Stationary & stationery

These two words are pronounced the same way, but they have very different meanings:

Stationary = not moving
e.g. After the car slid down the slope, Katie's car was stationary.

Stationery is a general term used to describe writing paper, pens, pencils, envelopes, etc.
e.g. Jane's stationery cupboard had everything she needed to run the office efficiently.

We think the best way to remember this is: "Stop writing!" which is what you hear at the end of exams.

Alphabetically, stationary comes before stationery. Stop also comes before writing... So when you stop, you're stationary. When you're writing... you use stationery!

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