60-second fix: stationary and stationery

If you already know the difference between stationery and stationary, you’ll probably have felt the urge to indulge yourself in the kind of graffiti pictured, writes Cathy Relf. (No? Just me?)

If you don’t already know the difference, it’s this: stationery refers to writing materials, while stationary means ‘not moving’.

The most frequent mistake people make is to describe writing materials – stationery – as stationary. It’s rare to see the mistake the opposite way around.

If you find it hard to remember the difference, try asking yourself the following question.

Q: What do you call the shop where you buy pens, correction fluid and envelopes?

A: A stationer.

Therefore, pens, correction fluid and envelopes take the same spelling: stationery.

Another way of remembering is:

stationery – e for envelope

stationary – a for at rest

From now on, may your stationery be stationary only when you specifically wish it to be.

More 60-second fixes:

• Spaces and units
• Should have or should of
• Affect and effect
• Bear and bare
• Compare to and compare with
• Complimentary and complementary
• Different from/to/than
• Judgement or judgment
• Lead and led
• Palate, palette and pallet
• Rein and reign
• Spelt/spelled, learnt/learned and dreamt/dreamed
• Substitute for/with
• 60-second quiz

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Author: Cathy Dann

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Cathy is a certified word and editing expert, having worked as a sub-editor, editor and copywriter at, to name a few, the Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Which? and The Grocer.