Can 'computer use' and 'computer usage' be used interchangeably in this sentence?

Question

Context: In my IELTS class, I have to rewrite this sentence using a different structure:

There will be a sharp increase in the use of computers in classroom by the next decade.

My answer was:

By the next decade, computer usage in classroom will grow tremendously.

and the Answer Key was:

Classroom computer use will increase sharply by the next decade.

Did I use the word 'usage' correctly? Does my answer sound right and natural with you native speakers? Can 'use' and 'usage' be used interchangeably in this case?

I have looked up the 2 words in dictionaries and read this link as a reference but I still can't really tell what's right or wrong: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/34712/use-vs-usage/34714#34714

Thank you!

I can't explain why in the specific context of *computer use / usage*, the latter is apparently far more common. But as you'll see from that linked chart, we much prefer *water use* over *...usage, and it's the same story with energy use. I think perhaps computer nerds just like "fancy" words, but my advice is to stick with plain and simple use* everywhere. — FumbleFingers, Jan 31 '24 at 11:43
Wooah, thank you for your answer, the link and the advice (i will do that!!)! I didn't know about this cool Google tool, so ty again!! — Flower Power, Jan 31 '24 at 12:07
I commend the earlier questions "use" vs. "usage" in "The use / usage of a different drug calls for a detailed justification" and When to use 'uses' and 'usage'. "Usage" versus "use" has more votes, but I can't endorse it because the top-rated answer endorses using *usage* in contexts where I feel it's unnecessary. Particularly in advice for learners, I think we should always favour the simplest "acceptable" form. — FumbleFingers, Jan 31 '24 at 12:27
@FumbleFingers, "computer use will" is in fact more common than "computer usage will". Your chart has an added condition increase applied to the use case and hence the skewed result. — Seowjooheng Singapore, Jan 31 '24 at 13:30
@SeowjoohengSingapore: Oh! Thanks for the explanation. I don't know how I missed that, but the chart I intended to show clearly reflects the point I was making. With the correct set of 4 search strings, Google NGrams explicitly says "Ngrams not found: computer usage will increase". — FumbleFingers, Jan 31 '24 at 13:58
@FumbleFingers Why does the expression with "usage" appear to be significantly more popular than the version with "use"? computer usage will be vs computer use will be — Mari-Lou A, Jan 31 '24 at 21:41
@Mari-LouA: Because the NGram I linked to in my first comment erroneously omits the word *increase* after search string *computer usage will. But since that additional constraint isn't in the other* three search strings (including *computer use will increase), it gave a misleading result. In reality, use* is far more common than *usage* for computers, energy, water, and probably every credible "noun representing a thing that can be used or consumed". — FumbleFingers, Feb 01 '24 at 01:25

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 31 '24 at 20:53

You used usage correctly! Probably the answer key had a different response because the writer was trying to keep the two sentences as similar as possible. Your sentence had the same meaning, but slightly different words.

In general, usage and use (as a noun) are the same word and can be used in the same way. In the past, usage was a noun and use was only a verb. Over time, language changed and now they can both be nouns.

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I would make one change to the starter sentence and your sentence though. These would sound more correct if there was an article or qualifier before the word classroom OR if classroom was plural instead (classrooms). So I would write this as "By the next decade, computer usage in the classroom will grow tremendously."

I recently wrote another answer about articles and why this is more correct.

Can 'computer use' and 'computer usage' be used interchangeably in this sentence?

1 Answers1

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