Meaning & use
Inner Hebrides
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Meaning
proper nounpluralScottish
A group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, including Skye, Mull and Islay, lying nearer the mainland than the Outer Hebrides.
Grammar: Plural in form, with 'the': the Inner Hebrides are popular with walkers.
Patterns
- the Inner Hebrides
- in the Inner Hebrides
- ferry to the Inner Hebrides
We took a ferry to the Inner Hebrides and spent a week on Mull.
The Inner Hebrides are famous for their whisky and wild coastline.
Skye is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides.
Common combinations
- an island in the Inner Hebrides
- Islay is an island in the Inner Hebrides known for whisky.
- the Inner and Outer Hebrides
- The Inner and Outer Hebrides have different island cultures.
- ferry to the Inner Hebrides
- A ferry to the Inner Hebrides leaves from Oban.
- travel around the Inner Hebrides
- They planned to travel around the Inner Hebrides by boat.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
- Hebrides proper noun
- the whole island chain off western Scotland
- Hebridean adjective
- relating to the Hebrides
- Outer Hebrides proper noun
- the chain of islands further west, including Lewis and Harris
Commonly confused: Inner Hebrides or Outer Hebrides? Inner Hebrides or Hebrew?
Inner Hebrides vs Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides lie further west, beyond the Minch, and include Lewis and Harris; the Inner Hebrides are nearer the mainland.
Inner Hebrides vs Hebrew
Hebrew is a language and a people; it is unrelated to the Hebrides, which are Scottish islands.
Practice
Which island is part of the Inner Hebrides?
Choose one answer.
Skye is in the Inner Hebrides. Lewis, Harris and Barra belong to the Outer Hebrides, further west.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Inner Hebrides”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.