How to spell afford

hear itaf·ford/ə'foʊrd/verbRules and real life

What it means: Have the financial means to do something.

In a sentence: We need to save our money so we can afford a new toy.

The part people get wrong

Watch for double f. Often misspelled as aford or affourd.

Same family: affords, afforded, affording, offer, provide. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: Afford comes from Old English 'geforthian', which meant 'to further' or 'to carry out.' Over time, its meaning shifted to 'provide' or 'give,' which is still heard in formal English like 'The job affords many benefits.'

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

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