What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sty
Example
The farmer built a new sty for his pigs. [sty: noun]
Example
His room was a complete sty, with clothes and trash strewn everywhere. [sty: adjective]
pen
Example
The sheep were herded into the pen for shearing. [pen: noun]
Example
She wrote a letter with a pen and paper. [pen: noun]
Example
The prisoners were held in a small pen until their trial. [pen: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pen is more commonly used than sty in everyday language. Pen is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while sty is less common and is primarily used in the context of animal husbandry or describing a dirty living space.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sty and pen?
Both sty and pen are relatively informal words, but pen can be used in more formal contexts, such as business or academic writing, when referring to a writing instrument.
