Practice
Assure, ensure, or insure: how to choose
Sign in to saveThe manager assured Maya that her request had been received. She then ensured that the form was complete and insured the delivery van before the trip. All three words relate to confidence or protection, but each has a different object and purpose.
Choose assure when you remove a person's doubt, ensure when you make an outcome certain, and insure when you arrange protection against financial loss.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
assure / ensure / insure /əˈʃʊə(r)/ /ɪnˈʃʊə(r)/ /ɪnˈʃʊə(r)/
The short answer
Assure someone that something is true. Ensure that something happens or is ready. Insure a person or thing against a financial risk through an insurance policy.
The guide assured the visitors that the path was safe.
Why it works: The guide speaks to the visitors to remove their doubt, so assure is the right word.
5 more examples
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The nurse assured Leo that the scan would be explained clearly.
Leo is the person whose doubt the nurse is trying to remove.
Not this:The nurse checked the label twice to
ensure thatthe scan record was accurate. What changes: The checking action is meant to make the record accurate, so ensure fits the result. -
I can assure you that your seat has been reserved.
The speaker addresses you directly to give confidence about the reservation.
Not this:Please arrive early to
ensure thatyou can find your seat before the talk begins. What changes: Arriving early helps make the desired result possible; it is not a statement to reassure a person. -
The editor used a checklist to ensure that each quotation had a source.
The checklist is a step taken to make a condition certain.
Not this:The editor
assured the writerthat each quotation would be checked. What changes: The editor gives the writer confidence by saying what will happen. -
The owner insured the café against fire damage.
The owner arranged financial protection through insurance.
Not this:The owner installed alarms to
ensure thatstaff could leave quickly in an emergency. What changes: The alarms are intended to make a safe exit possible. This is about a result, not insurance cover. -
Before the move, Priya insured her bicycle against theft.
The bicycle is protected against a financial loss caused by theft.
Not this:Before the move, Priya
assured her neighbourthat she would return the spare key. What changes: Priya speaks to her neighbour to remove doubt about the key.
Read the full guide
First ask whether the sentence has a person who needs reassurance. If it does, choose assure. If the sentence is about making a condition or result certain, choose ensure. If it is about an insurance policy and financial risk, choose insure.
Use assure with a person who needs confidence
Assure means tell or show someone that something is true so they do not doubt it. The person is normally the object of the verb: assure a client, assure your friend, or assure me. A that-clause often gives the information that removes the doubt.
The technician assured the customer that the repair was covered.
The technician is speaking to a customer. The purpose is to give that person confidence, so assure fits.
Does the verb act on a person who needs to hear something?
If the action removes that person's doubt, use assure.
Use ensure for a certain result
Ensure means make certain that something happens or is in the required state. It focuses on the result, not on calming a person. It commonly appears with a that-clause, a noun such as safety or accuracy, or an arrangement that supports the outcome.
Please ensure that all visitors receive a map at the entrance.
The instruction is about making a process happen correctly. No one is being reassured.
A second review helps ensure accuracy in the final report.
Use insure for financial protection
Insure usually refers to arranging insurance against a possible financial loss. The object may be a building, vehicle, business, valuable item, trip, or person. The sentence may name the risk, such as theft, fire, or damage.
They insured the camera equipment against accidental damage.
The insurance policy provides financial cover if damage occurs. That is different from simply making an outcome certain.
Is the sentence about an insurance policy and a possible financial loss?
If it is, use insure and name the thing or person that receives the cover.
Check the object after the verb
The word after the verb often gives you the answer. Assure usually has a person: assure Elena or assure them. Ensure often has a condition or result: ensure safety or ensure that the files are saved. Insure has something covered: insure the car or insure the collection against theft.
We assured Elena that the files were saved.
We ensured that the files were saved.
The first sentence gives Elena confidence. The second sentence says that steps made the saved files certain.
Handle the American use of insure carefully
Some American dictionaries include a wider meaning of insure: make certain or guarantee. You may therefore see insure used where British English often uses ensure. In international, academic, or workplace writing, ensure is usually the clearer choice for a non-insurance result. Use insure when the context is clearly about a policy or financial protection.
The team tested the link to ensure that the registration page opened.
The team is checking a result, so ensure makes the meaning immediate. There is no policy or financial risk in this sentence.
Make the choice in a real sentence
Read the surrounding words before choosing. A person who is worried points toward assure. A process, plan, or required condition points toward ensure. A policy, premium, claim, or covered risk points toward insure. This short check prevents most mix-ups.
Choose the word: The organizer checked every name to ___ that nobody was left off the list.
Use ensure. Checking every name is an action intended to make a complete list certain.
Before you go
Remember this
Assure a person to remove doubt. Ensure a condition or outcome by taking steps that make it certain. Insure a person or thing through an insurance policy against financial loss. Check the object after the verb before you decide.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Assure, ensure, or insure: how to choose"
What is the main difference between assure, ensure, and insure?
Assure is for giving a person confidence by saying that something is true. Ensure is for making a result or condition certain. Insure is for arranging insurance cover against a possible financial loss, such as theft or damage.
The nurse assured Leo that the scan would be explained clearly.
Can I say assure that something will happen?
Use assure with the person who needs confidence: I assured Maya that the request had been received. When the sentence is about making an event happen, use ensure: The team ensured that the form was complete.
The nurse checked the label twice to ensure that the scan record was accurate.
When should I use ensure?
Use ensure when an action makes a result certain or helps it happen. A checklist can ensure accuracy, and arriving early can ensure that you have time to find a seat. The focus is the outcome, not a person's worry.
I can assure you that your seat has been reserved.
Does insure only mean to buy insurance?
Insure normally means arrange insurance cover for a person or thing against financial loss. For example, an owner can insure a café against fire damage. Some American dictionaries also record a broader meaning close to ensure, but ensure is clearer for a result that has nothing to do with insurance.
Please arrive early to ensure that you can find your seat before the talk begins.
Are ensure and insure pronounced the same?
In British English, ensure and insure are usually pronounced the same. Their meanings differ in writing: ensure is about making something certain, while insure is about insurance cover. Use the context and the object after the verb to choose the spelling.
The editor used a checklist to ensure that each quotation had a source.