“Aisle” or “isle”?
Please walk down the aisle to your seats in the theatre.
The cruise ship stopped at a beautiful, secluded isle for the day.
The flight attendant asked us to keep the isle clear during takeoff.
My dream vacation is to a remote tropical aisle.
Though they are only a letter off and may sound the exact same, the words “aisle” and “isle” are completely unrelated in meaning. Learn the difference, and never get them confused again!
When to use aisle or isle?
| Examples with “aisle” | Examples with “isle” |
| Coffee and tea are in the next aisle. | I once lived on the … island of Antiparos, a tiny isle behind Paros. (Emily Prager) |
An aisle (pronounced like the contraction I’ll) is a noun that refers to, “a passage between rows of seats in a church, theatre, train, etc., or between rows of shelves in a supermarket”. It’s the more commonly used word of the two, so if you’re thinking of the phrase “walking down the aisle“, this is the correct spelling.
An isle is also a noun, but it refers to an island, usually a small one. Isle is often used as part of an island’s name, like the Isle of Dogs in London, or the Isle of Wight off the coast of Hampshire in southern England. Also, the British Isles is a pretty famous one. We can remember that isle means island from the spelling; just think, isle = island.
| Sentences with the noun aisle |
| Please walk down the aisle to your seats in the theatre.
The aisles in the church were decorated with flowers for the wedding. |
| Sentences with the noun isle |
| They sailed to a beautiful isle in the Caribbean for their vacation. While on the plane, I saw hundreds and hundreds of isles. The isle was known for its unique wildlife, including rare bird species. |
Associate “isle” with “island” (both start with ‘I’). “Aisle” is the ‘A’irway you walk down in a theater or store.
Synonyms of aisle
As with all synonymous words, each has its own unique definition and application. Make sure that you’ve chosen the correct word given the context!
- passage
- passageway
- corridor
- gangway
- walkway
- path
- lane
- alley
Synonyms of isle
- archipelago
- atoll
- bar
- cay
- enclave
- haven
- islet
Read posts on other confusing words!
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- Which is it: Allusion or Illusion?
- Insure, Ensure or Assure?
- Averse or Adverse?
- “Accept” vs. “Except”: What’s the Difference?
Work Sheet
According to the post, what does the word “aisle” refer to?
What does the word “isle” typically refer to?
The post mentions that “aisle” is the correct word for which common phrase?
Which word is used to describe a location like the British Isles?
You are looking for cereal in the supermarket. Which word describes the space between the shelves?
We need to keep the clear so people can walk.
They took a boat to a beautiful, secluded .
Please find your seats down the main of the theater.
My dream vacation is to a remote tropical .
The bride looked stunning as she walked down the .
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main diff aisle vs isle?
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What is an aisle definition?
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What does the noun isle mean?
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How to remember isle vs aisle?
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Give example sentences.
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Yash, D. "What’s the Difference Between “Aisle” or “Isle”?." Grammarflex, Jun 20, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-difference-between-aisle-and-isle-usage-examples/.
Sources
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Definition of aisle, Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. Definition of isle, Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.
