Learn Your Homophones: Pear, Pair, and Pare

Pair: two of something, usually that are similar or go together. For example:

I’m going to buy a new pair of shoes.

Johnny and Sally make a cute pair.

Pear: a fruit. For example:

Rufus is eating an apple, and I am eating a pear.

The pear was ripe and juicy.

Pare: trim (something) by cutting away its outer edges; cut the skin off of something; reduce (something) in size, extent, quantity, or number, usually in a number of small successive stages. For example:

Each summer he pares a large number of branches from the trees in the backyard.

When making an apple pie, pare the skin off the apples first

.

They have significantly pared down the number of people on their team.

Now that you know the difference between these words see if this sentence makes sense to you:

Before I eat them, I will pare this pair of pears.

To learn more about confusing words, read this post about word pairs.

Rewriting 101: How to Add Clarity to Your Sentences

Have you ever finished writing a sentence only to reread it and be completely baffled at its structure? Sure, the sentence might be technically grammatically correct, but it sounds incredibly awkward. In situations like these, it’s best to step back and try to find a way to rewrite the sentence. For example: When you see your new friend, tell him or her that I said hello.

Although using ‘him or her’ to indicate a person of whose gender you aren’t aware is technically correct, the sentence above sounds formal and would likely come across as awkward in casual conversation. In this case, try rewriting the sentence:

Tell your new friend that I said hello. The next time you see your new friend, say hello for me. Say hello to your new friend for me.

Another example: She took over the family business because, due to a series of unexpected events, her mother was unable to continue the administrative work that she had done faithfully for over twenty-five years.

This sentence is overly wordy and awkward. Try removing information from the sentence or breaking it up into two sentences:

Her mother was unable to continue the administrative work that she had done faithfully for over twenty-five years. Therefore, Monica took over the family business.

Another example: People, parents mostly, who care about children should make an effort to teach their children the differences between right and wrong.

This sentence is repetitive and awkward. Try consolidating the information in the sentence:

If parents care about their children, they should teach them the differences between right and wrong.

If you can’t tell whether or not your sentence is awkward, try reading it aloud. Your ears will often tell you before your eyes will if you should rewrite the sentence.

For more tips on clear and concise writing, read this blog post by C.S. Lakin.

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Job Seekers: What’s Wrong with Your Resume? Probably More than You Think.

#WhatIWrite: Cover Letters and Resumes

More than two thirds of salaried jobs require a significant amount of writing, making written communication a key consideration in hiring. Yet, top organizations still spend more than $3 Billion (with a “B”!) per year on remedial training to improve employees’ writing to baseline standards.

Cover letters and resumes are, not surprisingly, a great way for potential employers to assess candidate’s writing skills. According to a recent analysis of online resumes by Grammarly:

• There are 5 potential errors on a typical job seeker’s resume, and most of these issues (nearly 60 percent) are grammatical.
• Female job seekers make an average of 4 grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes in their resume, while male job seekers average more than 6 mistakes.
• The average job seeker makes more than 1.5 punctuation errors, but very few spelling mistakes (less than one per resume).

Careful proofreading is the best way to find potential spelling and grammar issues in a resume or cover letter. Using Grammarly’s application as an extra set of eyes to find spelling and grammar mistakes enables job seekers to differentiate themselves by focusing on content and style.

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Have you written a particularly compelling resume or cover letter recently that you’d like to share?

Grammarly is joining The New York Times Learning Network, National Council of Teachers for English, National Writing Project and other literary-minded organizations in spreading the word about the #WhatIWrite Tweet-up to take place today (Friday, October 19) and tomorrow (Saturday, October 20).

#WhatIWrite encourages writers to share excerpts from their writing via Twitter. Participants who include the hashtag #GrammarlyEdits with any of their tweets will be entered into a drawing to win a free one-year subscription to Grammarly’s online application valued at $139.95. You may also tell your friends about the contest on Twitter for a second chance in the drawing.

Click here to learn more about the #GrammarlyEdits #WhatIWrite contest.

