Basic Details
Word: Commonly
Part of Speech: Adverb
Meaning: Usually, or by most people; in a way that is often seen or done.
Synonyms: usually, often, generally, frequently
Antonyms: rarely, seldom, unusually
How to Spell Commonly
Syllables: com - mon - ly
Tricky part: Common has a double m and an o in each part. Students tend to drop one m or write the second o as an a.
Watch out for: comonly, commanly, commonley
Memory tip: Common has two m's and two o's, like a pair of shoes and a pair of socks. Add ly and nothing else changes.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Jaipur is commonly known as the Pink City.
Example 2: Neem twigs are still commonly used to clean teeth in many villages.
Example 3: This butterfly is commonly seen in gardens after the rains.
Fun Fact
Common comes from Latin communis, shared by all, the same root as community and communicate. A village common is land shared by everyone.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the prefix un to form its opposite. Choose it.
un
a) regular
b) possible
c) legal
d) common
Show answer
d) common. Uncommon is right; the others take ir, im and il to make irregular, impossible and illegal.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to commonly as used in the sentence:
Mistakes like this one are commonly made by students who are in a hurry.
a) rarely
b) secretly
c) frequently
d) never
Show answer
c) frequently. Commonly means often, so frequently is the match; rarely and never mean the reverse.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
In many coastal towns of Kerala, coconut oil is comonly used for cooking, while families in the north often prefer mustard oil for their everyday meals.
a) coastal
b) mustard
c) families
d) comonly
Show answer
d) comonly. Common carries two m's, and commonly keeps both of them.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which city is commonly called the Blue City of India?
a) Jaipur
b) Mysuru
c) Jodhpur
d) Udaipur
Show answer
c) Jodhpur
2. A plant that is commonly found in gardens is one that ____.
a) you see in many gardens
b) has never been named
c) grows only on mountains
d) flowers once in a hundred years
Show answer
a) you see in many gardens
