Ad vs. Add: When One ‘D’ Makes All the Difference!

Difference Between “Ad” and “Add”

History of the Words

“Ad” is short for advertisement. People have used ads for a very long time. Ads tell us about things we can buy or events we can go to.

“Add” means to put things together. It comes from the old English word “adda.” We use it when we want to combine things or numbers.

How to Use Them

We use “ad” when we talk about messages that sell something or give information. We often see ads on TV, in magazines, or on the internet.

We use “add” when we want to put things together. This can be numbers, items, or ideas.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Remember: “Ad” has one “d” like “buy one.” “Add” has two “d’s” like “put two things together.”

Example Sentences for “Ad”

• I saw an ad for a new toy on TV.
• The newspaper was full of ads.
• We watched an ad before the movie started.
• Her favorite ad was for chocolate.
• He made an ad to sell his car.

Example Sentences for “Add”

• Please add more sugar to my tea.
• If you add three and four, you get seven.
• We need to add more chairs for the guests.
• Can you add this to the list?
• They had to add extra time to finish the game.

Summary

Use “ad” for advertisements, which tell us about things to buy or events. Use “add” when putting things together, like numbers or items. Remember: one “d” for selling, two “d’s” for putting together.