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      Mental Floss

      THE DIFFERENCE

      Which of these water types is better? We have an answer.

      What’s the Difference Between Hard and Soft Water?

      “It just tastes funny” is only part of the difference between hard water vs. soft water.

      Jake Rossen

      Strombolis and calzones might seem the same, but they actually differ in some crucial ways.

      Calzone vs. Stromboli: What’s the Difference?

      These pizzeria staples have a lot in common, but they’re not the same.

      Michele Debczak

      Many bread recipes call for active dry yeast, but is it OK to substitute for instant yeast in a jam?

      Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Yeast: What’s the Difference?

      You can use active dry and instant yeast interchangeably in most cases, but they’re not exactly the same.

      Michele Debczak



      You just know which one Goldilocks is going for.

      Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: What’s the Difference?

      Deciding when to use an em dash instead of some other punctuation mark is largely up to you—except in situations that call for an en dash or hyphen.

      Ellen Gutoskey


      Would a consignment shop take your collection of fuzzy scarves?

      Consignment Shop vs. Thrift Store: What’s the Difference?

      The differences between consignment and thrift stores go a little deeper than profit margins.

      Ellen Gutoskey


      If only it were this simple.

      Subconscious vs. Unconscious: What’s the Difference?

      To Sigmund Freud, there wasn’t one. But the terms aren’t always cited as synonyms.

      Ellen Gutoskey


      It's complicated.

      British vs. English: What’s the Difference?

      First, you have to understand the difference between England and Britain (and the UK, while we’re at it).

      Ellen Gutoskey
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