Особенности употребления глаголов choose, select, elect, pick out
Английские глаголы to choose, to select, to elect, to pick out в переводе на русский язык имеют значение "выбирать". Они отличаются друг от друга по дополнительной характеристике выражаемого ими понятия и по стилистической окраске.
Глагол to choose имеет наиболее обобщённое значение и может заменять все другие члены этого синонимического ряда. To choose предполагает выбор того, что имеется в распоряжении, причём объектом выбора может служить предмет как одушевлённый, так и неодушевлённый:
Глагол to select имеет смысловой оттенок, подразумевающий выбор лучшего из большого числа разных лиц или предметов.
To select часто приобретает торжественную или официальную окраску:
Глагол to elect имеет смысловой оттенок, указывающий на официальное избрание путём голосования:
Глагол to pick out имеет смысловой оттенок, указывающий на тщательный выбор кого-либо (чего-либо), из числа лиц или предметов, находящихся в распоряжении. Глагол to pick out приближается по своему смысловому оттенку к глаголу to select, отличаясь от него тем, что имеет разговорную окраску:
Для тренировки навыков употребления рассмотренных глаголов предлагаем пройти тест на нашем сайте: Choose, elect, select, pick out.
Difference between "choose" and "select"
These two words are often used interchangeably and the greatest difference I can find between the two is «choose» for choosing multiple items from a set, and «select» for selecting a single item from a set. Are there other qualifiers to consider and is this singular/plural distinction on the right track?
So, really, what is the difference between the two, if any?
3 Answers 3
Select means to carefully choose; it also means to use a mouse or keystrokes to mark something on a computer screen.
In both the cases, the number of things chosen or marked does not influence which verb is used.
In addition to what you said,
Select is more formal than choose, and in everyday English, people usually say choose rather than select.
Also there’s a homophone for choose which is chews.
According to Merriam-Webster
choose: to have a preference for or to select freely and after consideration
select: to choose (as by fitness or excellence) from a number or group
I checked some other sources. In all of them the difference between select and choose is not considered important. so I think maybe it’s a better idea not to be fussy about it!
Choose vs select vs pick vs opt: what is the difference?
This group of words can be very confusing for learners because they are so close but so far. If you use them in the wrong context, it will immediately sound off for a native speaker. Of course, many other groups of words are like that in English, but let’s focus on this group today. Whether we say select or opt depends on small differences about the options themselves.
Choose is the most neutral word: use it for formal and informal situations
I am so glad that I chose to study English every day because I notice improvements.
= I am happy that I studied English when I had two choices: study English or do not study English.
Choosing what to wear in the morning can be difficult.
= It is difficult to make the correct choice between the many clothing combinations.
Select is slightly more formal and usually implies a longer list of options
You can select many different types of pastries at our bakery.
= There is a large variety of pastries you can choose here.
Please select a username.
= Type a username from the among the infinite options for usernames.
OR
= Click on the username among the several we provide.
Pick is very informal and creates the image of pointing with a finger
Originally, this word means to poke something with your finger.
Ex: You should not pick your scabs.
You should not pick your nose in front of other people.
There are so many candies to choose from; I can’t pick just one!
= There are many choices, and it is difficult just to point at one and say “I want that!”
I’m always picked last when we play sports in PE class.
= When we choose who will be on teams, I am the last choice of other students.
There is an expression “pick and choose,” which shows that pick is not about the decision process usually. It is more focused on the moment where you distinguish something as a candidate.
You! I pick you for our baseball team.
Opt (for) is usually formal and adds a nuance of making a choice between two definite and distinct branches
Parents who are not comfortable with their children eating school lunch can opt for lunch brought from home.
= If a parent does not the child to eat school food, the part can take another path, sending the child to school with lunch. There are two choices that never overlap: school lunch or lunch from home.
If you think the phone is too expensive, you can opt for a phone with less storage.
= There are two choices that cannot be changed: a phone with a lot of storage or a phone with not a lot of storage.
You can opt for the northern path or the southern path.
In summary:
- choose: the neutral word that can replace any of the other words
- select: a more formal word that usually has a list of options
- pick: an informal word that emphasizes pointing with your finger to make a decision at that moment
- opt (for): a formal word about making a choice among two that cannot be undone
Hopefully that clears up some confusion about these words. They are all different in small ways. When we natives decide select or opt, it wasn’t random. There is logic and reason to our choices. Now, you will be able to make the right decision among these similar vocab words.
If you want to learn more about language learning and improving your language skills, check out my YouTube channel for more useful tips. I would appreciate if you select or opt for my videos.
Keep on studying! I hope you choose the best words for your English sentences!
