Aisle Vs. Isle: Difference And Examples - Grammar Monster

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Aisle or Isle?

What Is the Difference between "Aisle" and "Isle"?

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The Quick Answer

Aisle

(noun) "passageway" (usually through seating)

Passengers need to get past. Please do not block the aisle with your bag.

Isle

(noun) "small island" or "small peninsula"

We visited is a beautiful isle, full of exotic wildlife and surrounded by clear, blue waters.

"Aisle" and "isle" are easy to confuse because they sound the same. However, their meanings are quite different. An "aisle" is a passageway (typically in a church). An "isle" refers to a small island or peninsula. For example:

My uncle walked me down the aisle at my wedding.
We come from a small isle on the west coast of Ireland.

There is also "I'll" (a contraction of "I will" or "I shall"), but "I'll" is almost never confused with "aisle" or "isle."

Aisle, Isle, or I'll?

"Aisle," "isle," and "I'll" are homonyms, specifically homophones. (Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.)

Aisle

The noun "aisle" is a part of a church divided laterally from the nave by a row of pillars or columns. It is also a passageway (usually between rows of seats). Example sentences with "aisle":

For my first wedding, I cried all the way down the aisle. (Actress Sherri Shepherd)
I just avoid the Doritos aisle at the grocery store. (Actress Elizabeth Banks)

Isle

The noun "isle" is an island or peninsula, especially a small one. Example sentences with "isle":

He's going to boarding school in the Isle of Wight.
I recited 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' at a verse speaking competition when I was eight or nine.

The word "isle" most often appears in proper nouns (i.e., the names of islands). Native English speakers tend to use "island" not "isle."

I'll

"I'll" is a contraction of "I will" or "I shall." Example sentences with "I'll":

I'll lend you one of my night gowns and find some clothes for you to wear in the morning.
One day I'll know how far I'll go. (Lyric by singer Alessia Cara)

Common Terms with "Aisle" and "Isle"

Common terms with the word "aisle":

to walk down the aisle
cross the aisle
aisle seat
aisle planner

Common terms with the word "isle":

Isle of Arran
The Emerald Isle
Isle of Man
Isle of Sky
Isle of Scilly
Isle of Sheppey

This page was written by Craig Shrives.

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