What's the Difference Between 'Cue' and 'Queue'?
In this blog post we look at when to use cue and when to use queue.
'Cue' or 'Queue'?
Cue and queue are two words that are often pronounced the same, but they have different meanings and spellings.
A cue is a signal or prompt to do something, such as a word or phrase that indicates it's your turn to speak in a conversation, or a gesture that indicates it's time to start a performance. The word cue can also refer to a piece of information or action that helps you remember or do something, such as a cue card with lines for an actor to say.
A queue is a line of people or vehicles waiting for something, such as waiting to be served at a counter or waiting to enter a building. The word queue can also refer to a list of tasks or items waiting to be handled, such as a queue of emails or a queue of songs in a music player.
In summary, a cue is a signal or prompt, while a queue is a line or list of things waiting to be handled.
Here are some examples to demonstrate the difference between cue and queue:
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The director gave the actor a cue to start the scene. (a signal or prompt)
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The actor forgot his cue and had to be prompted by the director. (a line or phrase to be spoken)
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There was a long queue of people waiting to buy tickets for the concert. (a line of people waiting)
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The printer has a queue of documents waiting to be printed. (a list of tasks waiting to be handled)
Examples of Cue in a Sentence
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The actor waited for his cue to enter the stage.
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The cue for the start of the race was the sound of the starting gun.
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The director gave the stagehand a cue to lower the curtain.
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The DJ played the cue for the next song.
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The magician's assistant used hand gestures as cues for the magic tricks.
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The host used subtle cues to signal to the guests that it was time to leave.
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The teacher used visual cues to help the students follow along with the lesson.
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The singer used a cue card with the lyrics written on it to remember the song.
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The coach gave the players verbal cues to indicate which play to run.
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The orchestra conductor used hand movements as cues for the musicians to start and stop playing.
Examples of Queue in a Sentence
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The queue for the amusement park ride stretched all the way around the block.
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The customer added his name to the queue at the deli counter.
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The airline had a long queue of passengers waiting to check in for their flights.
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The printer has a queue of documents waiting to be printed.
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The bank had a queue of customers waiting to be served by the tellers.
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The grocery store had a queue of shoppers waiting to check out at the register.
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The website had a queue of orders waiting to be processed.
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The computer's task queue was full, so it couldn't handle any new tasks.
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The teacher asked the students to queue up in line before entering the classroom.
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The musician added the new song to the queue on the music player.
