Difference Between Type and Kind
The meanings of the words ‘type’ and ‘kind’ in English are confusing. Indeed there are some differences between them. Type means a ‘sub division’ or ‘a category’. The word ‘type’ is followed by the preposition ‘of’. For example, ‘this type of mistake is unbearable.’ We see that the word ‘type’ is followed by ‘of’ and used with a singular noun.
When the word ‘type’ is used with a plural noun, the word ‘type’ is also become plural. For example, ‘These types of mistakes are unbearable.’ Thus we have the use of the word ‘type’.
The word ‘kind’ on the other hand means ‘a sort of’. For example,
What kind of pen do you need?
This kind of people is not reliable.
The word ‘kind’ in the first sentence is used in the sense of ‘sort’. It may be rewritten as ‘what sort of pen do you need?’ The second sentence is also rewritten as ‘This sort of people is not reliable.’ Thus ‘kind’ means ‘sort’.
Sometimes ‘kind’ is used differently. Look at the sentences:
Her cheeks are kind of roses.
The novel is a kind of thriller.
In the above two sentences, the word kind is used vaguely. Such construction with ‘kind’ is used in spoken English rather than written form. Thus the differences between the words ‘kind’ and ‘type’ are clear.