Not only are aisle and isle homophones (words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling), they are also spelled similarly. The only difference is the beginning letter a in aisle. This causes greater confusion among English writers, causing them to interchange the two terms in their sentences. This post will allow you to distinguish between the two in terms of their definitions and uses.
The word aisle is used as a noun referring to “a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church or theater, an airplane, or a train” or “a passage between shelves of goods in a supermarket or other buildings.”
Police drag passenger out of his seat and down the aisle on the floor after airline overbooks flight
Mirror.co.ukIrish couple to hobble up the aisle after both break bones before wedding
The Irish SunCostco’s Best Deals May Be In The Liquor Aisle
Forbes
In the political context, the phrase reaching across the aisle refers to efforts toward unity or cooperation between opposing political parties and their members.
Kasich: Republicans ‘Have Got to Reach Out Across the Aisle’
CNSNews.com
Another idiom associated with the word aisle is walk down the aisle, which means to get married.
41 Non-Traditional Wedding Songs To Walk Down The Aisle To
Huffington Post
On the other hand, the term isle is used as a noun meaning “an island or peninsula, especially a small one.”
Filipino officials visit disputed isle, to build facilities
Fox NewsLet’s move to the Isle of Portland, Dorset: ‘It has its fair share of oddity’
The GuardianMore children get their first choice of primary school on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight County Press
Now that you know the differences between the two terms, it would be easier to determine which is the proper one to use in your writing. One way to remember is that an aisle is a passage found on an airplane while an isle usually refers to a small island.
