Forty vs. Fourty – How to Spell 40
What is the Difference Between Forty and Fourty?
Contents
Forty and fourty might seem like alternate spellings of the same word, but actually only one of these spellings is correct.
Forty is the correct spelling of the number 40 in all dialects of English.
- Drive forty miles past Tacoma and you’ll be close to where I live.
Fourty is not a word at all. Rather, it is simply a common misspelling of the number 40.
- This farm has fourty pigs and thirty goats. (incorrect spelling – use forty instead)
Now, let’s go over the how to use the correct spelling and avoid the error of spelling the word with a u.
Using Forty in a Sentence
When to use forty: Forty is simply the word form of the numeral 40. Whether you spell out the word or write it in its number form depends on which style guide you must follow for your school or business.
For example,
- Although it is possible to bicycle forty miles in a single day, most people choose not to do so.
- Only forty couples are allowed to enter the dance competition, so register early.
There are also some idioms and expression that use forty:
- forty acres and a mule: a broken promise
- After slavery ended, the American government promised African Americans forty acres and a mule as a means to help them start a new life. However, this promise was never fulfilled.
- forty winks: a short nap
- The toddler is catching forty winks before the trip to the zoo.
- forty ways from Sunday: completely or from all angles
- I’ve tried to fix this problem forty ways from Sunday, but nothing seems to work!
- Life begins at forty: by the age of forty you have the knowledge and means to do what you want with your life
- Some people are depressed when they reach the age of forty, but I believe that life begins at forty. When I reach forty I’ll have enough money to travel to all the places I’ve always wanted to go.
Like twenty and thirty, the vowels in forty are different than in the single digit forms two, three, and four.
Using Fourty in a Sentence
When to use fourty: Fourty is an incorrect spelling of forty. Fourty is a common error, but despite being common it is never an acceptable way to write the word form of 40.
For example:
- That band has over fourty hit songs! (incorrect spelling – use forty instead)
- There are over fourty ways to cure a hangover, according to my grandmother. (incorrect spelling – use forty instead)
People most likely make this error because the spelling of four includes a u, and forty has the same pronunciation in its first syllable as the number four.
Remembering Forty vs. Fourty
One way to remember which spelling is correct is to think of other similar numbers.
One, two, three, four, and five are the first five, positive, single-digit numbers. Once these numbers move to the tens place value, they all lose or change the vowels.
For example, one becomes ten, two becomes twenty, three becomes thirty, four becomes forty, and five becomes fifty. It is only the single digits six through nine which add ty to become sixty through ninety.
Therefore, remember that like 1 – 5, forty must lose or change one of the vowels from the word four, which in its case is the vowel u.
Outside Examples
- Forty minutes later, Lopez sent out another tweet, this one accompanied by a video of his view of the flooded streets he was traversing. His message was simple: “@ me if you need help” –USA Today
- Forty miles to the southwest, in Anahuac, the employees of an alligator farm circled their flooded property in boats, with guns at the ready. There were 350 alligators inside, and their pens were flooding. “They were very close to getting out,” a police officer said. –Washington Post
- Forty-seven states prohibit texting while driving and 15 ban drivers from using hand-held cellphones altogether, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. –Houston Chronicle
- Forty years ago, riding a bike was child’s play, and the overwhelming majority of those killed in bike crashes were children. Over the years, biking for fitness and as part of the daily commute has changed that dramatically. According to a report released Thursday, the average age of cyclists killed in collisions in 2015 was 45. –Denver Post
Quiz: Forty vs. Fourty
Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct word, either forty or fourty, in the correct form.
- It’s not too late for America to fulfill the promise of __________ acres and a mule, or to make some other reparations for slavery. (correct spelling)
- The family reunion will have over _______________ family members attending. (incorrect spelling)
- The teacher bought ______________ kazoos to hand out to her students for a surprise instrumental section during the musical performance. (correct spelling)
Article Summary
Should I use forty or fourty? Only one of these words has the correct spelling. Therefore, only one of these is acceptable, and the other one you must always avoid.
- Forty is the correct spelling of the number 40.
- Fourty is a common wrong way to spell the number 40.
Don’t let the spelling of the number four trick you into spelling forty with a u.
Quiz Answers
- forty
- fourty
- forty