One would think that being native to a language means that you would never struggle when using it. But sometimes, you may be looking to find the lyrics of a song, and you stumble upon words that are entirely unknown to you. This especially happens when trying to use the -ing suffix. For example, is it “refering” or “referring?”
The correct spelling has two r’s, and the reason behind this is purely grammatical. When adding a suffix, such as -ing to a word with more than a syllable and the stress is located on the first one, double the consonant. Therefore, “refer” becomes “referring.”
The word “refering” is a misspelled version of “referring.” It is not a variant of British English nor part of an old dialect. It is possible that the pronunciation is not up to par. Someone may say it in a way that it can be easily misunderstood with one r instead of two. However if you were to type it as such, Google would consider it a typo.
Why Is It Spelled “Referring” And Not “Refering”?
Let’s make this crystal clear. “”Refering” is not the correct spelling of a word in English. “Referring” is a word that comes from adding a suffix to the word “refer.” This verb comes from a combination of Old French and Latin and is meant to bring or carry back.
It can be used in different contexts in the English language, and some of those are to name someone, send or direct someone to a specialized person in a field, and in an archaic way as to associate something to a person.
But when you take this word, which would be called a root word, and add a suffix such as -ing, you will get a brand new word. A suffix, in this example, can be used in the gerund form as an action in progress. Or it can also be used as an adjective to describe a noun.
Why Is It Confusing?
A language is not particular to a country but to a society or a community. In the English language, many people have the skill of determining whether someone is from the south side or the north side of the United States. Sometimes they can even identify in a crowd someone with a Bostonian or Texan accent. But in writing, it is more difficult because American spelling varies in many words from British spelling.
In British spelling, the l is doubled when you have verbs that have the consonant-verb-consonant ending. So if you see travel, it would change to traveling in American spelling but travelling in British spelling. For someone knowledgeable of these variants in spelling, it may be a bit confusing when running into words such as “refering.” As they may believe that “refering” is the American spelling while “referring” is the British one. Hence, they would use them interchangeably.
On the other hand, the word “referring” is also easily confused with referencing. When trying to use both terms, most people tend to think they have the same meaning. A verb, “referring,” directs attention to something, while “referencing” is to mention or cite a source.
Uses Of “Referring” In A Sentence
Here are some ways that you can use the word referring in sentences.
- When I said I didn’t like sweets, I wasn’t referring to all types.
- I told Lisa that my big toe hurt, and she was quickly referring me to a pediatrician. I think she meant to say a podiatrist instead.
- I think what the professor said was not referring to Wikipedia as a reliable source for your paper.
- He wasn’t referring to your negativity but your lack of disassociation from his situation.
- They flunk the final tests, so the teachers are probably referring them to summer school.
- The kid glanced around and realized that the teacher was referring to him.
- “I’m not eating that,” said Michael, referring to the vegetables in the spaghetti sauce.
- Whether they were referring to throwing the party at their house or not, I still don’t think it is a good idea.
What If You Can’t Recall The Correct Spelling For “Referring”?
Languages are the food of the brain, or at least they should be treated as such. For many people, being a native English speaker doesn’t necessarily equal fluency. Vocabulary plays a big part in it, and the less you read, the less you end up knowing that a word can play a different role in a sentence just by adding an affix.
When writing anything, change it if you find yourself unsure about the correct spelling of a word. You know what you want to say, so find a synonym that would shield the same results. Some words that you can use instead of “referring” and still deliver the same message go as follow:
- When I said I didn’t like sweets, I wasn’t naming all types.
- I told Lisa my big toe hurt, and she was quickly directing me to a pediatrician. I think she meant to say a podiatrist instead.
- I think what the professor said was not to be citing Wikipedia as a reliable source for your paper.
- He wasn’t suggesting negativity but a lack of disassociation from his situation.
- They flunk the final tests, so the teachers are probably sending them to summer school.
- The kid glanced around and realized that the teacher was pointing at him.
- “I’m not eating that,” said Michael, calling attention to the vegetables in the spaghetti sauce.
- Whether they were suggesting throwing the party at their house or not, I still don’t think it is a good idea.
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The Word “Referring” In Other Contexts
- Referring to business means promoting products or services to new customers, often by word of mouth. It is the cheapest way of putting your business in someone’s view. Referring works great when it comes to:
- Health sector. Doctors tend to see family members and friends more than strangers. Especially in small cities or towns.
- Catering businesses. When the food is good, people talk about it, and the business grows just for referring.
- Utility services. When in need of a plumber or an electrician, referring is what ensures price and reliability.
- Referring in court occurs when a child has been referred from one court to another.
- Referring domain, also known as a linking domain, is a web page that links to another webpage.
- Referring facility in healthcare is to transfer or discharge a patient’s care to another facility. It can often happen between hospitals.
- A referring judge is when the judge refers anyone who is a substance offender to a program in a court of law.
- A referring gift idea is a way to show a person that you appreciate their relationship, whether on a business or on a personal level. It is often seen in partnerships or among peers, between classmates, or at a teacher-student level in school.
In A Word
Unless you are majoring in linguistics, knowing all the rules for spelling in the English language is not expected of you. Synonyms are the best choice when you find yourself in a dilemma, so don’t be afraid of coming up with different ways to say the same thing.
In the battle between “refering” or “referring,” go with the latter as when adding a suffix, it will, in most cases, require a double consonant.
It has become more and more common to use words on a regular basis and have never written them before. When things like this happen, there’s no shame in making a mistake. Knowing how to communicate in a language is enough; knowing all the rules is a bonus.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.