These words can be very
confusing but let's end the confusion today. Lighting is a
noun. It is the arrangement or type of light in a room, house, etc.; for
example, "The lighting in the room was
poor/bright". Lighting is pronounced
approximately as /lai tin/ but accurately as /ˈlaɪ.tɪŋ/.
Lightning can be used as a
noun and as an adjective. As a noun, it means "a flash, or several flashes
of very bright light in the sky caused by electricity." For example,
"Thunder and lightning", "a flash of lightning" etc. Lightning is
pronounced approximately as /lait nin/ but precisely as /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/.
Lightening can also be used as
a verb and as an adjective. As a verb, lightening is the present
participle of lighten. Lighten means
"to become less dark" or "to make something become brighter or
lighter in colour". To lighten also means "to
reduce the amount of work, debt, load, worry, etc." The other verb forms
are "lightens", "lightened" and lightening. For
example, "He was interested in lightening our
burdens." Lightening is pronounced
approximately as /lai ti nin/ but accurately as /ˈlaɪ.tənɪŋ/.
© Eric Nuamah Korankye (Hamlet)
© Eric Nuamah Korankye (Hamlet)