Fiancé or Fiancée? Councillor or Counsellor? Don’t Get It Twisted!

 Some English words are sneaky, they look alike but mean completely different things. Mix them up, and you might just call someone’s husband-to-be a woman or turn a politician into a therapist. 

 Today, let’s untangle two common confusions: fiancé vs. fiancée and councillor vs. counsellor.


Fiancé vs. Fiancée   





💡 Quick tip: One “e” = male. Double “ee” = female.

  • ❌ She introduced me to her fiancé, and it turned out to be a woman (wrong).

  • ✅ She introduced me to her fiancée, and it turned out to be a woman (correct

  • 👉 A fiancée is a woman who is engaged to be married.

  • ❌ David is excited to meet his fiancée at the airport tomorrow (wrong).

  • ✅ David is excited to meet his fiancé at the airport tomorrow (correct).

  • 👉 A fiancé is a man who is engaged to be married.


Councillor vs. Counsellor    

💡 Quick tip:

  • Councillor (one “s”) = government / politics.

  • Counsellor (two “s’s”) = advice / guidance.

  • ❌ She was elected as a counsellor for the local government area (wrong).

  • ✅ She was elected as a councillor for the local government area (correct).
    👉 A councillor is a member of a local council.

  • ❌ The students went to see the councillor about exam stress (wrong).

  • ✅ The students went to see the counsellor about exam stress (correct).
    👉 A counsellor is someone who offers guidance, support, or therapy.


Memory hacks:

  • Fiancé (one e) = man 💍

  • Fiancée (two e’s) = woman 💍

  • Councillor (one s) = sits in council 

  • Counsellor (two s’s) = gives support 


Did you get the hang of it? Next time you’re writing, pause and double-check, you don’t want to mix up a politician with a therapist, or a bride with a groom.
Share this with someone who loves polishing their English.

Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep shining!

COACH TEE🌟
Your Everyday English Buddy @ Speech Haven Diction & Poise Academy
(Helping you speak smarter, one word at a time.)

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