Early in the history of this blog, I explained the proper use of ensure and insure. But there is a related word that I did not include in that post. I’m going to correct that here and now.
As I explained previously, ensure means to make sure or certain that X will occur. Insure means to provide assurance that Y will occur if X does. And the related word assure means to set someone’s mind at rest or to eliminate worry. Clearly, the denotations of these three words are very much related.
However, the connotations are quite different. In that earlier post I explained the differences between ensure and insure. Assure conveys the action of eliminating worry, usually through a promise or guarantee. Although insure also involves a promise or guarantee, insure connotes a specific outcome if the promise or guarantee is either met or violated, such as financial compensation, whereas assure can both general and specific and usually requires a direct object.
Consider the same example sentence used in the aforementioned post. It uses the correct word — ensure. But what if the writer used assure? Here’s how the sentence would read.
As I explained previously, ensure means to make sure or certain that X will occur. Insure means to provide assurance that Y will occur if X does. And the related word assure means to set someone’s mind at rest or to eliminate worry. Clearly, the denotations of these three words are very much related.
However, the connotations are quite different. In that earlier post I explained the differences between ensure and insure. Assure conveys the action of eliminating worry, usually through a promise or guarantee. Although insure also involves a promise or guarantee, insure connotes a specific outcome if the promise or guarantee is either met or violated, such as financial compensation, whereas assure can both general and specific and usually requires a direct object.
Consider the same example sentence used in the aforementioned post. It uses the correct word — ensure. But what if the writer used assure? Here’s how the sentence would read.
They assure engineering principles are used to design both the street and the flow of traffic on that street.
The absence of a direct object presents a problem here. Who exactly are they assuring? Certainly engineering principles need no assurance as they have no worries. Thus, to use assure correctly, the writer would need to supply a direct object.
They assure the public that engineering principles are used to design both the street and the flow of traffic on that street.
Another direct object other than the public could be used. Without the direct object, however, ensure becomes the more effective choice.
Revising a rule of thumb
In that aforementioned post I presented a mnemonic device I used to distinguish between ensure and insure. Now that I’ve introduced a third word to the mix, I need to update my device.
In order to assure myself in times of need, I need to ensure that I insure my car.
As I said in that previous post, if you find this device helpful, great. If not, use what works for you. Whatever you do, assure yourself with the use of ensure and insure as well as assure. Your image of yourself and your brands will be all the better for it.
Revising a rule of thumb
In that aforementioned post I presented a mnemonic device I used to distinguish between ensure and insure. Now that I’ve introduced a third word to the mix, I need to update my device.
In order to assure myself in times of need, I need to ensure that I insure my car.
As I said in that previous post, if you find this device helpful, great. If not, use what works for you. Whatever you do, assure yourself with the use of ensure and insure as well as assure. Your image of yourself and your brands will be all the better for it.
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