Stationary vs Stationery | Ask Linda! | English Grammar

In this video, Linda breaks down the difference between the usage of “stationary” and “stationery”.

These two terms are often confused due to their similar spelling and pronunciation.

Let’s take a closer look.

The word “stationary” spelled with an ‘a’ is used to refer to something that is not moving or not intended to be moved.

For example:

Almost every gym has a row of stationary bikes.

“Stationery” spelled with an ‘e’ on the other hand refers to paper, usually paper that is used for writing letters or notes, such as here:

I should use the nice stationery to write to Grandma.

Next time, think about whether you are referring to something that cannot be moved or to a piece of paper.

That’s it for today. See you next time!