Distinguishing Enclosed & Attached

Enclosed vs Attached

Enclosed and Attached are two words that are often misused and confused in terms of their meanings and connotations. Many people mistakenly use them as synonyms, but there are significant differences between the two. The word “enclosed” is derived from the verb “enclose,” which can be traced back to Middle English.

What does Enclosed mean?

The word “enclosed” is used to mean “included.” For example:

– The certificate of fitness is enclosed in the cover.
– The lamp was enclosed in a golden box.

In the first example, “enclosed” means “included,” and in the second, it implies that the lamp was placed within a golden box. The noun form of the verb “enclosed” is “enclosure.” The verb “enclose” is sometimes followed by the preposition “with,” as in “The house is nicely enclosed with high walls.” Additionally, “enclosed” can be used as an adjective, as in “The enclosed theater is very attractive to look at.”

What does Attached mean?

The word “attached” is used to mean “added” or “joined.” For instance:

– The certificate of fitness is attached to the letter.
– She was asked to complete the attached form when the instruction leaflet was given.

In these examples, “attached” implies that something is joined or added to something else. The noun form of the verb “attached” is “attachment.” Like “enclosed,” “attached” can also be used as an adjective, as in “The house has two attached bathrooms.” The word “attached” is sometimes followed by the preposition “to” or “by,” as in “You can see a pipe attached to the tank” and “The property was attached by the government.”

Key Takeaways

• The word “enclosed” is used to mean “included,” while “attached” means “added” or “joined.”
• The noun forms of “enclosed” and “attached” are “enclosure” and “attachment,” respectively.
• Both “enclosed” and “attached” can be used as adjectives and are sometimes followed by prepositions like “with,” “to,” and “by.”