Mistake and error both describe something that is wrong or incorrect, but they are not always used in the same way. While the two words are related, they carry slightly different meanings and are used in different situations, from everyday life to professional fields like science, technology, and education.
In this article, you’ll learn the difference between mistake and error, with simple definitions and useful examples to help you use each word correctly.
What Does “Mistake” Mean?
A mistake is something done incorrectly by accident, even when you know the correct way. It usually happens because of carelessness, distraction, tiredness, or a brief lapse in judgment. Mistakes are often small and one-time events, and people can usually spot and correct them quickly once they are aware.
Examples:
- I made a mistake in my math homework.
- It was a mistake to forget my keys at home.
- We took the wrong train by mistake.
What Does “Error” Mean?
An error is a wrong result, decision, or outcome caused by lack of knowledge, incorrect understanding, wrong information, or a flaw in a system or process. Errors are often more serious, systematic, or repeated compared to mistakes. They can occur in technical work, language, science, or any process, and they usually require deeper investigation and correction to avoid happening again.
Examples:
- The scientist found an error in the data.
- The software crashed because of a technical error.
- The teacher corrected several errors in my essay.
Example Sentences Using Mistake and Error
Let’s look at more sentence examples to see how these words are used.
Example Sentences with Mistake
- I made a mistake when I sent the email to the wrong person.
- It was a mistake to park in front of the driveway.
- She called me by mistake instead of her friend.
- He made a mistake while entering the password.
- We took the wrong exit by mistake and had to turn back.
- I left my phone at home by mistake this morning.
- She made a mistake on the form but quickly fixed it.
- He admitted his mistake and promised to be more careful.
- Forgetting to lock the door was a big mistake.
- They made a mistake in the order and sent the wrong item.
Example Sentences with Error
- There was an error in the final report’s data.
- The software displayed an error message during installation.
- He made a calculation error that changed the results.
- The teacher marked several grammar errors in my essay.
- A small coding error caused the website to crash.
- The report was delayed because of a major error in the figures.
- She discovered an error in the instructions and corrected it.
- A translation error made the meaning unclear.
- The pilot’s navigation error led to a flight delay.
- The machine stopped working because of a system error.
Mistake vs. Error Quiz
1. She made several grammar ____ in her essay.
a) mistakes
b) errors
2. I called the wrong number by ____.
a) mistake
b) error
3. There was a calculation ____ in the financial report.
a) mistake
b) error
4. He realized his ____ and apologized immediately.
a) mistake
b) error
5. The teacher corrected five spelling ____.
a) mistakes
b) errors
6. I made a big ____ in trusting him.
a) mistake
b) error
7. The software has a bug. It shows an ____.
a) mistake
b) error
8. The map has several ____ in the directions.
a) mistakes
b) errors
9. Don’t worry, it was just a small ____.
a) mistake
b) error
10. I know the rule, so that was only a speaking ____.
a) mistake
b) error
Quiz Answers
1) errors
2) mistake
3) error
4) mistake
5) errors
6) mistake
7) error
8) errors
9) mistake
10) mistake