Choose vs. Select – What’s the Difference? (UK vs. US)
When picking an item, do you say “Choose” or “Select”?
For many people, those words are synonyms that can be used interchangeably. But are they really? Also, are they used differently in the UK and the US? If so, we want to know what that difference is.
Choose vs. Select – What’s the Difference?
“Choose” and “Select” have an almost identical meaning and can often be used interchangeably. “Choose” is to decide what you want from a range of possibilities, and “Select” is to choose making a careful decision. Both words indicate having a few choices and picking one or more of them.
Take a look at some examples below:
- At the candy shop, Anne didn’t know what to choose.
- At the candy shop, Anne didn’t know what to select.
As you can see from the two sentences in the example, regardless of which word you pick, both “Choose” and “Select” convey the same message. Let’s take a look at each word separately, to try and catch their nuances.
Choose
To “Choose” is to make a choice from a range of options. When someone “Chooses” they’re making a decision as to what they want to have or what they want to do.
In fact, The Cambridge Dictionary reinforces the idea that “Choose” relates to actions and life decisions, as much as it relates to picking an option from a set, or a list.
- So, which flavor did you choose?
- Sarah hated having to choose between people.
- Aaliyah was chosen to be the team captain.
- I don’t know which shirt to choose today.
- Paul chose to skip class today.
To “Choose” quite often involves making decisions on rhetorical things, such as skipping class or picking a favorite person, as much as it relates to small things like picking a flavor or what to wear.
In that sense, “Choice” is a word that has a broader use, when compared to “Select”. Let’s take a look at “Select” now, to try and understand that difference a little better.
Select
To “Select” to choose a number of things, by a process of making a careful decision. A “Selection” is often a small set of the best in their group, so being “Selected” can be considered an honor or distinction.
- What color did you select?
- Make sure you’re confident about your selection.
- Henry selected the third option.
- What’s the criteria for selection into the program?
- She used the computer mouse to make her selection.
- Paul selected to skip class today. (incorrect)
As you can see from the examples, “Select” involves tangible choices and not life decisions. Sentence 6, for example, replicates the same content in one of our examples for “Choice” – and “Select” in that context, doesn’t work.
You’d never say that “Paul selected to skip class”, because that’s not really a selection from a tangible set of options. Skipping class is a life’s “Choice”.
To “Pick” is literally to take some things and leave others. For example, if you had a box of candies in front of you, you’d “Pick” some to have and leave the ones you don’t want in the box.
The Cambridge Dictionary agrees with this idea of taking and leaving items from a selection of choices.
- I don’t think you should pick that one, because it looks smaller than the others.
- Peter says we should pick blue to be the team color, but Anthony prefers yellow.
- What material should I pick to build a dollhouse?
- If you can’t choose, just pick out one at random.
- Randy was picked as one of the winners of the contest.
“Pick” and “Select” are interchageable. If you change the word “Pick” in the examples above for “Select”, all of the sentences would still work and convey the same message.
The slight difference is in the word “Choice” that works so well for rhetorical choices, when the other two sometimes don’t. You should try and be careful when interchanging “Choice” for “Pick” or “Select”, just to make sure that change won’t affect the meaning of your sentence.
Choose or Select or Pick In the US?
Sometimes, English speaking habits are different in the US and the UK. If we looked at the US alone, which of those three words is used more often? Let’s find out by looking at the graph from Google Ngram Viewer below.
The graph reflects the American English use of “Choice”, “Select” and “Pick”.
In the US, “Choice” is the word used more often. That’s not surprising, given that “Choice” has a broader meaning and use.
In second place, there’s “Pick”. However, if you look closely, you’ll see that not long ago (in fact, about a decade ago) “Select” was used more than “Pick”, which indicates a recent trend that may or may not be confirmed.
Choose or Select or Pick In the UK?
How about the UK? For people who speak British English, which of the works is more common, “Choice”, “Select” or “Pick”? Take a look at the graph from Google Ngram Viewer below to find out.
The UK follows that same trend as the US. “Choice” is first in appearances, “Pick” comes second, and “Select” is in third place.
However, the change in use between “Pick” and “Select” came a little earlier in the UK. “Pick” became more common than “Select” around the mid 2000’s. Also the difference between those two words is more significant than the one we see in the US graph.
Final Thoughts
“Choice”, “Select” and “Pick” are correct and have similar meanings. However, use “Select” and “Pick” for physical, tangible choices – such as an item in a list, for example. Use “Choice” for those things, but also rhetorical “Choices”, such as what you want to do with your life, for example.
You may also like:
Choose From or Choose Among – Which Is Correct? (+Examples)
Unselect or Deselect – Which Is Correct? (Helpful Examples)
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.