specially

Everyday

1. Specially means for one particular purpose or person: a cake specially made for your birthday. tree →
2. Specially means in a special or unusual way, done with extra care. tree →
3. Specially is also used in everyday talk to mean «especially», particularly (informal). tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and stories «specially» shows that extra effort was made for someone: specially made, specially designed, specially for you. In school writing teachers often prefer «especially» for «particularly». Phrases: specially for, specially made, specially trained.

Examples

• I made this card specially for you. tree →
• The bus is specially built for wheelchairs. tree →
• The dogs are specially trained to find people after earthquakes. tree →
• Gran cooked a specially big dinner for us. tree →
• These shoes are specially designed for running. tree →
• I like all fruit, specially strawberries (informal). tree →
• The room was specially decorated for the party. tree →
• He was the presiding deity of plantations and forests, and specially protected the boundaries of fields. tree →

Note

«Specially» = for a special purpose (specially made). «Especially» = particularly, above all (I love sport, especially football). In speech they are often mixed up; in careful writing keep them apart. Spelled with double «l».

In Jewish tradition

In everyday life and stories «specially» shows that extra effort was made for someone: specially made, specially designed, specially for you. In school writing teachers often prefer «especially» for «particularly». Phrases: specially for, specially made, specially trained.

Note

«Specially» = for a special purpose (specially made). «Especially» = particularly, above all (I love sport, especially football). In speech they are often mixed up; in careful writing keep them apart. Spelled with double «l».