Coarse vs Course

Rough texture or a path forward? Coarse and course sound alike but mean very different things, and these 9 questions help you keep them apart in everyday writing.

Fill the blank in lines like Skin can become ___ after years of sunburn and tanning. or The race ___ was 10 miles long.

A twist you might not expect: coarse is not only about gritty surfaces like sandpaper. It also describes rude or rough manners, so calling someone coarse is not a compliment. Meanwhile course covers a class, a path, and even the phrase of course.

Recommended level: intermediate.