Speech Vs. Speach: What’s The Correct Spelling Of This Word?

Speech vs. speech, which word do you use when referring to the act of addressing an audience in a formal setting when you want to share information on a specific topic? By looking at the two words, you can easily identify what is incorrect or correct. So which is the correct spelling?

Between the two words, “speech” is the correct spelling. Speech means “to formally address an audience.” Another meaning for speech is “the ability to communicate with others with spoken language.” However, many often misspell this word as “speach” because the two words sound and look the same.

There are 26 letters in English and thousands of words formed with the same letters. Therefore, coming across confusing words like speech and speech is common. This article compares and contrasts “speech” and “speach.”

Definitions Of Speech And Speach

What is the first thing you do when encountering new or confusing words? Most people check their dictionaries for the meanings of the words. A word’s definition will help you understand how and when to use it. Also, it will help you differentiate the particular word from words that sound like it or have similar spellings. Here are the definitions for “speech” and “speach.”

Definition Of Speech

Speech is the act of voicing articulate sounds or communicating using spoken language. Refer to this word when describing the ability to speak or use vocalized words to communicate. For example, “Sandy’s speech has improved significantly in the past few months.”

Besides the primary spelling above, the term speech also has secondary meanings. For instance, speech is “a period of dialog” or a lengthy public oral message addressing an audience.” In a sentence, “The Senator gave his speech right before it started to rain and the crowd dispersed.”

Another meaning for speech is “an approach of articulation, dialect, or language.” For example, “Sandra’s lisping speech confuses many people who meet her for the first time.” This word also refers to the language spoken by a specific group. For example, “The Tutsi speech is one of the most beautiful dialects.”

In some aspects, speech means “communication through talking or a talk given to an audience.” For example, in a sentence, “The presidential address is the perfect example of an awesome speech.”

Definition Of Speach

Speech is not a recognized word in English. Therefore, English dictionaries do not provide definitions for this word. For this reason, there is no context in which this word would be acceptable in writing or communication in English.

Here is a fact you should always remember: This word is a common misspelling of “speech,” which means “the activity of talking to a big audience or a style of communication.”

How To Properly Use Speech And Speach In A Sentence

Using “speech” and “speach” in sentences is easy because one word is incorrect while the other is not. You will benefit greatly if you know how to use the correctly-spelled word. Below are some guidelines;

How And When To Use Speech

Use the word “speech” when referring to the activity of addressing a large group of people.” You can also use it to describe a person’s speaking style or a formal language spoken by people of a specific nationality or group.

Speech is primarily a noun with many but closely related meanings. As a noun, the word can take the place of a subject in a sentence. In this case, you should place it before a verb or adjective. For example, “The Governor’s speech was inaudible and about his personal life and not what the audience expected.”

On the other hand, you can use “speech” as the object in a sentence. In this case, you must place the word before or after a verb to indicate that it receives an action. For example, “Matthew cut short his speech during the inauguration ceremony.”

Also, use the word “speech” in sentences as a common noun when referring to a dialect or style of speaking. Use it as a countable noun when referring to the faculty of uttering articulate vocalizations of words to communicate. Note that when using the term as an uncountable noun, the plural form remains the same (speech).

The above changes when you use the word as a countable noun when referring to a long oral message addressed to a group of people formally or informally. In this instance, use it in the plural form (speeches).

You can use the plural form in more specific contexts, like various types of speeches. For example, in a sentence, “The speeches from the political aspirants will determine the voter’s choices.

Other word forms for speech are; speeched (past tense/past participle), speeching (the present participle), and speak (verb). However, the present tense, past participle, and present participle word forms do not appear in most English dictionaries.

How And When To Use Speach

The word “speach” does not exist in modern English. Therefore, there is no context in which you can use this word in sentences. Avoiding this term and focusing on its correct spelling (speech) is the way to go.

Learn from these two sentence examples:

• Edward’s speech left the audience in tears and admiration. (CORRECT)
• Edward’s speach left the audience in tears and admiration. (INCORRECT)

Speech vs. Speach: The Spelling Explained

Many people confuse the spelling of speach with speech because of its verb form. The noun “speech” is formed from the verb “speak.” Therefore, many people assume that the word should have an “a” like the word “speak.” However, some English words are complicated, and you cannot conjugate their other word forms using similar rules. In this case, the correct spelling for the noun from the verb “speak” is “speech.”

You can always remember the correct spelling by practicing or writing the word down severally. Doing so will trigger muscle memory. Also, you can create a rhyme for the spelling to help you avoid spelling mistakes.

List Of Examples Of Speech And Speach Use In Sentences

With the information above, you can check out some examples of sentences featuring these words to learn from them. Note that sentences with “speach” are always incorrect because the spelling is wrong.

Here are example sentences of speech, which is the correct form.

1. Anita’s speech was soft and lilting.
2. The American speech does not compare well to other global dialects regarding precision and uniqueness.
3. The Senator’s mumbling speech caused the public to give him a poor acceptance rate despite his good ideas and capabilities.
4. President Obama’s inauguration speech will forever remain iconic over all speeches by presidents before and after him.
5. The crowd sat and waited patiently for the speech by the Queen as they expected good news regarding the state of the anticipated bill.
6. The coach’s inspirational speech to the team before the game did not work as expected.
7. The speech by the Governor helped boost his acceptance in the state.
8. Biden gave the longest presidential speech in history while addressing the issue between Ukraine and Russia.
9. Many think Kelly’s speech is indicative of the typical Russian temperament.
10. The speech by the CEO left a sour taste in the employee’s mouths and caused many of them to resign.

Conclusion

“Speech” is the correct spelling for the word that refers to the act of communicating or addressing a crowd or using verbal communication. While many confuse its spelling with “speach,” no alternative spelling for “speech” exists. Thus, speach is not a valid word; you should not use it in writing. Are you still confused about these words? Read this speech vs. speach article again and again.