What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
ply
Example
He plies his trade as a taxi driver in the city. [plies: verb]
Example
The ferry plies the waters between the two islands every hour. [plies: verb]
Example
The delivery truck plies the same route every day. [plies: verb]
commute
Example
I commute to work by train every morning. [commute: verb]
Example
The new subway line will make commuting between the two cities much easier. [commuting: gerund or present participle]
Example
I decided to commute my prison sentence to community service. [commute: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Commute is more commonly used than ply in everyday language. Commute is a common term used to describe the daily journey between home and work or school, while ply is less common and has a more specific meaning related to transportation for a trade or profession.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between ply and commute?
Ply is typically associated with a more formal tone, while commute is versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
