How should you use alternate and alternative? These words are not always interchangeable, though their meanings overlap.
Alternate or alternative?
Alternative and alternate can both be adjectives or nouns.
| Word | Sentence Example |
|---|---|
| alternate | The traffic lights change on alternate days. |
| alternative | We need to find an alternative solution. |
- Alternate means every other one in a series; e.g., if something happens on alternate days, nights, etc., it happens on one day but not on the next.
- An alternative refers to one of two possibilities, or something “that you can choose to do or have out of two or more possibilities”.
As adjectives, both can be used to refer to something that can be used instead of something else, or as a substitute, but only alternative has the aspect of choice.
How to use alternate vs. alternative
Compare how both words appear in the sentence (from Strunk & White’s TEOS):
| As the flooded road left them no alternative, they took the alternate route. |
We could replace the word “alternative” in the above sentence with “other choice”.
Alternate and alternative, in sentences
| Word | Examples |
|---|---|
| alternate |
Stretch up 30 times with alternate arms as a warm-up exercise. John has to work on alternate Sundays. The ferry service will initially run on alternate days, increasing eventually to daily sailings. |
| alternative |
The road was closed, so we had to find an alternative route. Can you offer an alternative explanation? The car is too expensive, so we’re trying to find a cheaper alternative. There is a vegetarian alternative on the menu every day. |
“alternate” vs. “alternative”: associate “alternate” with “alternating” patterns (every other one) and “alternative” with “alternatives”—choices among options.
| Word / Usage | Synonyms |
|---|---|
| alternate (verb) | alter, intersperse, rotate, vary, waver |
| alternate (adjective) | double, equivalent, fill in, stand-in |
| alternative (adjective) | second, substitute, surrogate |
| alternative (noun) | opportunity, option, substitute |
Word origin (of alternate/alternative)
Late 14c., “to change (something), make different in some way,” from Old French alterer “to change, alter,” from Medieval Latin alterare “to change,” from Latin alter “the other (of the two),” from PIE root *al- (1) “beyond” + comparative suffix -ter (as in other).
| 1580s, “offering one or the other of two,” from Medieval Latin alternativus, from Latin alternatus, past participle of alternare “do one thing and then another, do by turns,” from alternus “one after the other, alternate, in turns, reciprocal,” from alter “the other” (see alter). |
Read about other commonly confused words
Worksheet: Word choice
If this plan fails, we need to have an ______ in place.
We take ______ routes to work to avoid traffic.
Vegetarians often look for an ______ to meat in recipes.
The lights ______ between red and green every minute.
Is there an ______ time for our meeting if this one doesn’t work?
FAQs
Q: What’s the main difference in usage?
A: Alternate typically means every other one in a series, like “alternate days”. Alternative usually refers to a choice or possibility among two or more options.
Q: Which word is correct for ‘route’?
A: For a route that you take instead of another, “alternative route” is correct. “Alternate route” is listed as an incorrect example in the post.
Q: Which word is correct for ‘days’?
A: To mean “every other day,” the correct phrase is “alternate days.” “Alternative days” is incorrect in this context.
Q: Can they both mean “instead of”?
A: Yes, as adjectives, both can refer to something usable instead of something else. However, only “alternative” includes the specific aspect of offering a choice.
Q: Any tip to remember which word to use?
A: Associate “alternate” with “alternating” patterns (like every other one) and “alternative” with “alternatives” or choices among different options.
www.grammarflex.com/alternate-vs-alternative-correct-usage-examples/
Sources
-
Oxford Learner’s Dictionary on “alternate” and “alternative”. Accessed 23 March 2024. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of alternative.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/alternative. Accessed 27 March 2024.