Terms and conditions: Official Rules #GrammarlyEdits #WhatIWrite Contest

Fulfil vs. Fulfill

• Fulfil and fulfill are both correct spellings of the same word. It means “to put into effect,” “to achieve,” “to carry out,” or “to realize.”
• Fulfil is the spelling commonly used in English speaking countries like the UK and Australia.
• Fulfill is the spelling commonly used in the United States.
• In Canada, they use both spellings.

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Fulfill is one of those words with multiple spellings. It can end with two l’s or with one, depending on where the person writing the word is from.

Fulfil vs. Fulfill—What’s the Difference?

We use fulfill to say that we did something we promised, that we carried out a duty, or that we realized or put into effect something that someone entrusted us to do.

There are two ways you can spell the word—fulfill and fulfil. Neither of the spellings is wrong. The longer one, fulfill, is the spelling you’ll see people use in the United States:

I’ll fulfill Mary’s wish and get her a bike for the birthday.

In other English-speaking countries, people spell the word fulfil:

He promised he’ll be back by the end of the year, so there’s still time to fulfil that promise.

You can come across both spellings in Canada.

Most of the inflected forms of the word retain the double l, regardless of dialect. That’s why you’ll see fulfilling, fulfilled, and fulfiller in all English speaking countries. A notable exception is the word fulfillment, which follows the same rules as the root word:

Peter didn’t get much fulfillment from good grades.

You can find fulfilment in helping other people.

Examples

Fulfill in the US

In what’s expected to be Watson’s final game at Death Valley, the Tigers junior will look to fulfill his youthful promise to “never lose to the Gamecocks.”

USA TODAY

But on his 10th LP the country superstar sounds more like he’s fulfilling obligations, striking a series of familiar and expected Garth-like poses.

Rolling Stone

Fulfillment centers are giant warehouses that help online retailers store and ship products and handle returns quickly.

NASDAQ

Fulfil outside of the US

Pictures of the huge distribution centre, in Peterborough, show staff racing to fulfil orders amongst miles of shelves packed with thousands of different products.

The Sun

Belfast Council chief executive Suzanne Wylie has pointed out that Belfast is not currently fulfilling its potential and, as a consequence, is “lagging behind” other cities in the UK.

The Irish News

But critics say it’s not as simple as that, they claim in many cases people are being shunted onto other benefits unfairly and the result isn’t fulfilment but hardship.

BBC

American English and British English are different in many small, almost unnoticeable ways. When it comes to spelling, Americans usually prefer the shorter words, like “benefited” over “benefitted” or “check” over “cheque”, but every once in a while they choose to use the longer spelling, like fulfill.

5 Grammar Pet Peeves

Every grammarian has a list of grammar pet peeves. We compile new lists every year. However, some errors are insidiously persistent. Like coffee stains on a snow-white rug, we cannot seem to scrub them away no matter how hard we try. But we must keep up the fight.

Join us as we again leap into the fray against our arch-nemesis: the most-common-glaring-grammar-errors-of-all-time.

Your/You’re: This one has a longer lifespan than Dracula. We’ve hunted it like a pack of wild dogs, and its demise continues to elude us. Okay, we understand, it is easy to forget an apostrophe when you’re in a hurry. But, please, your reputation is at stake: “your” is a possessive pronoun and “you’re” is a contraction of “you are.”

There/Their/They’re: As long as we’re working with monster metaphors, we’ll call this one the hydra. No matter how many times you manage to lop off the creature’s head, it constantly regenerates. Sometimes we can empathize with this particular error. With three different choices, and the same pronunciation for each, mistakes happen. So, let’s go through them again and see if you can pass the quiz.

• “There” is used to reference a place. For example: “I walked over there.” It is also used with a “to be” verb, to show the existence of something or to reference something. Examples: “There are seven stones,” and “There are never enough hours in the day.”
• “Their” is an adjective that shows possession. It shows that an object belongs to “them.” For example: “They have lost their marbles.”
• “They’re” is a contraction. That’s all it is. A simple abbreviation of a subject and a verb: “they are.”

