When you hear someone describing something as ‘awful’, you instantly know it’s not something pleasant. But have you come across the word ‘aweful’? It sounds similar but feels a bit strange, right? Let’s clear up any confusion between these two words.
The correct spelling is awful. The word “aweful” is a common misspelling and does not exist in standard English. “Awful” means very bad or unpleasant. For example, “The weather today is awful,” suggests that the weather is very undesirable.
It’s important to use “awful” correctly in sentences to effectively communicate negative emotions or experiences. By saying “He did an awful job,” you clearly express that the performance was notably poor.
What’s the real deal with ‘awful’?
‘Awful’ is the correct spelling when you want to describe something that is very bad or unpleasant. Originally, ‘awful’ meant something quite different—inspiring wonder or awe. However, its meaning dramatically shifted over the centuries, and today, it’s not something you’d want to describe a nice experience.
Think about when you last ate something that didn’t taste good. Perhaps, you would say, "The soup I had at lunch was awful." Here are other ways you might use ‘awful’:
- The weather was awful, so we stayed indoors.
- He has an awful sense of humor.
- That movie was actually pretty awful.
All these sentences use ‘awful’ to talk about something negative.
Is ‘aweful’ ever the right choice?
Interestingly, ‘aweful’ is not a recognized spelling in English today. If you try writing it in a document or an email, you’ll probably see a red underline telling you something’s not right. ‘Aweful’ might seem logical if you’re thinking of the word ‘awe’—a feeling of respect mixed with fear or wonder. But, despite looking right, it’s not standard.
Why do people get confused?
It’s easy to see why ‘aweful’ pops up from time to time. English is full of words that sound the same but aren’t spelled the same—think of ‘their’ and ‘there’ or ‘your’ and ‘you’re’. These are called homophones. Moreover, considering that ‘aweful’ contains ‘awe’, a lot of people think it should be correct. However, in English, spelling doesn’t always follow logic!
To set it straight: "awful" is the standard spelling, and "aweful" is considered a mistake.
Have you ever used ‘awe’ in a sentence? Maybe something like, "I was in awe of the Grand Canyon." Keeping this in mind might help you remember not to add that extra ‘e’ when you want to say something is less than great.
How can you avoid making this mistake?
Practice makes perfect! Here’s a tip: every time you write a word incorrectly, jot it down. Make a list of tricky words and look at them from time to you. This can help you remember the right spelling.
Also, reading a lot helps. The more you read and see the word ‘awful’ used in context, the easier it becomes to remember its spelling. You could also relate ‘awful’ to the phrase "full of awe," but this time, with a negative twist. Just remember, it’s filled with so much awe that it’s bad!
What if you wrote down your feelings every day? If a day was particularly bad, you might write, "Today was awful." By writing regularly, you’re practicing your spelling without even realizing it.
So, next time you need to describe that not-so-great movie or the burger that didn’t live up to its picture, remember, it’s always ‘awful’. Avoid ‘aweful’, and you’ll be doing just fine!
