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Topic: Stationary or Stationery? |
28 Mar 2002 |
When you want to buy some pencils, pens, and paper, where do you go? Do you
go to a stationary of stationery
store? Well, well. Where should you go? In department store these days there is a section for pens,
pencils, erasers, folders, etc. that section is called 'stationery' with an 'e'.
Stationery is an uncountable noun; therefore, you don't need an article 'a'
in front of it. Stationery is materials for writing; for example, pens, paper, folders, envelops, etc.
A store that sells these writing materials is called a stationery store.
Sometimes stationery refers only to items made from paper. It can also mean good quality
paper for writing letters and matching envelopes.
Then what is 'stationary' with an 'a'?
'Stationary' is an adjective. It means not moving or not changing.
It is stationed. If you say you want to go to a stationary store, it means you are going to a store that
does not move. Obviously, we rarely see one that does.
Here are some examples of how the two words are used:
Stationery
There is a sale of stationery and office equipment this week at Cargo.
She works in the stationery department in a big department store.
This manufacturer produces stationery from recycled materials.
Stationary
By using radar, infrared sensors and lasers, crew can pick out both moving and stationary targets.
We were stationary at the traffic lights for 15 minutes.
House prices have been stationary for months.
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Note:
| Stationery (n) |
1. writing materials
2. items made from paper
3. writing paper and matching envelop. |
| Stationary (adj) |
not moving or not changing |
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Exercise: Stationery and Stationary |
| Directions : Choose the word that best suits the context in each sentence. |
 1. We've run out of printing paper. I need to run to the _______ store. |
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stationery |
stationary |
| 2. Have you got any decent _______ in your stock? |
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stationery |
stationary |
| 3. He's just started to learn shooting. He needs to practice on _______ targets. |
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stationery |
stationary |
| 4. He wrote on blue _______ with the company's logo on it. |
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stationery |
stationary |
| 5. The troop has been surrounded and _______ for at least 24 hours. |
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stationery |
stationary |
| Tricks: You can choose the answers by checking whether the sentence lacks a noun or an adjective. |
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Answers |
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