However you spell it, there is something comforting about the word cozy/cosy. How it is spelled depends on what geographical audience you are writing for.
In American English, the correct spelling is cozy, and this is also true for India, most Caribbean varieties, the Philippines, and Canada.
In British English it is spelled cosy, and this holds true for Ireland and the Antipodean variants of English.
Cozy or cosy in a sentence examplesThe Danish and Norwegian word “hygge” describes a mood of cozy/cosycontentment.
Some people love the cozy/cosy feel of being inside when it’s wet and cold outside.
Looking through the frosted glass, shivering with the bitter cold, Sylvie thought that the warm fireside looked cozy/cosy and inviting.
If you are writing the word that describes the inflated rubber donut-shaped item found on the wheels of cars, trucks, and bicycles, then the spelling will depend on the geographical location of your audience.
In American English the correct spelling is tire, while in British English it is spelled tyre.
Tyre vs tire in a sentence examplesMany motorists have no idea how much money they throw away simply by not checking their tyre/tire pressures regularly.
For racing in dry weather, Formula One teams choose a tyre/tirethat is completely smooth for improved grip.
It was typical, thought Emelia; she was in a hurry, and it was raining, so of course she got a flat tyre/tire!
Survivorship bias is a term used to describe a type of selection bias. It occurs when a set of data for analysis is skewed by excluding certain data points due to the selection process. When the surviving data are examined as the only relevant examples, they produce inaccurate results because relevant data have been excluded.
Survivorship bias exampleA research study carried out on trauma patients admitted to a hospital emergency unit aimed to discover which procedures carried the best success rate. However, the researchers were only able to consider those patients who are well enough to give consent.
This means that the study does not include the most sick patients or those who do not survive, and the results are unrepresentative.
Fiber is the American English spelling of the noun that refers to the threads that make up a fabric. In British English, it is spelled fibre. The meaning in both variants of the language is the same, even when applied to thoroughly modern uses like “fiberoptic/fibreoptic cable.”
Fibre or fiber in a sentence examplesThe problem with clothes made from synthetic fibre/fiber is that they are often sweaty and uncomfortable to wear.
Gone are the days of connecting to the internet via your phone line; optical fibre/fiber is the most popular choice now.
Carbon fibre/fiber is so strong and light that it can be found in everything from spacecraft to road bikes.
How you should spell pyjamas/pajamas depends on where your audience is located. In American English, the usual spelling is pajamas, as it is in Canada, the Philippines, and (by a narrow margin) India. Most of the English-speaking world outside of that uses the British English spelling pyjamas.
Pyjamas or pajamas in a sentence examplesAlthough in North America and Europe, we associate pyjamas/pajamas with clothes designed for sleeping, in many parts of Asia, the word refers simply to a loose-fitting pair of pants/trousers.
On Saturdays, Zenia always considered it a triumph if she made it to bedtime without changing out of her pyjamas/pajamas.
Pyjamas/pajamas can be sleek and stylish or warm and cozy—the possibilities are endless!
Primacy bias describes how it is usually easier to recall information we heard earlier in an interaction. So, if we read a long list of items, we are more likely to remember the first few items in the list than the ones we read later.
Primacy effect exampleAt a conference, you meet a considerable number of people who are new to you in the first hour or so. Later in the day, as you encounter these new people again, you realize that you remember the names and some details of only the first few people you met.This is primacy effect at work.
Knowing whether to use enrolment or enrollment is a little tricky because it is different from other spellings that use double “l” in British and American English.
Enrolment/enrollment is a noun that refers to the act of enrolling, the total number of people who are enrolled, or the list of enrolled people. In British English, the correct spelling is enrolment, and in American English, it is enrollment.
Enrolment or enrollment in a sentence examplesSusie loved enrollment/enrolmentday as she met all the excited new students.
Dr. Harper’s class had the biggest enrollment/enrolmentin the faculty.
Amir was glad that the enrollment/enrolmentwas easy, as he had a busy day ahead of him.
NoteEnrol/enroll is something of a trap in the world of American English and British English spelling. There are many examples of British English using double consonants and American English using single consonants (e.g., “travelling/traveling,” “labelled/labeled”), but in this case the pattern of single and double “l” is different.
In American English, the correct spelling is always program. In British English, it is less simple. For most meanings of the noun and the verb, it is spelledprogramme, with the exception being in the computing world, where the preferred spelling is program.
Programme vs program in a sentence examplesThe local library was known for its exciting programme/programof poetry readings and children’s story times.
Gill had collected the programme/program from every play and concert she had attended.
The program/programthat controlled the lighting rig was beautifully simple to use.
Gurvinder’s most challenging task each year was to programme/program the after-school events.
Steve wondered why it was so difficult just to program/programthe central heating controller.
NoteTypically, regions like Australia and Canada follow British English spelling, rather than American English. However, with program, Canada uses the American spelling.
The noun that describes all manner of bracelets, broaches, and rings is spelled either jewelry or jewellery depending on the regional variation of English that you are using.
In American English, the correct spelling is jewelry, and in British English, it’s jewellery. People sometimes spell it “jewelery,” but this spelling isn’t commonly used in American or British English.
Jewelry or jewellery in a sentence examplesSometimes, when chosen carefully, the simplest piece of jewelry/jewellerycan have the most dramatic impact.
My friend Alya has turned making jewelry/jewelleryfrom a hobby into a thriving business.
The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, England, is the largest concentration of jewelry/jewellerybusinesses in Europe.
Anchoring bias is a type of cognitive bias that affects the way we perceive information and consequently the decisions we make. It describes our tendency to rely too much on the first piece of information we receive on a topic, irrespective of how reliable that information might be. As a consequence, anchoring bias can lead to poor decision-making.
Anchoring bias exampleYou visit a used car showroom with a view to purchasing a new vehicle. The dealer shows you around a number of cars that you realize are far beyond your price range, and you start to think that you can’t afford to change.
Next, the dealer shows you some other, much cheaper cars that are within your budget. Compared with the earlier, expensive models, these seem like good value. This impression is misleading, as in reality, they are all overpriced. But because the first cars have fixed a price in your mind, they seem like a good buy.