It’s/Its: By this point, it should come as no surprise that the most common grammar errors involve homophones. The “its/it’s” error bubbles to the surface constantly, like some stubborn kudzu in a flower garden. Let’s bend down again, and try to weed this one out.

• “It’s” is another contraction. It is used in no other way. The word is short for “it is” or “it has.” If you expand it to one of those two phrases in a sentence, and it doesn’t make sense, then it has been used incorrectly. Examples include: “it’s the only way” and “it’s been a long time.”
• “Its” is a neutral, possessive pronoun. Use it to show possession when the gender of the noun is unclear. For instance: “The mountain has a lake at its base.”

Which/That: This incredibly common error continues to plague grammarians. “That” is a restrictive pronoun. Without it, the sentence either makes no sense, or does not make the sense that the writer intended. For example: “I do not like grammar that is incorrect.” The precise sense of this sentence depends on “that.” Otherwise, it just seems that “I do not like grammar.”

The word “which” is used to begin a clause that is related to the sentence, but not necessary to its understanding. To refer to our earlier example, if we were to write: “I do not like grammar, which is incorrect,” the sentence would lose its essential meaning. The correct use of “which” in this instance is: “I do not like grammar that is incorrect, which is fine by me.”

Subject/Verb Agreement: A basic sentence contains a subject and a verb. Someone is doing something. However, if that someone becomes plural, then the verb had better agree.

“I am writing” is correct.

“I are writing” is not.

Sometimes a phrase pops up in the middle, though, and things can get a bit more complicated. Don’t be fooled, however.

“The man who whistles constantly is creepy” is correct.

“The man who whistles constantly are creepy” is not.

What are some of the most common that you encounter?

All the Best Writing from the 2017 NBA Finals

For the second time in three seasons, the Golden State Warriors can lay claim to being NBA Champions after they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-1, in the 2017 NBA Finals. Kevin Durant played a pivotal role for the Warriors’ championship run, averaging 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on his way to being named NBA Finals MVP.

But there’s more to the story than the opening paragraph of this piece. There were viral moments, career-defining performances, amazing stories, and of course, controversy and drama. A great narrative unfolded over the past two weeks in Oakland, Calif., and Cleveland, Ohio.

For those who enjoy watching the best athletes in sport, the Finals provided fascinating entertainment. But for those who love the art of writing in any and all forms, the NBA’s global appeal was on full display as scribes produced compelling content on a daily basis.

Other sites will break down the nuances of the games in greater detail. For Grammarly, we’re taking a close look at the crafting of stories. So after looking through the stellar coverage of the Finals, we’ve examined the top moments in writing and how you can be inspired when it’s your turn to write.

Let’s see who shined under the spotlight and had a Durant-like performance on their keyboard.

Game 1

Behind-the-scenes at Game 1 of the #NBAFinals as the @warriors go up 1-0 with big home W! #MiniMovie pic.twitter.com/26KgRZaW0Y

— NBA (@NBA) June 7, 2017

Story Headline: What We Learned About the Warriors in Game 1 of the N.B.A. Finals

Author: Benjamin Hoffman

Source: New York Times

What We Liked: The lede

In a postseason in which they have seen little to no competition, the Golden State Warriors kept right on rolling and tied the N.B.A. record for consecutive postseason wins at 13 with a 113-91 drubbing of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the N.B.A finals.

Why We Liked It: Hoffman captured the essence of the story in just 50 words. Anecdotal ledes are great, too, but sometimes it’s critical to offer the best snapshot of the story topic early to honestly explain it to the reader. Get. To. The. Point.

