Adapt:It either refers to changing something to make it more suitable for a particular use or to adjusting to a new environment.
Adopt:It is used whenever something is chosen, taken over, accepted, or approved by choice.
When is Adapt used?
• Changing something to suit something
• Adjusting to a new environment.
• In literature and film, adapt is used to show a piece of work is made by modifying work from another genre or medium.
Examples for using Adapt
• Milli cosmetics are adapted to suit all skin types.
• I adapted myself to the California environment very quickly.
• J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter was adapted for television.
When is Adopt used ?
• When something is taken over,
• To be chosen, accepted or approved by choice.
• It is also used to legally take a child home as a part of the family.
Examples for using Adopt
• I always adopt healthy eating habits for my well-being.
• Most kings adopted high-sounding titles such the lord of the three worlds, Maharaja, etc.
• They decided to adopt Ken and raise him as their child.
How to use Adapt & Adopt in academic writing?
While adapt can be transitive or intransitive which means it may or may not have reference to a direct object,
‘adopt’ will always be transitive and have a reference to a direct object.
Examples unique to Academic & Technical Writing
Incorrect:
We adapted Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution for our study.
Correct:
We adopted Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution for our study.