Encourage is the correct spelling. Incourage is a common misspelling and is not recognized by major English dictionaries, including Merriam-Webster, Oxford, and Cambridge.
People often write incourage because the first syllable sounds similar to “in”, but the word is correctly spelled with the prefix en-.
Quick Answer Table
| Correct | Incorrect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| encourage | incourage | The word begins with the prefix en-, not in-. |
| encouraged | incouraged | The base spelling remains encourage. |
| encouraging | incouraging | The root word is encourage. |
Why People Make This Mistake
At first glance, incourage looks believable.
That’s because English contains hundreds of words beginning with in-, including increase, include, inspire, and income. Our brains become familiar with this pattern and sometimes apply it where it doesn’t belong.
Pronunciation also plays a role.
When spoken naturally, the first syllable of encourage often sounds close to “in”, especially in fast conversation. Many people simply spell the word the way they hear it.
Professional editors frequently see this mistake in school assignments, emails, blog posts, and social media captions. It’s especially common among English learners, but native speakers make it too because the pronunciation can be misleading.
The good news is that once you understand why the word begins with en-, it’s much easier to remember the correct spelling.
The Rule Behind It
The word encourage follows a common English pattern where the prefix en- means to make or to cause.
In simple terms, encourage means to give someone courage or to make someone feel more confident.
That’s why the word starts with en-, not in-.
The same prefix appears in many familiar English words.
| Correct Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| enable | Make something possible |
| enrich | Make richer |
| enlarge | Make larger |
| encircle | Surround |
| encase | Put inside a case |
| encourage | Give courage to someone |
Although in- is another common English prefix, it serves different purposes and isn’t part of the spelling of encourage.
Words That Start With EN-
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| enable | make able |
| enrich | make richer |
| enlarge | make larger |
| encourage | give courage |
| enforce | make people obey |
A Brief Word Origin
The word encourage comes from the Old French word encourager, which means to give courage.
The noun courage is at the heart of the word.
Think of it like this:
en + courage = encourage
The beginning has always been en-, which is why incourage has never been the standard spelling.
Understanding where the word comes from makes the spelling much easier to remember.
Pronunciation Guide
One reason people spell this word incorrectly is that its pronunciation can be misleading.
Encourage is pronounced:
American English
/ɪnˈkɝːɪdʒ/
British English
/ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ/
Notice something interesting.
Even though the word is spelled with en-, the first syllable often sounds very close to “in” when spoken naturally.
That’s why many writers type incourage without realizing the spelling has changed.
The pronunciation may sound like in, but the spelling remains en.
Is “Incourage” Ever Correct?
No.
Incourage is not accepted in:
- American English
- British English
- Canadian English
- Australian English
- Academic writing
- Business writing
Every major dictionary lists encourage as the correct spelling.
If you write incourage, spell-checkers like Grammarly and Microsoft Editor will usually suggest encourage.
Real-Life Examples
Workplace
Managers should encourage employees to share new ideas during meetings.
School
Teachers encourage students to ask questions instead of memorizing answers.
Business Email
We want to encourage customers to leave honest feedback after every purchase.
Healthcare
Doctors often encourage patients to maintain healthy daily habits.
Social Media
Her story continues to encourage thousands of people around the world.
Everyday Conversation
My parents always encourage me to keep learning new skills.
Incorrect vs Correct
❌ Our coach always incourages us before every match.
✅ Our coach always encourages us before every match.
❌ The teacher tried to incourage the class.
✅ The teacher tried to encourage the class.
Common Places This Mistake Appears
Student Essays
Students often spell the word based on its pronunciation rather than its actual spelling.
Example: The teacher tried to incourage critical thinking.
Homework Assignments
Fast typing and limited proofreading make this mistake common.
Example: Parents should incourage children to read every day.
Business Emails
Professionals sometimes overlook small spelling errors while writing quickly.
Example: We hope these resources will incourage more participation.
Cover Letters
Applicants frequently use the word when describing leadership skills.
Example: I always incourage teamwork in the workplace.
Blog Posts
Content creators may rely on pronunciation instead of checking the spelling.
Example: These tips will incourage healthier eating habits.
