Precede vs. Proceed
We have many prefixes in the English language that can help us to discern the meaning of a word-and to distinguish between the different meanings of two words. Two of these prefixes are pre and pro, and they provide clues as to the differing meanings of precede and proceed.
Precede is a verb that means to come before in time or order, or to go ahead of someone or something. The prefix "pre" means "before" or "in advance."
1. Mary's ugly words preceded my decision not to be friends with her any longer.
2. The math lesson was preceded by a pretest over the concepts.
3. Did Caroline's performance precede yours at the concert last night?
4. Did the Great Depression precede World War I or World War II?
Proceed is a verb that means to begin, to move forward, or to continue on a course. The prefix "pro" means to advance or move forward.
1. When he called her ugly, the little girl proceeded to slap the mean boy.
2. Even though it is raining, our class decided to proceed with the field trip to the zoo.
3. I stood up in front of the class to recite my poem, but I had to wait for the teacher to tell me to proceed.
4. Please proceed to the cafeteria and get in line for lunch.
These two words are easily distinguished if you remember the meaning of their prefixes. Pre means "before" or "in advance," which should help you remember that precede means to come before. Pro means to "advance" or "move forward"-not necessarily to do either of these before something else, but just to move forward. So, this should help you to remember that proceed means to begin or move forward.
|
Related Links: Difference between Words Science Related Words Difference and Comparison |