastening or drawing equal? "Tied." Is it the sea's periodic rise and fall? "Tide."
Did you know?
The proverb "time and tide wait for no man" is one of the oldest documented in English, with written records dating to the 14th century. The earliest known version appears in the medieval text "St. Marharete" (c. 1225), though the modern wording consolidated in the 16th century. Originally, "tide" in Old and Middle English meant not just sea tides but "time" in general, the same Germanic root appears in German "Zeit" (time). The proverb originally meant that neither time in general nor ocean tides wait for anyone, regardless of rank or power.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The game was _____ at two goals each at the end of normal time.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
They went to the beach to watch the _____ come in from the sea.
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