Writing for Business - A Whatis.com Blog » mettle vs. metal http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business Is your grammar as good as your code? Thu, 23 May 2013 20:41:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Test your metal or mettle? http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/test-your-metal-or-mettle/ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/test-your-metal-or-mettle/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:43:18 +0000 Ivy Wigmore http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/?p=836 Which is correct?
Keeping data flowing efficiently across an enterprise WAN tests the _______ of any system administrator.
a. mettle
b. metal


Answer: a

Explanation:
Because these two words are homophones — words that sound identical — many people don’t realize they are actually two different words. However, mettle means the stuff one is made of, the strength and quality of one’s character. Metal, as you probably know, is any of a variety of handy substances used to make cars, computer parts, appliances and so on.

The Guide to Grammar and Writing includes mettle and metal in its Notorious Confusables section.

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