Social Media Posts
Casual writing often leads to phonetic spelling mistakes.
Example: Let’s incourage each other to stay positive.
Website Content
Spelling errors sometimes appear in first drafts before editing.
Example: Our mission is to incourage lifelong learning.
Workplace Chats
Quick internal messages are another common place for this mistake.
Example: Let’s incourage everyone to join today’s meeting.
Online Forums
Informal discussions often contain spelling mistakes that go unnoticed.
Example: Good mentors always incourage beginners.
Tip: In every example above, incourage should be replaced with encourage.
Memory Trick
Think of the word this way:
Encourage begins with “EN” because you ENable someone to have courage.
Both enable and encourage start with EN-, and both involve helping someone.
Another easy way to remember it is to look at the middle of the word.
EN + COURAGE
The word courage is already inside encourage. Just add EN to the beginning.
If you remember courage, you’ll never be tempted to write incourage.
Mini Quiz
1. Which spelling is correct?
A. Incourage
B. Encourage
2. Fill in the blank.
Good leaders __ their teams to keep improving.
3. Which sentence is correct?
A. Parents should incourage curiosity.
B. Parents should encourage curiosity.
4. True or False
“Incourage” is accepted in British English.
Answer Key
- ✅ B
- ✅ encourage
- ✅ B
- ✅ False
FAQs
Is incourage a real word?
No. Incourage is not recognized as a standard English word. Major dictionaries, including Merriam-Webster, Oxford, and Cambridge, list only encourage as the correct spelling.
Which is correct: incourage or encourage?
Encourage is correct. Incourage is a common misspelling caused by pronunciation and confusion between the prefixes en- and in-.
Why do people spell encourage as incourage?
The first syllable of encourage often sounds like “in” in everyday speech. Many people spell the word phonetically instead of following its standard spelling.
Is incourage correct in British English?
No. Both British and American English use encourage. Incourage is incorrect in all standard varieties of English.
Is incourage in the dictionary?
No. Reputable dictionaries do not include incourage as an accepted spelling.
Does Grammarly accept incourage?
No. Grammarly identifies incourage as a spelling error and suggests encourage.
Does Microsoft Word underline incourage?
Yes. Microsoft Word normally flags incourage because it is not a recognized English word.
Is encourage a verb?
Yes. Encourage is a verb that means to give someone confidence, hope, or support.
Example: Teachers encourage students to think independently.
What does encourage mean?
Encourage means to inspire, support, or motivate someone to do something with confidence.
What is the noun form of encourage?
There is no noun encourage. Depending on the context, you might use encouragement, support, or motivation.
How do you pronounce encourage?
It is pronounced en-KUR-ij. Although the first syllable may sound close to “in”, the spelling always begins with en-.
Is encouraged spelled with en or in?
Always en. The correct forms are encouraged, encouraging, and encouragement.
Why does encourage start with en-?
The word comes from the Old French encourager, meaning to give courage. Its spelling has always begun with en-.
What words are commonly confused with encourage?
People often confuse encourage with incourage, especially because the pronunciation makes the opening syllable sound like “in”.
How can I remember the correct spelling?
Think of the phrase:
EN + courage = encourage
If you can spell courage, simply add EN to the front.
Related Mistakes You Might Also See
If this mistake happened because of prefix confusion or pronunciation, these guides may also help:
- insure or ensure
- enquire or inquire
- entitled or intitled
- embarrass or embarass
- occurred or occured
- occurrence or occurence
- separate or seperate
- existence or existance
- independent or independant
- maintenance or maintainance
- recommend or reccomend
- necessary or neccessary
- privilege or privelege
- successful or succesful
These words are frequently misspelled because of confusing prefixes, vowel patterns, or pronunciation.
Conclusion
The correct spelling is encourage. The form incourage is a common misspelling caused by pronunciation and confusion between the prefixes en- and in-.
A simple way to remember the correct spelling is to look at the root word courage. Since encourage means to give courage, just add EN to the beginning.
If prefix-related spelling mistakes often catch you out, it’s worth reviewing words like ensure, embarrass, and occurrence, which follow similar spelling patterns.
Related Blogs:
