Occurence vs Occurance Quiz: Test Yourself
Five quick questions on occurence vs occurance. Pick an answer to get instant feedback.
Flip Cards: Quick Review
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The correct spelling: something that happens.
“The occurrence of storms is rising.”
Misspelling. It is missing the second r.
Write “occurrence” instead.
Misspelling. It has the wrong ending and is missing an r.
Write “occurrence” instead.
The verb doubles its r, just like the noun.
“The error occurred twice.”
People search for occurence vs occurance because the word looks like it should be simpler than it is. The truth is that both versions are wrong, and the correct spelling, occurrence, trips up even careful writers. This guide shows you the right form and how to remember it.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occurrence ✓ | Something that happens; an event or instance | Noun / correct spelling | “Power cuts are a daily occurrence here.” |
| Occurrences ✓ | More than one event or instance | Noun (plural) / correct spelling | “The log lists every occurrence of the error.” |
| Occurence ✗ | Not a word; a misspelling of occurrence | Misspelling | Write “occurrence” instead. |
| Occurance ✗ | Not a word; a misspelling of occurrence | Misspelling | Write “occurrence” instead. |
Which is correct: occurence or occurance?
Neither is correct. The standard spelling is occurrence, spelled o-c-c-u-r-r-e-n-c-e.
Each misspelling gets part of the word right. “Occurence” has the -ence ending but drops one r. “Occurance” drops the r too and also swaps in the wrong ending, -ance. Spell-checkers will flag both.
What does occurrence mean?
An occurrence is something that happens, such as an event, incident or instance. It is a noun, and it can be used for anything from a rare event to a routine one.
The word comes from the Latin occurrere, meaning “to run toward” or “to meet,” which is also the root of the verb “occur.” You can use it in many contexts:
- “Rain is a common occurrence in April.”
- “Please report any occurrence of the problem.”
- “Software logs record each occurrence of an error.”
Why do people misspell occurrence?
Two things make it tricky: the double letters and the vowel ending. Writers often remember that something is doubled but not which letters, so they drop one r.
The ending adds to the confusion. Many English words end in -ance (importance, performance) and many in -ence (difference, presence), and they sound almost the same when spoken. Since you can’t hear the difference, it’s easy to pick the wrong one.
Why does occurrence have two r’s?
Because the verb “occur” doubles its final r when you add an ending. The stress falls on the last syllable (oc-CUR), and in English a single final consonant is usually doubled in that situation.
You can see the same pattern across the word family: occur, occurred, occurring, occurrence. If you can spell “occurred,” you can spell occurrence.
Is occurrence spelled differently in British and American English?
No. Occurrence is spelled the same in both. There is no regional variant like “colour” and “color,” so “occurence” and “occurance” are not acceptable in either style.
How can you remember how to spell occurrence?
Break it into chunks: oc-cur-rence. Two c’s, then “cur,” then a second r. The memory tricks below give you a few more hooks.
Common mistakes with occurrence
- ✗ That was a rare occurence.
✓ That was a rare occurrence. - ✗ An occurance of fraud was reported.
✓ An occurrence of fraud was reported. - ✗ The error occured last night.
✓ The error occurred last night. - ✗ The occurrances are logged daily.
✓ The occurrences are logged daily. - ✗ The ocurrence was unexpected.
✓ The occurrence was unexpected.
Memory tricks
- Double the c, double the r. Occurrence has two c’s and two r’s.
- Start from “occurred.” If the verb has rr, the noun has rr too.
- End with -ence, like “difference” and “presence.” Never -ance.
FAQ: Occurence vs Occurance
Is it occurence or occurance?
Neither. The correct spelling is occurrence, with two c’s, two r’s and an -ence ending. Both occurence and occurance are misspellings.
How do you spell occurrence?
Occurrence is spelled o-c-c-u-r-r-e-n-c-e. A helpful way to remember it is oc-cur-rence, with a double c and a double r.
Why is occurrence spelled with two r’s?
The verb occur doubles its final r when an ending is added, as in occurred, occurring and occurrence. The stress falls on the last syllable, which triggers the doubling.
Is occurrence spelled differently in British and American English?
No. Occurrence is spelled the same way in both British and American English.
What is the plural of occurrence?
The plural is occurrences, formed by adding an s to the end of occurrence.
Conclusion
When it comes to occurence vs occurance, the answer is that neither works: the correct word is occurrence, with two c’s, two r’s and an -ence ending. If you can spell “occurred,” you can spell “occurrence.” Share this with someone who mixes these up.