My TOEFL students mix up these three words all the time! Here’s what you need to know:
“Resident” = a person. For example:
- “The residents of this city are really happy to live here.”
- “There were enough fireplaces for about 15 residents.”
- “Michael is a resident of Halifax.”
“Residence” = a place where someone lives (like a home). For example:
- “The houses in the Chaco Canyon were probably residences.”
- “There are over five thousand residences in downtown Seattle.”
“Residential” = an adjective with a meaning like “related to residences.” For example:
- “They look like the residential buildings in New Mexico.”
- “This is a residential neighborhood.”