Story Headline: The Greatest NBA Finals Rivalry Is Kevin Durant vs. Robyn Rihanna Fenty

Author: Juliet Litman

Source: The Ringer

What We Liked: The story angle

What we could not have expected, though, would be (Rihanna’s) wide-felt impact Thursday. After her entrance was announced emphatically by (announcer) JVG (Jeff Van Gundy), she went on to support her favorite player (LeBron James) as only she can. Early in the fourth quarter, as the Cavs trailed by 22, Rihanna rose to pay her respects to the King. She bowed, and then let the presumably annoying fans around her know that a 22-point deficit means nothing to her. She indicated this with the dab.

Why We Liked It: When the subject of your story is dull—like the uninspired on-court product in Game 1—it’s always a good idea to take the story angle elsewhere. In this case, Litman’s decision to write about a human-interest topic on one of the most famous people on the planet was a wise one. Litman had some fun with the music superstar’s courtside presence and friendly in-game banter with Durant. By examining a social media trending topic in a not-so-exciting game, Litman showcased an admirable way to cover a secondary (maybe even tertiary) angle to a major event. Creativity should always be a main principle anytime you write.

Game 2

Behind-the-scenes at Game 2 of the #NBAFinals …won by the @warriors 132-113! #MiniMovie pic.twitter.com/lE69NH9NdG

— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2017

Story Headline: Are the Warriors’ brogrammer army the most hated fans in sports?

Author: DJ Gallo

Source: The Guardian

What We Liked: Humor and opinion

All due respect to the widely loathed supporters of the Patriots, Yankees, Cowboys and Lakers, but the Warriors are building a fanbase that could dwarf them all for unlikability. Golden State fans’ negatives are on a hockey stick growth curve as Oracle Arena increasingly fills with – apologies for the poor attempt at using Silicon Valley lingo – brogrammers who truly believe they offer a value add to the organization. (And for the sake of clarity, it is this new breed of fan that attracts ire, rather than the Warriors supporters who pulled for the team even during the bad old days.)

Part of the problem is simple demographics. Bandwagon jumpers are considered to be the lowest form of fan – even below drunk, belligerent and face-painted – whereas the diehard, thick and thin, fan-since-birth group is the most respected. Because of the massive influx of people into northern California with the tech boom, many of those filling the choice seats at Oracle Arena have ties to the region that are tenuous even compared to those of Kevin Durant. Yet they’re cheering their hearts out for their beloved Warriors every night, while across the street the last place A’s – with the second-worst attendance in all of baseball and portions of the upper deck covered in tarp – don’t seem to have captured the imagination of Silicon Valley big wigs. The new Warriors fan has not suffered anything near the sports heartache of a Cleveland lifer. Their toughest season to endure was one in which the Warriors won an NBA-record 73 games. Sad!

Why We Liked It: There’s a lot to unpack from those two graphs. You can’t entirely discredit Gallo’s opinions on how he views Golden State’s fan base. What you can appreciate, however, is the writer’s ability to offer sound reasoning for his views along with a dash of comedic wit. Further, the headline of the piece introduced the comedic tone that carried on throughout the story. It’s also refreshing to read this angle from an international outlet like The Guardian. It speaks to the NBA’s global appeal and why the Finals were the most-viewed in nearly twenty years.

Story Headline: The Warriors are making the NBA Finals noncompetitive. That’s scary for the league.

Author: Adam Kilgore

Source: The Washington Post

What We Liked: The big-picture view

These Finals must be making the league nervous. The team with the best player can never be counted out, and LeBron James remains the best player in the world, despite the argument Durant is currently submitting. It would be a mistake to dismiss Cleveland. It would be equally foolish not to recognize the strong chance that for the remainder of the Finals, and perhaps beyond, the Warriors’ only competition will be history.

“Sure, the fan in me would love to see more competition at times,” Commissioner Adam Silver said before Game 1. “But on the other hand, I’ve said it before, I think we should also celebrate excellence.”

Why We Liked It: Kilgore explored the significance of another lopsided Warriors win early in the series. In doing so, the writer wondered about the ramifications of the decisive victories for the league. He also tracked down the NBA’s commissioner, or pseudo-CEO, to get his view on how a non-competitive series could impact the league’s bottom dollar. Having the gusto to discuss a deeper viewpoint on a topic is one thing, but gathering supporting quotes, research, or commentary to further develop your point is the stuff of writing mastery. The biggest takeaway here is don’t be shy about getting the supporting information you need for your claims.

