How do you distinguish benzoic acid with methylbenzoate?

Benzoic acid is a carboxylic acid that is typically solid at room temperature and has a characteristic acidic smell. Methyl benzoate is an ester that is usually a liquid at room temperature and has a sweet, fruity odor. A chemical test like adding a base to benzoic acid to form a salt or reacting methyl benzoate with an alcohol to get back the carboxylic acid can help distinguish between the two.