Is it "right," "rite," or "write"?

Word triplets like "right," "write," and "rite" can make anyone learning English want to pull their hair out. They sound identical but mean completely different things. Let's go through them one at a time.

Right

"Right" is the one you'll use most, and it has a few different meanings. Most often, it means correct.

• You're right. I should have called first.
• Is this the right way to the station?
• That's right. The meeting is at three.

It can also mean morally good or fair.

• Telling her the truth was the right thing to do.

It's the opposite of left, too.

• Turn right at the traffic lights.
• The bakery is on your right, just after the park.

And it can mean something you're allowed to do by law.

• Everyone has the right to vote.
• You have the right to remain silent.

You'll also hear it in everyday phrases like "right now," "right away," and "all right."

Write

"Write" means putting words down on paper or on a screen. The "w" is silent, like in "wrong" and "wrist."

• Can you write your name here, please?
• I need to write an email to my landlord.
• She writes poetry in her free time.

Rite

"Rite" is the one you'll see least. It's a formal ceremony or ritual, often religious or cultural.

• Baptism is an important rite in many Christian churches.
• The village still performs an ancient spring rite every year.

The phrase you're most likely to come across is "rite of passage." It means an experience that marks an important stage in someone's life, like a first job, a first car, or moving out of your parents' house.

• Getting your driving license is a real rite of passage.
• For a lot of students, the first all-nighter is a rite of passage.

Now that we've sorted these three out, there's no need to second-guess what's right anymore.

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