'Serial' means occurring in a series or repeated pattern; 'cereal' is grain or the breakfast food.
Adjective/noun. Occurring in a series. A serial number. Also: a story published or broadcast in episodes.
Each device has a unique serial number for tracking and warranty purposes.
He is a serial entrepreneur who has launched six companies.
The TV serial attracted millions of viewers every week.
Noun. Grain crops grown for food (wheat, maize, oats). Also: the processed grain breakfast food.
She poured a bowl of cereal and added cold milk for a quick breakfast.
Cereal crops such as wheat and rice feed most of the world.
Oat cereal is high in fibre and keeps you full longer.
Common mistake
"She ate a bowl of serial" when meaning the breakfast food (correct: cereal). Or "The cereal number" when meaning the identifier number (correct: serial number). The 'serial killer' / 'cereal killer' pun is one of the most common in English.
Trick to remember it
'Serial' contains SERIAL — like a series, in order. 'Cereal' has CERE like 'Ceres' (the Roman goddess of grain and harvest) — the word literally comes from her name.
Quick rule
Is it in a series, a serial number, or a show with episodes? 'Serial'. Is it the grain crop or the breakfast food? 'Cereal'.
Did you know?
'Cereal' comes from Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain (also the name of the largest asteroid/dwarf planet in our solar system). John Harvey Kellogg invented packaged breakfast cereal in 1877 as health food for his Michigan sanitarium patients. His brother Will Keith Kellogg later commercialised it as Kellogg's Corn Flakes. 'Serial' shares its root with 'series' (Latin 'serius', a row or chain) — a serial killer commits crimes in a series, a serial number identifies one item in a series.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Could you provide the _____ number for the device so we can process your warranty claim?
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She eats a bowl of oat _____ with blueberries every morning before work.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it in a series, a serial number, or a show with episodes? 'Serial'. Is it the grain crop or the breakfast food? 'Cereal'.
"She ate a bowl of serial" when meaning the breakfast food (correct: cereal). Or "The cereal number" when meaning the identifier number (correct: serial number). The 'serial killer' / 'cereal killer' pun is one of the most common in English.
'Serial' contains SERIAL — like a series, in order. 'Cereal' has CERE like 'Ceres' (the Roman goddess of grain and harvest) — the word literally comes from her name.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy