Sometimes pressing send on an important communication can feel like a gamble. When you misspell a word that spellcheck doesn’t catch—like applying to be a “manger” rather than a “manager” (ouch!)—it can really hurt the cause. Typos can sometimes sneak into our writing when you aren’t looking (or when you forget to proof yourself), and here’s one more you need to make sure to get right to make those big emails slightly less of a “gamble,” “gambol,” or otherwise.
If you’re walking into a Vegas hotel, maybe you’re getting ready to gamble. If you’re gamboling through the door of that hotel, that’s something quite different.
The latter form isn’t something spellcheck will help you with. Plus, it’s a fun word to know.
Remember:
- To “gamble” is to do something risky or to make a bet, usually involving money.
- To “gambol” is to playfully skip or frolic.
When people spell words correctly in their important communications and then great things happen because of it, gambles can pay off. And that’s the instance when you are totally allowed to gambol around your office, your home, or a field full of flowers.
See the difference?
Writing Tip 346.1: In the United States, the proper spelling is “gamboling” and “gamboled”; however, pretty much everywhere else, the proper spelling is “gambolling” and “gambolled.” There we go being grammatically rebellious again.
Happy writing (and gambling? and gamboling?), folks!
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