Economic vs Economical | The Economy or Saving Resources?
The words look similar, but the decision is different. Choose economic for the economy, business activity or financial conditions. Choose economical for something that saves money, fuel, energy, time or materials.
Saving money or resources = economical
Choose economic
Use economic for growth, recovery, policy, development, market activity, employment, output and wider financial or business conditions.
Choose economical
Use economical for a practical choice, product or system that reduces costs or saves fuel, energy, time, materials or other resources.
Find the meaning anchor
Do not decide from the similar spelling. Read the words around the blank and identify whether they point to the wider economy or to a specific way of saving resources.
Because the report tracks national output and employment, analysts revised the ___ growth forecast.
Answer: economicnational output and employment, is the anchor. “national output and employment,” is the anchor. The forecast concerns changes in the national economy. Use “economic” for the economy, business, or financial conditions. “Economical” describes something inexpensive or efficient to use, which is not the meaning required here.
Since the new boiler uses less gas during winter, it is a more ___ heating system.
Answer: economicaluses less gas during winter, is the anchor. “uses less gas during winter,” is the anchor. The system saves fuel during normal operation. Use “economical” for something that saves money, fuel, time, materials, or other resources. “Economic” refers to the economy or wider financial conditions, which is not the meaning required here.
The drill contains 2 untimed Warm-Up questions, 5 timed Anchor Drill questions and 5 timed New Context questions.
What your result shows
Your result shows whether you can separate the economy and financial conditions from a practical way of saving money or resources under time pressure. In Review, check the meaning anchor rather than the similar spelling.
If you missed economic
Look for national output, employment, growth, interest rates, consumer demand or business investment. These signals point to the wider economy.
If you missed economical
Look for uses less gas, lower costs, saves fuel, reduces energy use, less waste or saves time. These signals point to resource savings.
If you chose from the spelling
Decide the business meaning first. Economy, growth or financial conditions point to economic. Saving money, time, fuel or materials points to economical.
Use Review in this order: check the correct answer, find the controlling meaning anchor, decide economy or resource saving, and then read the reusable pattern.