Specially vs. Especially

Specially

Specially is an adverb that is used to indicate something done for a specific or special purpose.

·         He specially went to the shop to get her favourite chocolates.

·         The fans have specially designed blades for a better air flow and ventilation.

·         I got this gift specially for you.

·         He did not want to be treated specially.

In all the above sentences, especially would sound odd or even wrong, especially to native speakers. Here are some scenarios where both especially and specially would give correct meaning to the sentence.

·         I especially/specially gave this assignment to you as it will help with your promotion.

·         This kit has been especially/specially packed for the underprivileged children.

·         I especially/specially like the way she speaks.

Especially

Especially is an adverb that can be used to indicate ‘very much’ or some(thing) extra or more compared to other (things).

·         I especially like the white kitten amongst all.

·         The kids have been working really hard, especially the boys.

·         I especially like the flower decoration of the room.

·         The shirts are nice, especially the blue one.

·         Our summer holidays are very enjoyable, especially because our grandmother makes ice-creams and mango milk shake for us.

In all the above sentences, we are talking about something that stands out from the others, for example, the white kitten, the boys, the flowers, the blue shirt and the food. So, when we say especially, it indicates an ‘additional’ striking feature of something that makes it unique from others. Specially, on the other hand, means something that is for a particular purpose. For example, a cake specially bought for a birthday.

The usage of both words is interchangeable in some instances, however in other cases as we have seen, both words can’t be compared or used interchangeably.

“I bought this cake especially for you, I specially asked the shopkeeper to add extra nuts to make it crunchier.”

He likes your voice, especially the emotional touch in it. He has specially requested me to make you sing this song.

Hope the above sentences have further helped you get rid of the confusion between these two words.