The words "reserve" and "book" are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion for English learners. However, there's a subtle but important distinction. Generally, "book" implies a confirmed reservation, while "reserve" suggests a more tentative arrangement that might require further confirmation. Think of "book" as the final step, while "reserve" is often a preliminary stage.

Let's look at some examples to clarify this difference:

Book:

• "I booked a flight to London." (Meaning: I made a confirmed flight reservation.)
• "I have booked a table for dinner at 7 pm." (Meaning: I have a confirmed table reservation.)

Reserve:

• "I reserved a seat on the train." (Meaning: I put a hold on a seat, but it might not be fully confirmed yet.)
• "I've reserved a room at the hotel, but I need to confirm it by tomorrow." (Meaning: I have requested a room; the reservation isn't finalized.)

Notice that "book" usually implies a completed action, whereas "reserve" can describe an action that is still pending confirmation. This difference is particularly important when dealing with limited resources or time-sensitive arrangements, such as flights, hotels, and event tickets. It's also important to pay attention to the context. Sometimes "reserve" can also mean to keep something for later use. For example: "I've reserved this seat for my friend." means that the seat is kept for his/her use. However, this doesn't need any prior confirmation from the friend.

Here are a few more example sentences:

• "I would like to book a table for two tonight." (Meaning: The speaker wants a confirmed reservation for dinner.)
• "Could you please reserve a copy of that book for me?" (Meaning: The speaker would like the book kept for their later purchase.)
• "I need to reserve a car for our trip next week." (Meaning: The speaker needs to make a tentative arrangement to rent a car.)
• "I have booked a ticket to see the concert." (Meaning: The speaker has a confirmed ticket for the concert.)

Happy learning!