"Is this the right way?" vs "Is this the correct way?" [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:
“right” vs “correct”

I've had this question for a long time. Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Is this the right way?

Is this the correct way?

Solution 1:

Steve Melnikoff in this post said:

I'd say that there is a subtle distinction between the two, in that "correct" implies that the given answer (or answers) is definitive and absolute, as might be the case, for example, with a simple maths problem.

In contrast, "right" would be better for an answer which, although considered appropriate, is still a matter of opinion. This might apply, for example, to a question of ethics ("is this the right thing to do?" or "is he the right guy for this job?"); again, using "correct" here would imply that there is an absolute answer that no-one could possibly disagree with.

"Right" can still be used in places where "correct" would be appropriate (such as a maths problem), but not the necessarily the other way around.

I think this pretty much answers your question.

Solution 2:

They would be used in different circumstances. For example, if you were lost, you'd be more likely to ask 'Is this the right way?' rather than 'Is this the correct way?' But the answer to your question is that both are grammatical.

Solution 3:

They're both grammatically correct. Indeed, they're both grammatically identical: "Is this the [adjective] way?"

They're also both commonly used.

They are close in meaning, and there are circumstances where you could use either.

"Correct" has a nuance of precision that would make it more appropriate when you are looking for an exact answer, (rather than if there are several right ways, and you just want to know you have one of them). Even here though, you could still use either.