How Do You Spell Totally?

  • Eseandre Mordi

  • 26 Feb 2024

Learning the correct spelling of words is fundamental to mastering the English language. This article tackles the spelling of a commonly used word, "totally," offering insights into its correct spelling, common mistakes, and some tricks to remember its spelling.

Correct Spelling of Totally

The correct spelling of the word is totally. The word comprises two 't's, one 'o', two 'l's, one 'a', and ends with 'y.' It's essential to place each letter in its correct sequence to avoid spelling errors. Totally is often used to emphasize the entirety of a situation or degree of an action.

How Can Remember the Correct Spelling

To remember the spelling of totally, break it down into sounds: to-tal-ly. Associating the middle part 'tal' with the word "tall" can make it easier to remember as "tall" relates to something extended or complete in its form or figure.

Common Spelling Mistakes

  • Totly - Missing an 'a' and an 'l' making it incorrect.
  • Tottaly - An unnecessary extra 't' distorts the spelling.
  • Totaly - Missing one 'l' is a common error given English's variable doubling rules.

These errors primarily arise from misunderstandings about the double 'l' and the placement of 'a'.

Definition and Etymology of Totally

The phonetic transcription of totally is /ˈtoʊtəli/. The word is stressed on the first syllable, which bears the "oh" sound, followed by a softer "uh" sound in the second syllable, and it ends with a "lee" sound. The word totally is an adverb meaning "completely" or "entirely." It derives from the Middle English word "total," which has its roots in the Latin word "totalis," meaning "whole" or "entire." Over time, "total" morphed into "totally," gaining popularity as a way to stress the completeness of an action or state.

Examples of using of Totally

  • I was totally unaware of the situation.
  • She totally agrees with your opinion on the matter.
  • The movie was totally different from what I expected.

The word totally is versatile, seamlessly integrating into different sentences to enhance clarity or emphasis.

FAQ

What does the word mean? 
"Totally" means completely or entirely.

Words Closely Related: wholly, entirely, completely.

Synonyms: absolutely, altogether, fully.

There is no difference in spelling between American and British English for the word totally. Both dialects spell and use the word in the same way, making it universally understood in English-speaking countries.

Academic Dictionaries

  1. Oxford English Dictionary.
  2. Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
  3. Cambridge Dictionary.


#spelling #grammar #Englishlanguage #adverbs

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