Game 3

Kevin Durant's BIG trey headlines the top clutch moments in @Warriors #NBAFinals Game 3 victory! pic.twitter.com/VcVg6et97U

— NBA (@NBA) June 8, 2017

Story Headline: Warriors Rip Out The Cavs’ Still-Beating Heart

Author: Rob Mahoney

Source: SI.com

What We Liked: The headline and verbiage used within the story

Test the Warriors at your own peril. So many of the teams to stand in Golden State’s way this postseason have been subject to cold obliteration—the sort of blowout that leaves those involved shell-shocked and numb.

Why We Liked It: The Warriors came from behind to beat the Cavs in gut-wrenching fashion. This headline summed up the feeling perfectly. It was just the best. But to add significant context to a mic-drop headline is just as critical for a writer. Just because you’ve come up with something clever and click-bait worthy doesn’t mean your job is done. Unlike the Cavs in Game 3, you have to finish what you started. Mahoney achieves this with excellent descriptive writing in his piece. He also explains why the Warriors have been able to demoralize their opponents. Sharp language, excellent descriptions, and well-researched presentation are achieved in this post.

Story Headline: Kevin Durant Closes The Door On LeBron

Author: Chris Herring

Source: fivethirtyeight.com

What We Liked: Data presentation within the story

The pace in this matchup has played a key role in that dynamic — particularly for James. But the accumulation of minutes and miles on James’s legs this season — and over the past seven seasons, during his incredible Finals streak — probably hasn’t helped, either. This year alone, in which the 32-year-old averaged an NBA-high in minutes per game, James has run 47 miles more than the 28-year-old Durant, who missed just over a month’s worth of games during the regular season following an injury. (Golden State went 16-4 without him.)

Why We Liked It: Writing to make your point with data is something that truly enhances the reader’s experience. Herring achieved this as a writer and visually by introducing the thought of Durant having more production at the end of games than James. Herring backed up his claim by breaking down his findings in a myriad of ways with visual representations. If you’re looking for a free way to boost your data claims, Google’s new data GIF maker is a superior way to boost your visual presentation.

Game 4

LeBron's off-the-glass SLAM in Game 4 of the #NBAFinals… as heard around the world! pic.twitter.com/44veJ5bK2N

— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2017

Story Headline: Even J.R. Smith can’t believe LeBron James’ dunk from Game 4

Author: Chris Barnwell

Source: CBSSports.com

What We Liked: Building a story around a brilliant quote

“You see it in the park and stuff growing up. You never think about somebody doing it in a game. Doing it in a Finals game. Game 4 when you’re down 3-0.”

“He dunked on Tristan. That was the craziest part of it. He had the whole lane until Tristan came in there. He’s a Gatorade baby, man, he was made in a lab somewhere.”

That’s how incredible LeBron’s dunk was. Even Smith, a guy who once said he prefers to shoot contested shots because open ones are boring, was shocked at what James did. Maybe he’s on to something with James being a “Gatorade baby” made in a lab somewhere. If he’s still stunning his teammates at this point of his career, then what more is there for him to do?

Why We Liked It: When you have a must-read quote to use in your piece, there’s sometimes heavy-handedness in how a writer reacts to it. In this instance, Barnwell explored the clever, “Gatorade baby” quip but doesn’t step on the beauty of the comment. Instead, Barnwell featured the quote as the subject of his post. James’ highlight-worthy dunk was one of the most memorable plays of the game. Barnwell seized the opportunity by showcasing the best soundbite on the play and wrote his story accordingly. Writers should try to include credible speakers to add authority to a story when it makes sense. They should also figure out the best ways to not overcomplicate the message of the quoted speaker with unnecessary commentary. Knowing how to handle great quotes is something all writers should take into account.

