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It’s very easy to get confused by coarse vs. course. These two words sound identical but have different meanings, which makes them homophones.
Table of Contents
Coarse Meaning
Coarse is an adjective that means composed of large parts or rough in texture. It can also be used to describe someone who is “crude or unrefined in taste, manners, or language,” according to Merriam-Webster.
Examples of Coarse in a Sentence
- The sweater her grandmother had knitted for her was coarse and scratchy, so she only wore it when her grandmother visited.
- His manner was very coarse and rude, so he wasn’t often invited to parties.
- Coarse language will not be tolerated in this school.
Course Meaning
The word course can be a verb or a noun.
As a noun, course has several meanings. It can mean the route or direction followed by someone or something, e.g., a road, the route a ship takes, a plan you devise to deal with an issue, etc.
Some sports fields are called a course, e.g., a golf course.
Another use for the word course is to describe a series of lectures in school or college on a particular topic.
It can also mean a dish or a set of dishes served together as part of a meal, e.g., a three-course meal.
As a verb, it means to move swiftly through or over something as if on a path, e.g., a river coursing down the mountain.
Examples of Course in a Sentence
- Jackie started her college course in September but decided to drop out a month later.
- Steve achieved his fastest time around the course, but he was beaten by his arch enemy at the last second.
- The spilled milk coursed its way down the cupboards to the floor.
Common Expressions Using the Word Course
There are a lot of common expressions that use the word course in the English language. These are some of the most popular:
- Allow nature to take its course
- A course of action
- The course of true love never ran smoothly
- Let nature take its course
- A crash course
- As a matter of course
- In due course
- Pervert the course of justice
- Par for the course
- In the normal course of events
- Run its course
- Of course
More Grammar Posts
Coarse vs. Course Quiz Questions
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. The answers are at the bottom of this blog post.
- Will I see you on the golf coarse/course next Saturday, John?
- The doctor prescribed a coarse/course of antibiotics to clear up the infection.
- She’s such a sweet person, but her use of coarse/course language really throws me off!
- The towels became coarse/course after years of use.
- The recipe says to coarsely/coursely chop the vegetables before you throw them into the pot.
Final Thoughts on Coarse vs. Course
One way to remember the difference between coarse and course is to remember that most uses of the word course revolve around movement or a route being taken. Coarse refers to the texture or appearance of something.
Coarse vs. Course Quiz Answers
- Will I see you on the golf course next Saturday, John?
- The doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics to clear up the infection.
- She’s such a sweet person, but her use of coarse language really throws me off!
- The towels became coarse after years of use.
- The recipe says to coarsely chop the vegetables before you throw them into the pot.
