Accident vs Incident Exercise

Accidents and incidents can be confusing at times and understanding the difference between them can challenge even the most advanced English speakers. Accidents and incidents are similar in that they are both unexpected; however, they can have vastly different meanings when their implications are fully understood. Accidents are often unwanted, unintentional events that yield a negative outcome, such as a car accident, an accident at work, or an accident involving injury. Incidents, by comparison, are more often minor events, which may or may not involve actual harm, such as a car hitting a pothole or an employee falling down but not sustaining an injury. Familiarizing yourself with this distinction can be difficult, but practising with an online exercise can be a great way to improve your grammar. Our 'Accident vs Incident' exercise will help you learn how to identify when to use each word correctly in a sentence. You will have five minutes to complete the exercise and you can review the correct answer immediately after submitting your answer. Through practice and dedication, you can start using accident and incident correctly in conversation and writing. For example, you might use the phrase "I was in an accident" to refer to a event such as a car crash or hurtful event. On the other hand, you can say "I experienced an incident" to refer to a mundane event like slipping on a wet floor with no injury. So remember: if something has the potential to be harmful, chances are it was an accident. If it was a minor event, it was likely an incident.