"Lightening" = the process of making something lighter in color or weight; "lightning" = the electrical discharge during a storm.
Gerund or present participle of "lighten" (to make lighter in color or weight). "Lightening the load" = making the load lighter. "Lightening her hair" = making her hair lighter in color. "The sky is lightening" = the sky is becoming lighter (growing brighter before dawn). Always has the E: light-E-ning.
The hairdresser spent three hours lightening her dark hair to achieve the blonde shade she wanted.
Lightening the mood with a well-timed joke can make tense meetings much more productive.
The sky began lightening around five in the morning, signaling the approaching dawn.
Noun: electrical discharge during a storm, the flash seen in the sky. "Lightning struck the tree" = lightning struck the tree. "Lightning bolt" = a lightning bolt. As an adjective: extremely fast. "Lightning-fast" = extremely fast. "A lightning decision" = a very fast decision. NEVER has an E between light and ning: light-ning.
Lightning struck the old oak tree in the yard during the storm, splitting it nearly in half.
The sprinter crossed the finish line with lightning speed, breaking the national record by two seconds.
You should never take shelter under a tree during a lightning storm — trees attract electrical strikes.
Common mistake
The confusion is almost exclusively a spelling issue. "Lightning" (the electrical discharge) never has an E. "Lightening" (making something lighter) always has an E. The typical error is writing "lightening" when talking about the electrical storm phenomenon. The test: "the electrical flash during a storm" = never has E (lightning). "The process of making something lighter" = always has E (lightening). If you are talking about weather or extreme speed, it is always "lightning" (no E).
Trick to remember it
LIGHTNING = LIGHT + NING = so fast there is no time for the E. Think: a bolt of lightning happens in an instant — no time for extra letters. LIGHTENING = LIGHTEN + ING = the process of making something lighter or brighter, which is gradual — there is time for the E. Visual trick: LIGHTNING (no E) = instant electrical flash. LIGHTENING (with E) = gradual process of becoming lighter.
Quick rule
Lightning (no E) = electrical storm discharge or adjective meaning extremely fast. Lightening (with E) = the process of making something lighter in color or weight (gerund of "lighten").
Did you know?
Lightning is one of the most photographed natural phenomena and also one of the deadliest. An average lightning bolt can reach 30,000 degrees Celsius (five times the temperature of the sun's surface) and release up to 1,000 megajoules of energy — enough to power an LED bulb for 30 years. The saying "lightning never strikes twice in the same place" is factually false: lightning prefers tall structures and can strike the same point repeatedly. The Empire State Building is struck by lightning about 20-25 times per year.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The shelter had a _____ rod installed on the roof to protect the building during electrical storms.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The colorist recommended _____ her base color by two shades before applying the highlights.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Lightning (no E) = electrical storm discharge or adjective meaning extremely fast. Lightening (with E) = the process of making something lighter in color or weight (gerund of "lighten").
The confusion is almost exclusively a spelling issue. "Lightning" (the electrical discharge) never has an E. "Lightening" (making something lighter) always has an E. The typical error is writing "lightening" when talking about the electrical storm phenomenon. The test: "the electrical flash during a storm" = never has E (lightning). "The process of making something lighter" = always has E (lightening). If you are talking about weather or extreme speed, it is always "lightning" (no E).
LIGHTNING = LIGHT + NING = so fast there is no time for the E. Think: a bolt of lightning happens in an instant — no time for extra letters. LIGHTENING = LIGHTEN + ING = the process of making something lighter or brighter, which is gradual — there is time for the E. Visual trick: LIGHTNING (no E) = instant electrical flash. LIGHTENING (with E) = gradual process of becoming lighter.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy