✅ An observer refers to a person who watches something happening. Sometimes this is for official purposes, to make sure that a given set of rules is followed or to take notes on what happens (They hired a neutral observer to keep a record of the peace talks).

✅ An eyewitness is a person that sees something happen, often by chance, and can give an account of it (The testimony of the eyewitness was important to the case).

✅ Eyewitness is most often used in relation to crimes or newsworthy events (She was an eyewitness to the accident).

✅ Observer often suggests a person who intentionally watches something, such as a procedure, happen (Observers said the innovative surgery went smoothly).

Describe something you were an eyewitness to with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Designate means to mark, indicate, assign, or specify something (He was designated the leader of the group; The items that had already sold were designated with a sticker).

✅ Earmark means to set something aside for a certain purpose, often used in accounting, finance, or business (The money was earmarked for our dinner).

✅ Designate can refer to assigning a person to a role, position, or job, but earmark is almost always used for assigning purpose to things rather than people (We earmarked the donation for books; The mayor designated the librarian as the city record keeper).

✅ Earmark is a more specific and less formal word than designate.

Write about a time you earmarked money for a future purpose with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Know-it-all refers to a person who acts like they know everything and doesn’t listen to other people’s ideas, opinions, or views (I don’t want her on my team because she’s such a know-it-all).

✅ Pedant refers to a person who makes a big deal of their academic knowledge, often by correcting others unnecessarily or in a socially inappropriate way (That teacher is a pedant).

✅ Know-it-all and pedant refer to similar but not identical types of people. A know-it-all believes they know better than other people (Sometimes being a know-it-all can be helpful), while a pedant places inappropriate emphasis on exactness (It’s hard to have a conversation with a pedant).

✅ Both words are pretty negative, with know-it-all being more informal and pedant less common, even than its adjective form pedantic.

Write about a pedant you know or have heard of with the help of Grammar Coach.