How to spell voluntary

hear itvol·un·tar·y/'vɑlən,təri/adjectiveSchwa and roots

What it means: Done by choice or free will, not forced.

In a sentence: Helping tidy up the classroom was a voluntary task.

The part people get wrong

Watch for an unstressed vowel that is hard to hear. Often misspelled as volentary or volantry.

Same family: volunteer, voluntary (adjective: done by free choice), voluntarily, involuntary, volition. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Voluntary” comes from the Latin word *voluntarius*, based on *voluntas* meaning “will” or “wish.” The same root appears in words like “volunteer” and “volition,” all tied to the idea of choosing something freely.

Patterns it uses: The unstressed vowel (schwa)

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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