WIN vs. BEAT

Good morning / afternoon / evening everyone, depending on when you are reading this. Welcome back to the Daily Vitamin.  

Today we again look at two verbs that can sometimes cause confusion: to beat and to win. Both these verbs are used for sports and competition, but with slightly different meanings.

TO BEAT means: to defeat someone (a person or a team) in a game or other type of competition (election, battle, etc.). Remember: this verb always carries an object.

Example 1
It had been a long time since Barcelona beat Madrid in the Bernabéu.

TO WIN means: to defeat everyone else in a game or match, but without specifying the person (or team) that lost.

Example 2
Argentina won the last World Cup. They beat France in the final.

So, what do you think is the correct option for Example 3?

Example 3
I have never ________ my brother in a game of chess.
A. beat
B. won

The correct answer is A. "I have never beat my brother in a game of chess."

For more practice, I challenge you to come up with your own original sentences for each of these verbs? You can post your sentences on one of our social media sites (Facebook or Twitter) and we will give you feedback about your sentences as soon as possible.

Have a good day!