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What are Exit and Exist? Differences between Exit and Exist in English

Exit and Exist are often confused in definition and usage because their spelling is somewhat similar. However, Exit and Exist are two words with completely different meanings. In this article, PREP helps you learn the definitions, words/phrases associated with and distinguish between Exit and Exist most accurately. Refer below!

I. What is Exit?
II. What is Exist?
III. Differences between Exit and Exist
IV. Exercises to distinguish Exit and Exist
V. Start Your IELTS Journey

I. What is Exit?

According to the Cambridge and Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, Exit is pronounced as /ˈek.sɪt/, this word acts as a noun and a verb.

Exit acts as a noun, meaning: the door through which you might leave a building or large vehicle/ the act of leaving a place, especially a theater stage. For example:
- We headed for the nearest exit.
- He saw Emma arrive and made a quick exit.
Exit acts as a verb, meaning: to leave a place such as a building, room, or large vehicle. For example: Please exit the theater by the side doors.

Words and phrases associated with Exit:

Words and phrases associated with Exit	Example
An exit strategy/ route	In case of an emergency, it's crucial to have a well-defined exit strategy.
An exit charge/ penalty/ fee	Some contracts may have an exit charge for terminating the agreement.
Fire exit	During the fire drill, everyone calmly proceeded to the fire exit.
Emergency exit	In the event of an emergency, please use the emergency exit.
Exit door/ gate	The exit gate was locked temporarily for maintenance.
Make an exit	As tensions rose in the meeting, he chose to make his exit.
Exit from something	Anna decided to exit from the project due to personal reasons.
Exit the program/ site/ game	To close the application, simply click on "Exit the program".

II. What is Exist?

According to the Cambridge and Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, Exist is pronounced as/ɪɡˈzɪst/. Exist acts as a verb, meaning: to be, to be real, to live in difficult conditions. For example:

I don't think ghosts exist.
Poverty still exists in this country.
No one can be expected to exist on such a low salary.

Words and phrases associated with Exist:

Words and phrases associated with Exist	Example
Co-exist	In large cities, the rich and poor often co-exist side by side.
Pre-exist	Dinosaurs pre-existed human beings by many millions of years.
Really/ actually exist	Do you think ghosts really exist?
Already/ currently exist	Legislation to protect us from terrorists already exists.
Still exist	A number of my grandfather’s early photographs still exist.
Continue to exist	We all hope the human race will continue to exist for millions of years.
Cease to exist	The town which Joy talked about has long since ceased to exist.
Be known to exist	Five copies of the original book are still known to exist.
The right to exist	The president issued a statement recognizing Kosovo's right to exist.

III. Differences between Exit and Exist

Exit and Exist may seem similar in meaning at first glance, but they are used in different situations. Let's explore them with PREP right below!

	Exit	Exist
Part of speech	Noun Verb	Verb
Pronunciation	/ˈek.sɪt/	/ɪɡˈzɪst/
Definition	The door through which you might leave a building or large vehicle/ the act of leaving a place, especially a theater stage To leave a place such as a building, room, or large vehicle	To be, to be real, to live in difficult conditions
Example	Please exit the emergency exit when you hear the fire alarm.	No one can be expected to exist on such a huge fire.

IV. Exercises to distinguish Exit and Exist

Get a better grasp of the knowledge about Exit and Exist through the exercises provided by PREP below!

Exercise: Fill in Exit or Exist in the appropriate blanks.

Please use the emergency _______ in case of a fire.
Many ancient civilizations no longer _______.
The sign for the highway _______ was clearly marked.
The rare species continues to _______ in a small habit.
After the concert, the crowd rushed to find the nearest exit. To leave the building, take the _______ on the left.
The challenge is to _______ harmoniously with nature.
After the movie, the audience slowly filed out through the _______ doors.
Virtual currencies like Bitcoin _______ only in digital form.
In case of an emergency, the _______ doors will automatically open.
The idea that life may ______ beyond Earth has fueled scientific exploration.

Answer:

exit
exist
exit
exist
exit
exist
exit
exist
exit
exist

V. Start Your IELTS Journey

PREP hopes that through this article, you have understood the definitions, usages, and differentiation between Exit and Exist. Looking to break through your IELTS plateau? Discover our advanced coaching programs below:

IELTS preparation course: Master Every Section of IELTS

Master Tu Pham

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Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.