It’s easy to use the wrong spelling with so many grammar rules to remember! Did you know that “occurred” is one of the most commonly misspelled words? This is true whether you’re following American or British English. So what’s the right way to spell it?
Read on as we compare occurred vs occurred.
How Do You Spell ‘Occurred’ in American English?
The word “occurred” comes from the verb “occur.” It means “to happen,” or “to appear.” As always, it’s best to check the dictionary definition of a word if you’re not sure about its meaning. This will improve your essay-writing skills.
Here’s what the Merriam-Webster dictionary says about the verb “occur”:
- To be found or met with, to appear.
- To come into existence, or to happen.
- To come to mind.
How Do You Spell ‘Occurred’ in British English?
British English also spells the word “occurred” with a double “c” and a double “r”. Let’s check this with the Oxford English Dictionary used in the UK.
- Occurred (verb): To present itself in thought, come to mind.
This is unusual as American and British English usually include different spellings of some common words.
The most common example is the omission of a letter by American English spellings. For example, US English uses “color” whereas UK English uses “colour.”
The correct pronunciation of “occurred” is the same for US English and UK English speakers. Both pronunciations pronounce the word “uh-kur.”
How Is ‘Occurred’ Commonly Misspelled?
The word “occurred” is commonly misspelled. Below, we have included the most common mispellings of the word “occurred.”
1. Occured
The most common mistake when spelling “occurred” is to insert a single “r” when a double “r” is needed. A reason for this is that the root word “occur” only requires a single “r.” This is despite using a double “c.”
But if you use this misspelling, don’t worry! The reader will still understand your essay conclusion as this spelling is similar to “occurred”.
2. Ocurred
Another way “occurred” might be misspelled is to include a single “c” and a double “r.” This mistake could be a visual error, simply misreading the word. But, if you pronounce “occurred” correctly, you should hear a double “c” sound.
3. Ocured
If you’re spelling “occurred” with a single “c” and a single “r”, you really need to get back to basics! There’s no real reason for spelling “occurred” this way, so study the spelling until you learn it!
You need to make a good impression on your professors or future employers.
How Can You Check Spellings for Errors?
Use Smodin’s Grammar Checker tool to submit the best possible writing with no spelling mistakes! Using AI can help to enhance your grades and submit content that is both interesting to read and grammatically correct. Also, you don’t need to spend hours going through different dictionaries.
Moreover, use Smodin’s Plagiarism Checker tool before submitting any essays or thesis statements to your professor. Check that you’ve cited your sources fully and that you can’t be accused of plagiarism.
How Is ‘Occurred’ Used in a Sentence?
Take a look at the following examples of how “occurred” is used in sentences:
- Example 1: A sudden change in the weather occurred just before the earthquake began.
- Example 2: It occurred to me that I had forgotten my purse after I arrived at the store.
- Example 3: The accident occurred in the early hours of the morning when the road was icy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s one of the most commonly misspelled words?
One of the most commonly misspelled words is “occurred.” This is because there is a double “c” and a double “r” to remember. Many writers will miss out the second “r” or the second “c.”
What’s the past tense of the verb ‘occur’?
The past tense of the word “occur” is “occurred.” Note how there is only a double “c” and a single “r” in the verb “occur.” But in the past tense of the word, there is both a double “c” and a double “r.”
Is the word ‘occurred’ spelled differently in American and British English?
No! The word “occurred” has the same spelling in both US English and UK English. Many words are spelled differently across the pond. But the word “occurred” contains a double “c” and a double “r” in both American and British English.
The only correct spelling of the word is “occurred,” with few examples of how a writer can make a mistake.
Why is there a double ‘r’ in the word ‘occurred’?
The reason for the double “r” in the word “occurred” is simple. The final letter is a consonant after a vowel. So the consonant is usually doubled when adding a suffix.
This is why the past tense of the verb “occur” is “occurred.” Similarly, the past tense of “refer” contains a double “r” to make the word “referred.” The correct usage of the past tense of the word “commit” becomes “committed.” The root word will usually contain two or more syllables when this rule applies.
Get Your Grammar Right and Improve Your Writing Skills With Smodin AI
So, occurred vs occurred: what’s the correct spelling? You now know that the word “occurred” is always spelled with a double “c” and a double “r.”
Many writers will still miss the double letters when spelling “occurred” from time to time. However, correct spelling is important for your educational development and to help you create excellent essays.
The Smodin Grammar Checker is the perfect tool to use to ensure you get your spelling correct. This way, you no longer have to worry about knowing the right spelling for British and American English.
So, join the Smodin community today and enhance your writing and spelling skills!