It’s easy to remember how to spell ‘grandma’, ‘grandmother’ and ‘grandson’ – they all have a single ‘d’. But when it comes to ‘granddad’, ‘grandad’ and ‘granddaughter’, it’s a little trickier. Which of these spellings are correct? In this post, we’ll look at how to avoid errors when using these words.
‘Granddad’ and ‘grandad’ both mean ‘grandfather’ (i.e. the father of a mother or father). Both spellings are common, and you’ll find both in dictionaries:
Kim’s grandad lives in New York. ✓
Kim’s granddad lives in New York. ✓
In most cases, then, the ‘correct’ spelling is simply a matter of preference.
Both spellings are common in British English, but ‘granddad’ with a double ‘d’ is the more popular spelling in American English. As such, you may want to use the spelling that is most common in your dialect (or that your readers will know best).
A ‘granddaughter’ is a female grandchild. Some people misspell this word as ‘grandaughter’ with only one ‘d’, but the correct spelling is ‘granddaughter’:
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
Joy looks after her granddaughter on Tuesdays. ✓
Joy looks after her grandaughter on Tuesdays. ✗
Why does ‘grandad’ have a single ‘d’ spelling and not ‘granddaughter’? There is no reason! It’s just a matter of convention (welcome to the confusing world of English spelling). But until single ‘d’ spelling catches on, the only correct version of this word is ‘granddaughter’ with a double ‘d’.
To summarise what we’ve explained in this post:
Hopefully, this should help you to avoid spelling errors. But if you’d like an expert to check your writing is error free, our proofreaders can help!
Δ
9-minute read
Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...
8-minute read
Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...
7-minute read
Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...
Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....
3-minute read
Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...
2-minute read
If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...