Practice
Nought or knot: understand the difference
Sign in to saveAt halftime, the score was nought-nought. Before the second half, a player retied a loose knot in a bootlace. The words have different meanings, so the sentence tells you which spelling to use.
Choose nought for zero or nothing and knot for a tied loop or a nautical unit of speed, using the sentence meaning and spelling.
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
The score was nought-nought, and the rope had a knot. /ðə skɔː wəz nɔːt nɔːt, ænd ðə rəʊp hæd ə nɒt/
The short answer
Use nought when you mean zero or nothing. Use knot for a tied loop in material, or for a nautical unit of speed.
The score was nought-nought, and a loose knot came undone in the net.
Why it works: Nought-nought gives a score of zero to zero. Knot names the tied part of the net.
5 more examples
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The score was nought-nought at halftime.
Nought-nought means zero to zero in a score.
Not this:The climber checked
the knotbefore using the rope. What changes: Knot names the fastening in the rope. -
The team earned nought points in the final round.
Nought gives the amount of points: zero.
Not this:I tied
a knotin the ribbon around the gift. What changes: The ribbon is tied into a fastening, so knot is correct. -
The boat moved at eight knots across the bay.
Knots describes the boat's speed in nautical miles per hour.
Not this:She loosened
the knotin her shoelace. What changes: This knot is the tied part of the shoelace. -
The report found nought errors in the final table.
Nought means that the number of errors was zero.
Not this:
A knotheld the two pieces of string together. What changes: The tied loop joins the pieces of string. -
The temperature fell to nought degrees overnight.
Nought gives the number zero before degrees.
Not this:The rope had
a knotnear the middle. What changes: Knot identifies a tied or tangled part of the rope.
Read the full guide
Start with the thing your sentence names. If it names a number or an amount of nothing, write nought. If it names something tied, write knot. If the sentence is about a boat's speed, knot is also the word you need. Check the whole sentence before relying on the sound alone.
Start with number, fastening, or speed
Ask what the word names. Use nought for the number zero or an amount of nothing. Use knot for something tied. Use knots for the speed of a boat or aircraft. This meaning check gives you the spelling before you worry about pronunciation.
The score is nought-nought.
The two teams have zero points, so nought is the number word.
Tie a knot at the end of the string.
The string is tied into a fastening, so knot is correct.
Which word fits a sentence about zero points?
Use nought when the sentence needs the number zero.
Use nought for zero or nothing
Nought can name zero in a score, measurement, or count. You may see it in British sports results and expressions such as nought degrees. It can also mean nothing, but zero is often the more usual word in everyday international English.
The visitors scored nought in the first half.
Nought tells you that the visitors scored zero.
The thermometer showed nought degrees.
The word gives a numerical reading of zero.
Which spelling completes this sentence: The answer was ___?
Write nought when you mean zero or nothing.
Use knot for something tied
A knot is made when rope, string, thread, or ribbon is tied. You can tie, tighten, loosen, or undo a knot. The word can also describe a tangled place in hair, wood, or a muscle, but the main idea is a tight loop or tangled part.
He tied a knot to keep the parcel closed.
The knot works as a fastening for the parcel.
Please undo the knot before you open the bag.
Undo shows that the word names something that has been tied.
Which spelling completes this phrase: a knot in a rope?
Write knot because the phrase describes a tied loop in the rope.
Use knots for nautical speed
Knot has a second common meaning in travel and navigation. A knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. Use the plural after most numbers: ten knots, fifteen knots, or one hundred knots. This meaning is about speed, not something tied.
The ferry travels at twelve knots in calm water.
Twelve knots is a measurement of speed.
The pilot reported a speed of one hundred knots.
The unit is used for an aircraft's speed as well as a boat's speed.
Which word follows a boat speed of twenty?
Write knots because the sentence gives a nautical speed.
Use context when you hear the words
In standard British English, nought and knot have different vowels. The difference may be less clear in other accents, so do not choose the spelling from sound alone. Look for nearby words about a score, a measurement, rope, tying, a boat, or an aircraft.
The rope had a knot near the bow of the boat.
Rope tells you that knot means a fastening, even though the sentence also mentions a boat.
The boat was moving at nine knots.
Moving at nine gives a speed, so knots is the unit.
What should you check if the sound is unclear?
Check the words around it and decide whether the meaning is a number, a fastening, or a speed.
Check the whole sentence before you write
Read the sentence once for its main idea, then find the clue near the missing word. Numbers and scores point to nought. Words such as tie, rope, string, and shoelace point to knot. A number followed by a boat or aircraft speed also points to knots.
The runner finished with nought points.
Points is the clue that the sentence needs zero.
The runner retied the knot in a shoelace.
Retied and shoelace show that the word means a fastening.
What is the quickest check before choosing nought or knot?
Ask whether the sentence is about zero, something tied, or a nautical speed.
Before you go
Remember this
Use nought for zero or nothing. Use knot for a tied fastening and for nautical speed. When you hear a similar sound, ask whether the sentence is about a number, something tied, or a boat's speed.
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 "Nought or knot: understand the difference"
Is nought the same as zero?
For numbers and scores, nought has the value zero. The word is used particularly in British English, while zero is widely used in many varieties of English. Choose the form that fits the style and audience of the sentence.
The score was nought-nought at halftime.
Can nought mean nothing?
Yes. Nought can refer to an amount of nothing, as well as the number 0. You may see it in British expressions about points, scores, temperatures, or results. In ordinary international writing, zero is often the clearer everyday choice.
The climber checked the knot before using the rope.
What does knot mean?
Knot usually refers to a loop or fastening made by tying material such as rope, string, ribbon, or a shoelace. The same spelling is also used for the nautical unit that measures the speed of a boat or aircraft.
The team earned nought points in the final round.
Are nought and knot pronounced the same?
Not usually in standard British English: nought has a longer vowel than knot. The difference can be smaller in some accents, so context is more reliable. Look for a clue about a number, a tied object, or nautical speed before you choose the spelling.
I tied a knot in the ribbon around the gift.
Which word should I use for a boat's speed?
Use knots for a boat's speed. For example, a ferry can travel at twelve knots. This use refers to nautical miles per hour, so it uses the spelling knot even though no rope is being tied in the sentence.
The boat moved at eight knots across the bay.