Meaning & use
use respectively
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
To match two lists so that each item in the first list corresponds to the item in the same position in the second list.
Grammar: Put 'respectively' at the end of the clause after both lists. The order of the lists must match exactly.
Patterns
- A and B use X and Y respectively
- use something respectively
The two students, Maya and Leo, scored 95 and 88 respectively.
The UK and the US use pounds and dollars respectively.
The first and second experiments used heat and cold respectively.
Common combinations
- respectively
- The brothers, Tom and Ben, are 12 and 15 respectively.
- respectively in a sentence
- You often see 'respectively' in a sentence after two matching lists.
- use respectively correctly
- To use respectively correctly, make sure the two lists have the same number of items.
Synonyms and how they differ
- in that order
- A more casual phrase with the same matching meaning; 'respectively' sounds more formal and precise.
- correspondingly
- Similar but often used for cause and effect, not for matching two lists in order.
Word family
- respective adjective
- Belonging separately to each one of the people or things mentioned.
- respectively adverb
- In the same order as the people or things just mentioned.
Commonly confused: use respectively or respectfully? use respectively or respectable?
use respectively vs respectfully
Means 'in a polite way'. 'Respectively' is about matching order, not politeness.
use respectively vs respectable
Means 'good enough to be accepted' or 'proper'. It does not mean 'in order'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence using 'respectively'.
Choose one answer.
'Respectively' goes at the end of the clause after both lists, so option An is correct. Option B places it before the verb, which is not standard; options C and D break the fixed position.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “use respectively”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.