What's the main difference between a "part" and a "piece?" Or are they interchangeable?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Good question! "Part" and "piece" have a similar meaning but cannot be used interchangeably in all cases. "Piece" is a single, individual component of something else. "Part" (noun) is a section or amount of something else, which when combined with other "parts" forms the whole thing. Pieces are always parts, but parts are not always pieces. Ex: The engine is one of the most important parts of a car. Ex: A car engine is made from hundreds of pieces.

How do native speakers use this expression?

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Popular Q&As

11/18

1
What's "obtain" mean? Is it different from "get?"
"Get" and "obtain" have very similar meanings and can often be used interchangeably. As verbs, the main difference between "obtain" and "get" is that: "Obtain" is to get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way "Get" is to acquire; to purchase; to fetch; to receive Ex: Can you get (buy) a bottle of milk from the shop? Ex: Can you get (receive) the email I sent? Ex: Were you able to obtain the information I requested? = Were you able to get the information I requested? Ex: How did you obtain this painting?

2
What's the main difference between a "contribute" and "tribute?"
"Contribution" is related to the verb "to contribute," which means to help to cause or bring about something. One's "contribution" is one's participation, involvement, or input in something. Ex: I contributed greatly to this group project. Ex: The Beatles' contributions to music are widely known. Meanwhile, a "tribute" is an act, gift, payment, or statement that is made to show respect, gratitude, or admiration. Ex: I made a video as a tribute to our company's 10th anniversary. Ex: The island paid tribute to its colonizers for centuries before it finally became independent.

3
What's the difference between "carpet" and "rug"? Are they interchangeable?
They are mostly interchangeable! I'd say the difference is that a "carpet" can cover wall-to-wall flooring, whereas a "rug" only covers a small area. However, a "carpet" can also refer to material that covers a small area. Ex: I like the rug in your bedroom! = I like the carpet in your bedroom! Ex: We just got new carpets put into our house. Now I want to buy a few area rugs.

4
What does "so" mean in "so people"?
"So" here is used before you give an explanation for the action that you have just mentioned. Ex: I deliberately didn't have lunch so I would be hungry tonight. Ex: Please speak louder so I can hear you.

5
Isn't it present continuous tense? Is "are" skipped after the subject?
You're right, it is present continuous tense and the word "are" is skipped here after the subject in the sentence. In news announcements and article titles, it is common to skip lots of small filler words like articles and linking verbs, because they are already implied. Technically, it is not grammatically correct to leave these out, however, in English they are sometimes left out to shorten sentences since words like "are" are implied.

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