The difference between "specially" and "especially"
What is the difference between specially and especially? — Usman, Sri Lanka
These two words are confusing to many people. For some people, they are interchangeable. Here is an explanation of their main uses.
The most common meaning of specially is “for a particular purpose.” It is used most often in front of adjectives that look like past tense verbs (designed, priced, created), as shown in these two sentences:
This program is specially designed for creating invitations.
Specially priced tickets for students go on sale at 4 pm.
You will also find specially used in constructions like “specially for you,” “specially for today,” and “specially for the wedding,” as in this example:
Martha had a new dress made specially for the wedding.
Especially is used mainly when something applies more strongly to one thing than to others. Below are some typical sentences with especially. In sentences like these, especially means the same thing as particularly.
He’s especially worried about flying on a plane. (He’s worried about other things, but he’s more worried about flying.)
Good study skills are especially important when you get to college. (Good study skills are always important, but they’re more important in college.)
Older people often have difficulty driving at night, especially on unfamiliar roads.