LoginAnswer vs. Reply vs. Respond
These verbs all refer to the act of reacting to a question or situation. However, they have subtle differences in terms of usage and are not always interchangeable. This lesson will discuss the differences between these verbs in terms of usage.
Context of Use
Answering can involve providing spoken or written words or gestures such as a nod or a smile in reaction to a question. It can also be used to describe reacting to situations such as a phone call, a knock on the door, etc. 'Reply' is mostly used in the context of engaging in a conversation, whether spoken or via written messages, letters, etc. It is commonly used to directly report the words someone said in reaction to someone else's words and does not necessarily involve a question. 'Respond' is a more formal and less common word used to describe the act of providing a reaction to a question or situation. Here are some examples:
Please answer the question with a simple 'yes' or 'no'.
'Answer' is the verb most commonly used in context of questions.
He answered my question with a nod.
I called her several times, but she never answered.
You cannot use 'reply' or 'respond' when referring to a call or door.
When talking about his plans for the future, he replied, 'I aspire to start my own business'.
She was thrilled when her favorite author replied to her email with a personalized message.
She was thrilled when her favorite author responded to her email with a personalized message.
'reply' and 'respond' can be used interchangeably in this context.
The company launched a customer satisfaction survey, and many customers responded with positive feedback.
Tip!
Keep in mind that unlike 'answer', 'reply' and 'respond' are followed by a prepositional phrase using 'to' when they are used transitively; in other words, you 'answer' a question, but 'reply' or 'respond' to a question.
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