What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
clacking
Example
She walked down the hallway, her heels clacking on the marble floor. [clacking: verb]
Example
The typewriter keys were clacking loudly as she typed her report. [clacking: present participle]
clattering
Example
The pots and pans were clattering in the kitchen as she prepared dinner. [clattering: present participle]
Example
The horses' hooves were clattering on the cobblestone street as the carriage sped by. [clattering: gerund]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Clattering is more commonly used than clacking in everyday language. Clattering is versatile and can be used to describe various noisy situations, while clacking is less common and has more specific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between clacking and clattering?
Both clacking and clattering can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, clacking may have a slightly more formal or technical connotation due to its association with machinery or specific actions.
