While both "promise" and "pledge" imply a commitment to do something, there's a subtle yet important difference between the two. A promise is a more general term, referring to a commitment to do something in the future. It can be a casual agreement between friends or a more formal declaration. A pledge, on the other hand, is a more serious and formal promise. It usually involves a significant commitment or a solemn vow, often made publicly. Think of a pledge as a more weighty promise.

Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference:

• Promise: "I promise I'll call you later." (Meaning: I commit to calling you later.)
• Promise (translation): "I commit to calling you later."
• Pledge: "She pledged her allegiance to the country." (Meaning: She made a serious and formal commitment of loyalty to the country.)
• Pledge (translation): "She made a serious and formal commitment of loyalty to the country."

Notice how the second example uses stronger language and implies a more profound commitment. Pledges are often associated with oaths, vows, and formal declarations, whereas promises are used in everyday life in a much wider range of situations.

Let's look at another example:

• Promise: "I promise to finish my homework before dinner." (Meaning: I commit to completing my homework before dinner.)
• Promise (translation): "I commit to completing my homework before dinner."
• Pledge: "The students pledged to raise $1000 for charity." (Meaning: The students made a formal commitment to raise $1000 for charity.)
• Pledge (translation): "The students made a formal commitment to raise $1000 for charity."

In this case, the first sentence is a simple promise, while the second is a more formal pledge, implying a shared goal and collective responsibility. The key difference lies in the formality and seriousness of the commitment.

Happy learning!