Story Headline: Draymond Green tech-foul fiasco part of tension-filled Game 4

Author: Brian Windhorst and Baxter Holmes

Source: ESPN.com

What We Liked: Factual tone

Referees said a miscommunication with the scorer’s table led to confusion following a Draymond Green technical foul in the third quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals, leading to Green initially being announced as ejected before that call was overturned.

A technical foul in the first quarter that official John Goble called on Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was incorrectly recorded by the official scorer as being on Green. It was announced as being on Green, and it remained in the official box score that way. The mistake was not corrected.

So when Green was called for a technical foul by official Marc Davis in the second half, it seemed as if Green should’ve been ejected. Only then was the mistake fixed, and Green was allowed to stay in the game. It was confusing for both teams and the crowd, who believed Green should’ve been ejected for having two technicals.

Why We Liked It: There was a lot of confusion about officiating in Game 4. Many in the media complained about it. Knowing that this was a storyline with how Cleveland won its first game of the series, two ESPN scribes joined forces to state the facts on what led to some head-scratching decisions by the refs. Knowing the objective of your story is crucial. Windhorst and Holmes were aware that their readership wanted to understand what happened in the game and why it created so much confusion. Instead of being humorous or introducing quotes, the writers explained what happened in an educational tone. Knowing what your audience is expecting based on your subject or title is critical.

Game 5

Kevin Durant & Stephen Curry lead @Warriors to Game 5 victory to secure 2017 #NBAFinals title! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/E20rky2zTy

— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2017

Story Headline: Stephen Curry, the Warriors’ cornerstone, finds the redemption he sought

Author: Marcus Thompson II

Source: Bay Area News Group

What We Liked: The conclusion

On the biggest stage, and healthy, Curry proved he wasn’t a flash in the pan. That his two MVPs and 2015 championship wasn’t a fluke. Despite not having the freakish size of the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, he proved he belongs. LeBron made it clear there is nobody in the NBA better than he. But there should be no more doubt Curry is in the mix with the game’s elite.

Perhaps it was just a matter of time before he got here. Or maybe he needed to go through that collapse, feel the sting of not showing up, hear the jabs at his worth from across the nation, to become even better. Either way, the end result from this three-year run — two MVPs, 207 regular season wins, and two championships — is that he’s here now.

This is what validation looks like.

Why We Liked It: Most of our examples have touched on story angles, introductions, voice, quote usage, and even headlines, but once you’ve fully grabbed your readers and given them multiple reasons to read your writing and stick with it, you’ll want to make the full experience worthwhile. Thompson accomplished that in his coverage of Curry’s Finals redemption. Sure, most of the attention this series went to Durant and James, but Curry’s selflessness was a big reason the Warriors were able to win it all once more. Thompson nails that sentiment perfectly and sent the reader off with a perfectly crafted final line to his story. It was short and sweet, just like Curry the ballplayer.

Story Headline: An inside look at Kevin Durant’s first three hours as an NBA champion

Author: Anthony Slater

Source: Bay Area News Group

What We Liked: Descriptive access

Now past 9 p.m., the Warriors finally rampaged back to the locker room for the champagne celebration, all the players handed a Moet & Chandon bottle on their way through the door. Durant was met by a dancing Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, already geared up in ski goggles, bottles popped, spraying the room.

But Durant had some trouble. He struggled to get the bottle open initially. Then he failed in his attempt to bash a couple beer cans together for a booze shower, Stone Cold Steve Austin style. It’d been awhile since he’d had a drink. Nearly four months, actually.

Throughout most of the season, Durant regularly went out after games, often drinking with dinner. But when he sprained his MCL back in late February, he decided to give up alcohol during the extended rehab process.

“If I had been drinking as much as I had been drinking, the recovery wouldn’t have been as easy,” Durant said. “So I decided to put it down and once I got back healthy, I was like let me see how this is, let me roll with it for the rest of the playoffs.”

So by the time Monday night’s celebration rolled around, his tolerance was lower and the booze hit quicker. The PR staff whisked him away from the locker room celebration around 9:25, first to do an interview with Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter and then to his press conference on the other side of the arena.

