Pencils vs pens is an argument that has been argued as long as the world has been spinning. Whether it’s work, school, or just for fun, writing is an extremely important part of most people’s lives all over the world. For as long as both writing utensils have been around, everybody has their own set opinion on which one is superior.
Pencils are well known in every crevice of the world; however, it has its strengths and weaknesses in the world of writing. On one hand, writing in pencil can be erased, and they can be sharpened constantly to be at their best point of writing, which is why they’re so popular among artists.
On the other hand, pencils are less professional than pens. Hayden Gargyi, a freshman at Pahrump Valley High School, stated one of its most important flaws, “They’re easy to run out of since you need multiple layers to get vibrancy.” Pencils have a finite number of layers that they can shed, and, eventually, once they run out, they have to get replaced.

The positive aspects of pencils makes them an extremely reliable writing utensil with slight flaws. There’s a reason that people all over the world use pencils as their main writing tool for most situations. Gargyi also had another incredible take on this, “If you’re writing like anything, like drafting, drawing, you know, a pencil is way better.” Pencils are definitely more useful in more situations than a pen due to the versatility that they have.
Pens are considered one of the most reliable tools any person can possess. Pens are an incredibly professional writing tool that can be used to sign signatures, write essays, and even finalize drawings. Pens are useful in every aspect of writing, but pens do have downsides. Marely Gomez, a freshman at Pahrump Valley High School, expressed one of the main benefits of pens: “A pen definitely looks better; it looks nicer.” A pencil can look sloppy and improper in scenarios where it’s unsuitable, so those moments may need a pen for the look of sophistication and aesthetic that a pen brings.

Though pens are much more professional than pencils, they have a major flaw that a myriad of people see as their biggest drawback. The imperfection that hinders pens from being the best is permanence. Anything written by a pencil is capable of being erased with a quality eraser, yet the ink of a pen is significantly more difficult to remove.
Pencils and pens both have a variety of uses. Pencils can smudge, break, and can be difficult to see clearly. However, pencils are extremely versatile and can be used for countless types of writing and sketching. A pen’s major issue is ink. Ink can smudge, ink can clog, ink can dry out, and ink is permanent. Nevertheless, pens are incredibly useful and are imperative in many different settings, like at a bank, for instance. In any circumstance where you can decide between a pencil or pen, use whichever is the most practical for the situation.
