Remind v Remember

What's the difference between remind and remember?

If you remember a fact or something from the past, you (by yourself) keep it in mind, or bring it back to your mind:

• Can you remember what we did in the last class?
• He didn't remember that it was his parents' anniversary.
• I don't remember turning off the light.*

                           Past                                                   Now
_____|_______________________________________|_______
I turned /didn't turn            (then)                       I don't remember
off the light                                                                             

or not forget to do something (later):

• Remember to turn off the light when you leave.*
• I must remember to call her next week to wish her a happy birthday.
• Did you remember to e-mail her?

        Now                      Future (later)
_____|__________|_______________|____________________
                      Remember (then) turn off the light

* See previous post on verb patterns (check "forget" too)



Source: You Tube (Eagle Rock) Key words: September Earth Wind Fire

September - Earth, Wind and Fire

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love,
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Now December found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love,
Remember the true love we share today

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - golden dreams were shiny days


Remind is always followed by an object pronoun (me, you, him..). We need another person to help/make us remember something.

• Could you remind Harry about the dinner next Saturday?
• You should remind the boss that you have a day off tomorrow.
• Please remind me to phone her in case I forget.

or we use it when sth/sb makes us think of sb/sth else:

• He reminds me of my old teacher. They have similar facial expressions
• This landscape reminds me of Scotland.
• The story reminded me of my childhood.

Source: You Tube (BreakupsDrama) Key Words: Remind Me Nickelback

How You Remind Me - Nickelback

Never made it as a wise man
I couldn't cut it as a poor man stealing
Tired of living like a blind man
I'm sick of sight without a sense of feeling
And this is how you remind me

This is how you remind me
Of what I really am
This is how you remind me
Of what I really am

It's not like you to say sorry
I was waiting on a different story
This time I'm mistaken
For handing you a heart worth breaking

And I've been wrong, I've been down
Been to the bottom of every bottle
These five words in my head
Scream, "Are we having fun yet?"

Yeah, yeah, yeah
No, no
Yeah, yeah, yeah
No, no

....

a reminder - a written or spoken message that reminds sb to do sth:

•  He forgot to pay the bill and they sent him a reminder.

or sth that reminds you of sth else:

• I bought the painting as a reminder of my holidays there.

remembrance (n) - when you remember and show respect for sb who has died:

• They placed flowers in remembrance of the victims of the accident.

forgetful (adj) - describes sb who often forgets things

• I'm getting forgetful in my old age.

forgettable (adj) - not good  or important enough to be remembered

• I would say that his last few films have been entirely forgettable.

unforgettable (adj) . describes an experience that has such an effect that it is impossible to forget

• My trip to India was an unforgettable experience.

Source: You Tube (Sam Novak) Key Words: Nat King Unforgettable

Unforgettable - Nat King Cole

Unforgettable, that's what you are
Unforgettable, though near or far
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me

Never before has someone been more

Unforgettable, in every way
And forvermore, that's how you'll stay

That's why darling it's incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable too

No, never before has someone been more


memory (n -c/u) - the ability to remember things:

• I have a really bad memory. What was your surname?
• She has an excellent memory for directions - as good as a Sat-nav.

or sth that you remember from the past:

• This tune really brings back remembers memories. 
• Many of us have fond memories of our childhoods.

memorable (adj) - likely to be remembered or worth remembering:

• It was a memorable performance. I had a great time.

to memorise - to learn sth so that you will remember it exactly:

• When I was at school, I had to memorize all the irregular verbs.

Source You Tube (ohwhatisthat) Key Words: way we were streissand boyle

The Way We Were - Susan Boyle

Mmm. Mmm.
Memories, light the corners of my mind
Misty watercolour memories of the way we were.

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
smiles we give to one another
for the way we were.

Can it be that it was all so simple then
or has time rewritten every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
tell me would we? Could we?

Memories, may be beautiful and yet
what's too painful to remember
we simply choose to forget

So it's the laughter we will remember
whenever we remember
the way we were.


Complete the following sentences with the correct expression:

1. I can't remember/remind where I parked the car.
2. Can you remember/remind your mother to pick up my suit from the dry cleaner's.
3. We would like to remember/remind customers that the store will be closed next Monday.
4. It was very embarrassing. I didn't remember/remind her at all.
5. That remembers/reminds me. It's Carol's birthday next week.
6. Passengers are remembered/reminded that smoking is not allowed in the terminal building.
7. I didn't remember to send / sending the letter. I'll do it tomorrow.
8. She might have been at the conference but I don't remember to see / seeing her.
9. Don't forget to phone / phoning me when you arrive.
10. This is just a quick reminder/remembrance that the deadline is this Friday.
11. Every year on the 11th November, the country falls silent in reminder/remembrance of the war dead.
12. I'm so forgetful/forgettable. I completely forgot that it was our anniversary.
13. The actor gave a forgettable / an unforgettable performance. He deserves to win an award.
14. She has so many happy remembers / memories of their time together.