Meaning & use
some distinguishing features
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Particular qualities or characteristics that make someone or something different from others.
Grammar: Often followed by 'of': the distinguishing features of a style.
Patterns
- some distinguishing features of something
- the distinguishing features of something
- distinguishing features between A and B
Some distinguishing features of this bird are its long tail and bright yellow beak.
The report lists some distinguishing features of the two dialects, such as vowel sounds and word order.
What are some distinguishing features of Gothic architecture?
phrasefixed phrasetechnical
A set of traits used to tell one group, type, or species apart from another.
Grammar: Common in science and academic writing; often used with 'identify' or 'describe'.
Patterns
- identify some distinguishing features
- describe some distinguishing features
Biologists identify some distinguishing features that separate the two species.
The examiner asked the students to describe some distinguishing features of the movement.
Common combinations
- a distinguishing feature of
- A distinguishing feature of her writing is its humor.
- the main distinguishing feature
- The main distinguishing feature is the red stripe.
- physical features
- Physical features such as height can help tell them apart.
- key features
- The article outlines the key features of the design.
Synonyms and how they differ
- characteristics
- A more general word for qualities; it does not always suggest that the qualities separate one thing from another.
- traits
- Often used for people or animals and suggests fixed qualities, while 'features' can also describe objects or designs.
Opposites
Word family
- distinguish verb
- To recognize or show a difference between things.
- distinguishable adjective
- Able to be recognized as different.
- distinctive adjective
- Easy to notice because it is different from others.
- feature noun
- An important part or quality of something.
Commonly confused: some distinguishing features or distinctive features?
some distinguishing features vs distinctive features
'Distinctive features' means features that are easy to notice and special; 'distinguishing features' are specifically the ones that let you tell two things apart.
Practice
What are some distinguishing features ___ this species?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is 'distinguishing features of something' when you mean the qualities that belong to it and set it apart. 'To' and 'for' do not follow 'features' in this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “some distinguishing features”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.