A reward is something nice given to a person who has done well. For example:
▶️ If an employee has worked hard, the boss might give her an extra vacation
day as a reward.
▶️ If a child cleans their room, the parent might buy them a special toy as a
reward.
▶️ If you lose your cell phone and an honest person finds it and returns it to you,
then you might give them $100 as a reward.
Reward can be a noun or a verb. As a verb, you can say:
▶️ a person was rewarded for the good thing they did:
The employee was rewarded for her hard work.
▶️ someone rewarded someone else with something:
The boss rewarded the employee with an extra vacation day.
An award is a more formal recognition of a special accomplishment. Awards are
usually given in public ceremonies in front of an audience (whereas rewards are
typically only between the two people involved).
▶️ Olympic athletes who win their competitions are awarded gold medals.
▶️ Some companies give an “Employee of the Year Award” to the person with
the best performance that year.
▶️ The best movies and actors are recognized at the Academy Awards.
An award refers more to the recognition you receive. Sometimes a certificate,
badge, or other small item is given to represent the award – but this simply
symbolizes the recognition.
A prize is something you receive when you win a contest or game. A prize can be
money, a trophy, or an object. When kids play games at an arcade, circus or carnival,
they can win prizes if they get a certain number of points.