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Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Ann in Vietnam about four words that help describe what group something belongs to.

Question

Dear Teacher,

What are [the] differences among species, kinds, types, and genres²? Which case [is] each word used for? Thank you,

Ann

Answer

I'm happy to answer this question, Ann.

We can use each of the words you ask about to describe what category something belongs in. A category is a group of things that share similar qualities.

For example, apples, bananas, and oranges all belong in the same category, which is fruit.

Kind and type

The words "kind" and "type" are synonyms³. That means they each share the same meaning. And they have the most general meaning of the four words you ask about.

A "kind" or a "type" is a group that shares things in common. For example:

Electric cars are one kind of car, while gasoline-powered cars are another type (or kind) of car.

Notice that we commonly put the preposition "of" after the words "kind" or "type."

The phrases "a kind of" and "a type of" are both very common in spoken English. We use the phrase "a kind of" more often than we use the phrase "a type of."

Species and genre¹

The two words "species" and "genre" are more specific than the two words "kind" and "type."

We use the word "species" to categorize living things. For example:

Elephants, cats, dogs, and mice are different species of animals.

Roses and lilies are different species of flowers.

Each species has a Latin scientific name. For example, the name of the species for human beings is Homo sapiens.

The word "genre" comes from the Latin word "genus," which means "group." We use "genre" to categorize styles of creative works. For example, music has many genres, such as rock, hip-hop, classical, and jazz. Genres of painting include Impressionism and Cubism. Likewise, film, dance, photography, literature, and theater each have their own genres.

The word "genre" is more formal than "kind of." So, in everyday discussions, we might ask someone:

What kind of movies do you like?

However, in writing or more formal discussions, we might use the word "genre."

For our readers and listeners, what are your favorite genres of creative works? And what are your questions about American English? We want to hear from you! Send us an email at [email protected]. And please let us know where you are from, too.

And that's Ask a Teacher.

I'm Andrew Smith.

Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.