identify which is which

USAGE SUMMARY

'identify which is which' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to ask someone to figure out which thing is which when there is a group of similar items. For example, "Can you help me identify which is which out of these two coats?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Then they will throw out lines from Shakespeare and quotations from rappers like Common, Nas, Jay-Z and Jurassic 5 and ask the crowd to identify which is which.

The New York Times - Arts

This is partly due to the split focus of the script by Ed Solomon and Boaz Yakin & Edward Ricourt (based on a story by Yakin & Ricourt) that rarely allows the viewer sufficient time to side with the good guys or the bad guys — or to even identify which is which.

Los Angeles Times

Having such case studies that identify both areas of consensus and highlight disagreement in approaches to reproducibility are very valuable, but this paper does not identify which is which.

F1000Research

Knowing how to identify which is which is very important, as it can mean the difference between life or having to find your way back after respawning.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Brent Berlin, an ethnobiologist at the University of Georgia, discovered this when he read 50 pairs of names, each consisting of one bird and one fish name, to a group of 100 undergraduates, and asked them to identify which was which.

The New York Times - Science

From a distance the pair were visually indistinguishable, but it was easy for us to identify which was which from their agitated vocalisations – the female's strident, trumpeting honk duetting with her mate's hoarse hissing.

The Guardian

Children were initially shown two similarly coloured rectangles, a long thin one and a shorter broader one, and were asked to identify which was which.

British Journal of Ophthalmology

The criminal outfits will continue to be tackled head on, he says.But identifying which is which is no easy task.

The Economist

The new polymer tenner, when it comes out next year, will be similar in size to the current paper fiver, so shoppers could easily mix them up – and more importantly the blind and partially sighted will have problems identifying which is which.

The Guardian - Money

Spence's Signaling Theory cites that there are both good and bad candidates, but identifying which is which is not feasible based on signals.

Forbes

The irony of not intuitively knowing whether or not you're being intuitive is not lost on me, but the point is that we're human, we're fallible, feelings can come from many different sources, and nobody can be 100% accurate at identifying which is which.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "identify which is which" when you want to emphasize the act of distinguishing between two or more items that might be easily confused.

Common error

Avoid using "identify which is which" in highly formal or technical writing; opt for more precise or sophisticated vocabulary like "differentiate" or "discern" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "identify which is which" functions as an idiomatic expression used to express the act of distinguishing between similar items or entities. It implies a need to determine the correct identity or category for each item. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "identify which is which" is a correct and usable phrase as confirmed by Ludwig AI, used to denote the act of distinguishing between similar items. While grammatically sound, its usage is relatively rare and more common in news media, science, and wiki contexts. When it comes to writing guidance you should use the phrase when you want to emphasize the act of distinguishing between two or more items that might be easily confused but avoid it in highly formal or technical writing. For those seeking alternatives, phrases like "differentiate between them" and "distinguish between the options" offer similar meanings. The phrase functions as an idiomatic expression with a neutral to informal register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

distinguish between them

Focuses on the act of telling the difference.

differentiate the options

Highlights the process of finding differences.

discern one from the other

Emphasizes a more perceptive or insightful differentiation.

tell them apart

An informal way of expressing the ability to distinguish.

recognize the differences

Highlights acknowledgement of distinct characteristics.

ascertain their identities

Focuses on confirming what each one is.

determine their respective roles

Focuses on defining the function or part played by each.

separate into categories

Highlights the act of sorting based on identified differences.

clarify their positions

Emphasizes making their locations or stances clear.

establish their individuality

Focuses on confirming the unique nature of each.

FAQs

How can I use "identify which is which" in a sentence?

You can use "identify which is which" when there are two or more similar items and you need to distinguish between them, for example: "The twins look so alike, it's hard to identify which is which."

What is a more formal alternative to "identify which is which"?

In formal contexts, consider using "differentiate between", "distinguish between", or "discern one from another" instead.

Is it always necessary to use "identify which is which" when comparing items?

No, it's not always necessary. If the distinction is clear, you might not need to explicitly state the need to differentiate. However, if confusion is likely, using "identify which is which" can provide clarity.

What's the difference between "identify which is which" and "tell the difference"?

"Identify which is which" implies a need to assign specific identities to items, while "tell the difference" simply means noticing a distinction without necessarily knowing the specific identity of each item.