Main Difference – Allowed vs Aloud
Allowed and aloud are pronounced similarly which leads to much confusion. However, they have different spellings and totally different meanings. Allowed is the past participle of the verb allow and allowed means to be permitted. Aloud is an adverb meaning to be loud. Therefore, allowed refers to permission whereas aloud refers to sound. This disparity in meaning can be viewed as the main difference between allowed and aloud.
Allowed -Meaning and Usage
Allowed, unlike aloud, is a verb. It is the past participle of the verb allow, which means to grant permission or let someone do something. It is synonymous with permitted. When a little girl wants to use her mother’s lipstick, the mother might say that ‘you are not allowed to wear lipstick until you are older’. When a man is smoking in a public place, others might say that he is not allowed to smoke in public places. As seen from these instances, allowed deals with permission or letting someone do something. The following examples will help you to understand the meaning of this verb better.
He is not allowed to leave his house.
The bridge was heavily guarded, and people were not allowed to cross it.
The little girl is not allowed to wear makeup.
The suspect is not allowed to leave the country.
Sally’s husband allowed the children to eat too much ice-cream.
Smoking is not allowed on the bus.
Pets are not allowed here.
Aloud – Meaning and Usage
Aloud is an adverb. It means to loudly, or audibly. Aloud is the opposite of silent. When a little kid starts crying at the top of his lungs, we can say he is crying aloud. When a teacher can’t hear what the kid in the last row is saying, he’ll ask him to say it aloud. As seen from these example situations, aloud refers to speak out loud or to make a lot of noise.
The teacher asked him to read the chapter aloud.
The little child screamed aloud for his mother.
No, I wasn’t talking to you – I was just thinking aloud.
Peter, please stand up and read the lesson aloud.
Please do not read aloud; you will disturb the others.
He read the letter aloud so that everyone could know of her achievement.
It is important to note that aloud is mostly seen in modern usage when referring to audibly. When someone reads or talks in such a way that others can hear, we use the adverb aloud. The meaning that indicates a lot of noise (Ex: She wept aloud.) is now being replaced by other adverbs.
The students sang aloud.
Difference Between Allowed and Aloud
Grammatical Category
Allowed is a verb.
Aloud is an adverb.
Meaning
Allowed is the past participle of allow which means to let or permit.
Aloud means audibly, loud or not silently.
Function
Allowed refers to an action or state.
Aloud describes an action.
