What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
particle
Example
The air was filled with particles of dust. [particle: noun]
Example
In the sentence 'The cat sat on the mat', 'the' and 'on' are particles. [particle: noun]
Example
The book explores the smallest particles of human emotion. [particle: noun]
fragment
Example
The vase shattered into fragments when it hit the floor. [fragment: noun]
Example
The sentence 'Running through the park on a sunny day.' is a fragment because it lacks a subject and verb. [fragment: noun]
Example
The movie included a fragment of a dream sequence that did not connect to the rest of the plot. [fragment: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Fragment is more commonly used than particle in everyday language, especially in literary or artistic contexts. Particle is more specialized and is typically used in scientific or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between particle and fragment?
Both particle and fragment can be used in formal or informal contexts, but particle may be more commonly used in technical or scientific writing, which tends to be more formal.
