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Many words
contain the word respect within them. But each one has a
distinct meaning.
The words
we are concerned with today are respectively and respective, which are used for comparative effect.
Respectively is an adverb meaning either “in particular”
or “in the order given.” In writing, we use it when giving a
comparison for which there are an equal number of elements
on either side of the comparison. In other words, if the
sentence has four elements, there are really two sets of two
things being compared. Respectively comes at the end
of a sentence and is preceded by a comma.
Correct:
The study on conservative values
and the one on liberal values
were titled “Study C” and
“Study L,”
respectively.
Correct:
Carrie and
Tasha turned
16 and
17 years old,
respectively.
Wrong: The
brother and sister entered their rooms, respectively.
The
sentence above illustrates a common error. Because “rooms”
is really one unit, or the plural of one kind of object,
there is no comparison being made. For example, were the
brother and sister to enter different rooms (the kitchen and
the bathroom), respectively would be necessary to
establish which child entered which room. But for this
sentence, we would use respective to denote that each
child entered a separate room.
Correct:
The brother and sister entered their respective
rooms.
Respective, on the other hand, is an adjective meaning
“particular” or “separate.” We use it to help distinguish a
noun as having two separate parts or being of distinct
plurality.
Correct:
The dog and cat went into their respective cages.
Correct:
The mailman placed each letter in its respective
slot.
Wrong:
According to many accounts, Monet and Picasso were the
respective leaders of Impressionism and Modernism.
In this
case, the sentence above is incorrect because, while these
artists may have been leaders of “separate” artistic
movements, we cannot tell clearly from this sentence which
artist led which movement. Respective would work only
if the sentence used a more general noun, such as “major
artistic movements,” rather than two (Impressionism and
Modernism). Respectively would work better for this example.
Correct:
According to many accounts, Monet and Picasso were the
leaders of Impressionism and Modernism, respectively.
Tip: To
avoid confusion, use a simple substitution test to determine
which word to use in different situations. For
respectively, substitute “in the order given” to check
whether a sentence makes sense. For respective,
substitute “separate” (or “particular”) to the same effect.
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