Why We Liked It: Slater puts readers in a place they desperately want to be—backstage with Durant after the biggest triumph of his basketball career. Access can make or break a written piece. If you’re experiencing something that nobody else is seeing, don’t internalize—publish it. Find the appropriate way to express your point of view of the event that you’re witnessing. Slater might not have written about everything he heard and observed after the game, but there’s enough detail in here to give the reader proper context as to what the whirlwind moment was like for a basketball hero. Once you’ve gained a unique vantage point to your topic, don’t waste your opportunity to describe it in detail. Slater’s words about Durant’s trouble with consuming alcohol wouldn’t be the same without the writer correctly setting the scene with the cause and effect.

All of these stories were written to inform, entertain and document an important period in sports history. They were also produced under tight deadlines by professionals who love their craft. Aspiring writers at all levels can learn from reading expert coverage on topics they enjoy or ones they don’t fully understand. Good writing is good writing, as they say. It comes in all forms.

Now it’s your turn to write with creativity, detail, and authority. You can do it. We know you can.

Is it “Preferably” or “Preferrably?”

There’s only one way you can spell the adverb preferably. You can’t add another “f,” “r,” or “l”—there’s really no need to do it.

Let’s be honest here—mistakes happen to the best of us. We’d have a hard time finding a writer who, at some point, didn’t miswrite “the” as “hte” or “teh.” In haste, it might also be possible to mistake “to” for “too,” or “their” for “they’re.” And that’s perfectly fine, as long as you go over your work, notice your mistakes, and fix them. To do that, you need to know the correct way of spelling words. That might mean getting some outside help in the form of a dictionary or spelling checker, but with a little patience and attention you can make your work look flawless. We’re not always aware that we’re making a mistake, however, and some mistakes tend to be more widespread than others. This is the case with preferrably, perhaps the single most common misspelling of the word preferably.

Preferably, and How to Use It

Preferably is the adverbial form of the adjective preferable. They have the same meaning—better or more desired, even though the adverb preferably is also an alternative way of saying “if possible.” Let’s see the adverb and the adjective in action:

They have fine-tuned their defence, determining Cedric Soares was an upgrade on Vierinha on the right and ruling Jose Fonte was preferable to Ricardo Carvalho, 38, in the centre. —The National

And so for them it’s more preferable to go out and listen to something that they can dance to. —Time

If you want to have your say next time, join a party—preferably one whose aims you believe in—and buy yourself an upgrade to Democracy Plus class. —The Independent

So a self-aware product person—preferably one with a hunger to learn the other facets of marketing—is the right hire. —Venture Beat

Why the Double R, Then?

Now that we’re positively sure that preferably is the correct spelling and that there’s no need to double any of the consonants or vowels, let’s try to figure out why doubling the “r” is such a popular mistake.

The root word of preferable, preferably, preference and a couple of other words is prefer. It has its roots in the Middle English word preferren, and it can be traced all the way to the Latin praeferre, which means “to put before.” That’s how we use it today, as a verb that usually means to like something more than other things:

However, over half of those who research online prefer to make their actual purchases in a brick-and-mortar store, according to a report from Pragma Consulting cited by Forbes. —Business Insider

But then again, using the same verb, you could get this:

I would have preferred a clearer outcome. —

He has repeatedly said he won’t play for another European club, preferring instead to see out his years at Barcelona before finishing his career back in Argentina, but the change in circumstances could persuade him to think otherwise. —The Independent

So there are some words based on prefer that feature the double “r,” and they may be a cause of the confusion over preferrably. However, there’s a good reason that the “r” in preferred is doubled—when you add the suffixes -ed or -ing to words multisyllabic words and the stress is on the last syllable, the final letter of the word is doubled. In prefer, the stress is on the last syllable—pre-FER, which is why we add another “r” for preferred and preferring. Still, there’s no such rule about the suffixes -able and -ably, so we don’t have to double the “r.”