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Be sure and vs. Be sure to

Be sure and

/bi ˈʃʊr ənd/

Used to tell someone to do something with certainty or without fail

Examples:

Be sure and lock the door before leaving.Be sure and bring your notebook to the meeting.Be sure and feed the cat while I'm away.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Be sure to

/bi ʃʊr tu/

To make certain or confirm that something is done

Examples:

Be sure to check the lock before leaving.Be sure to bring an umbrella today.Be sure to call her before she leaves.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

Be sure and is often considered informal and is more commonly used in spoken language.
Be sure to is more formal and is frequently found in written language.
While both phrases are used to indicate a reminder or instruction, be sure to implies a stronger sense of ensuring something happens.
In formal writing, be sure to is preferred over be sure and.
Be sure and can sometimes give the impression of two separate actions instead of one action, which might lead to confusion.

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