A lot of things in life need to improve. Often, things in our life can become broken or wrong. In this situation, how do you know which word to use: fix or correct? They sound very similar, but you can sound totally wrong if you misuse these words. Here is how you use these words correctly.
Fix: for things that are broken
Although fix has a few unique meanings, especially close to the word “rig,” this is the meaning people ask when they have a confusion between fix or correct.
The thing that a mechanic does is fixing. A mechanic fixes cars. A plumber fixes bathrooms. An IT specialist fixes computers.
What do all these things have in common? We fix broken things.
Do you know how to fix an iPhone screen? I dropped mine, and it cracked.
= Do you know what to do with this cracked screen?
My door cannot close, so I am going to ask my dad to fix it.
= The door cannot open or close, so my dad will make it open and close again.
Correct: for things that are wrong
There are only two states of existence: broken or not broken. Therefore, things have two states of fixing: fixed or not fixed. There is nothing between the two. For wrong and right, there is a lot of points between the two. Correct, the verb, is about making something more right.
Usually, we correct things like words or thoughts, which we do not “break.” Words or thoughts can be wrong, so we can correct them.
I am waiting for my teacher to correct my essay.
= My teacher is making the words in my essay correct.
My dentist is going to correct my crooked tooth.
= My dentist will make my tooth straight. (The tooth is not broken; the tooth is not in the ideal position)
Summary
The key between these words is to ask – is it broken?
- fix: making broken things not broken anymore – there is only fix or not fix (binary)
- correct: making wrong things more right – you can correct things a little (on a spectrum)
With this explanation, you should be ready to know when to use fix or correct.
I have many other explanations between similar English words that might be useful for you.
You can also check out my YouTube channel, where you can see my language journey just like yours.
Keep on learning English to correct your sentences even more!
