Question posted by Anne Fernandez on my Facebook Messenger page (November 14, 2018):
Hello, Sir. I'd like to ask the difference between 'with honor' and 'with honors'. Somebody corrected me when I used the phrase 'with honor' (without an -s).
Example: "For having completed the quarter 'with honor'..."
My reply to Anne Fernandez:
"With honor" and "with honors" may look and sound similar but they actually mean different things.
The phrase "with honor" is an adverb phrase that means "honorably" or "characterized by integrity," as in the sentence "He is that rarest of public officials who do their duty with honor despite the many temptations for graft that come their way."
On the other hand, "with honors" (always in the plural) is a term that specifically refers to an academic distinction conferred on a superior student, as in the sentence "She graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of _____."
That's all.
Rejoinder by Anne Fernandez:
I was wrong when I said 'with honor'. Thank you, Sir Joe!
