Stationary or Stationery. When do you spell it with an “a” or an “e?”
I hope you had a chance to read my Top 10 Hostess Gifts blog. I mention stationery as a gift I enjoy giving. It never fails, though. I have a mental block on the two words stationary/stationery. I edit my work a minimum of 4 times, I use spellcheck, and I have a Journalism degree! Still, this word has always tricked me. A friend gave me a great tip to remember the correct spelling, and I thought I would pass it along.
Stationary (with an “a”): to hold something in place
Think of an A-frame house. The A-frame keeps everything in place.
Stationery (with an “e”): paper used when writing a letter
Think of an envelope. Envelope starts with the letter “e” and an envelope is needed with stationery.
Thank you, Elizabeth Blakemore! I think I can finally remember how to spell these two words!