She made a helpful ___________ on my work.
I'm of an impression that remark is casual though comment is more formal. Is it correct? What should the above sentence be considered then? – formal (because it is on someones work and it is helpful too!)
Please provide reasons.
Best Answer
The difference is very subtle; you can use either word. However, in this particular context "comment" sounds better to my ears. It's hard for me to explain why, though. To me, the word "comment" suggests a thoughtful observation (think of the word commentary), while a "remark" could be a completely frivolous statement.
For example,
She commented on my lack of research.
"What an odd color of paper!" she remarked.
You could instead use remarked in the first sentence and commented in the second. But I think it sounds a little better the way I wrote it.
Unfortunately, it's hard to give anything more than a vague reason. Maybe someone else can give you something more concrete.