How Do You Spell Fulfill Fulfill or Fulfil

Fulfill vs. Fulfil: Mastering the Spelling of This Verb

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Understanding the correct spelling of the verb “fulfill” or “fulfil” is crucial for clear and accurate writing. This verb, meaning to complete or satisfy something, appears frequently in both formal and informal contexts.

Knowing when to use the single “l” versus the double “l” can significantly improve your written communication and avoid common errors. This comprehensive guide is designed for English language learners, writers, and anyone seeking to enhance their grasp of English grammar and spelling conventions.

By the end of this article, you will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to confidently use “fulfill” and “fulfil” in your writing.

Table of Contents

Definition of Fulfill/Fulfil

The verb “fulfill” (or “fulfil”) means to carry out, complete, or satisfy something. It implies bringing something to completion or meeting a requirement, expectation, or promise.

This verb is versatile and can be used in various contexts, ranging from fulfilling a duty to fulfilling a dream.

Classification and Function

“Fulfill/Fulfil” is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. It describes an action performed on something or someone. The verb acts as the predicate in a sentence, indicating what the subject does or experiences. For example, in the sentence “She fulfilled her promise,” “fulfilled” is the verb, and “her promise” is the direct object.

Contexts of Use

The verb “fulfill/fulfil” is widely used in various contexts, including:

  • Obligations and Duties: Fulfilling a responsibility or task.
  • Promises and Agreements: Keeping one’s word or adhering to an agreement.
  • Requirements and Expectations: Meeting necessary standards or what is anticipated.
  • Personal Goals and Aspirations: Achieving one’s ambitions or desires.
  • Legal and Contractual Obligations: Adhering to the terms of a contract or law.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of “fulfill/fulfil” is relatively straightforward. It typically follows the standard subject-verb-object order in English sentences.

Basic Sentence Structure

The most common structure is:

Subject + Fulfill/Fulfil + Object

For example:

  • He fulfilled his potential.
  • She will fulfil her duties.

Tense Variations

The verb “fulfill/fulfil” can be used in different tenses to indicate when the action takes place.

  • Present Simple: I fulfill/fulfil my obligations daily.
  • Past Simple: He fulfilled/fulfilled his promise yesterday.
  • Future Simple: She will fulfill/fulfil her dream next year.
  • Present Continuous: They are fulfilling/fulfilling their responsibilities now.
  • Past Continuous: He was fulfilling/fulfilling his duties when the accident occurred.
  • Present Perfect: She has fulfilled/fulfilled all the requirements.
  • Past Perfect: He had fulfilled/fulfilled his obligations before he left.
  • Future Perfect: By next year, she will have fulfilled/fulfilled her ambition.

Passive Voice

“Fulfill/Fulfil” can also be used in the passive voice, which changes the focus from the subject performing the action to the object receiving the action.

Object + is/was/will be + Fulfilled

For example:

  • The promise was fulfilled.
  • The requirements will be fulfilled.

Types and Categories of Usage

The verb “fulfill/fulfil” can be categorized based on the type of object it takes and the context in which it is used.

Fulfilling Obligations and Duties

This category involves completing tasks, responsibilities, or duties that are expected of someone.

Examples:

  • Fulfilling a contract
  • Fulfilling a job requirement
  • Fulfilling parental duties

Fulfilling Promises and Agreements

This refers to keeping one’s word or adhering to agreements made with others.

Examples:

  • Fulfilling a promise to a friend
  • Fulfilling a contractual agreement
  • Fulfilling a commitment

Fulfilling Requirements and Expectations

This involves meeting necessary standards, criteria, or expectations set by others or oneself.

Examples:

  • Fulfilling academic requirements
  • Fulfilling customer expectations
  • Fulfilling the criteria for a grant

Fulfilling Personal Goals and Aspirations

This relates to achieving one’s ambitions, dreams, or personal objectives.

Examples:

  • Fulfilling a lifelong dream
  • Fulfilling personal goals
  • Fulfilling ambitions

Examples of Fulfill/Fulfil

Here are detailed examples of how “fulfill” and “fulfil” are used in various contexts. Remember that “fulfill” is the standard American English spelling, while “fulfil” is more common in British English.

Examples in Different Tenses

The following table illustrates the use of “fulfill/fulfil” in various tenses.

Tense Example (American English) Example (British English)
Present Simple I fulfill my obligations. I fulfil my obligations.
Past Simple He fulfilled his promise. He fulfilled his promise.
Future Simple She will fulfill her dream. She will fulfil her dream.
Present Continuous They are fulfilling their responsibilities. They are fulfilling their responsibilities.
Past Continuous He was fulfilling his duties when the accident occurred. He was fulfilling his duties when the accident occurred.
Present Perfect She has fulfilled all the requirements. She has fulfilled all the requirements.
Past Perfect He had fulfilled his obligations before he left. He had fulfilled his obligations before he left.
Future Perfect By next year, she will have fulfilled her ambition. By next year, she will have fulfilled her ambition.
Present Simple We fulfill our potential through hard work. We fulfil our potential through hard work.
Past Simple The company fulfilled its annual targets. The company fulfilled its annual targets.
Future Simple The new policy will fulfill the needs of the community. The new policy will fulfil the needs of the community.
Present Continuous The team is fulfilling a critical role in the project. The team is fulfilling a critical role in the project.
Past Continuous The organization was fulfilling its mission despite the challenges. The organization was fulfilling its mission despite the challenges.
Present Perfect The software has fulfilled all the specified functions. The software has fulfilled all the specified functions.
Past Perfect Before the deadline, the project team had fulfilled all deliverables. Before the deadline, the project team had fulfilled all deliverables.
Future Perfect By the end of the year, the company will have fulfilled its expansion plans. By the end of the year, the company will have fulfilled its expansion plans.
Present Simple They fulfill their promises to deliver quality service. They fulfil their promises to deliver quality service.
Past Simple She fulfilled her responsibility to care for her family. She fulfilled her responsibility to care for her family.
Future Simple He will fulfill his duty to protect the environment. He will fulfil his duty to protect the environment.
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Examples in Active and Passive Voice

This table shows the use of “fulfill/fulfil” in both active and passive voice.

Voice Example (American English) Example (British English)
Active The company fulfilled the order. The company fulfilled the order.
Passive The order was fulfilled by the company. The order was fulfilled by the company.
Active She fulfilled her potential. She fulfilled her potential.
Passive Her potential was fulfilled through hard work. Her potential was fulfilled through hard work.
Active They will fulfill the contract. They will fulfil the contract.
Passive The contract will be fulfilled by them. The contract will be fulfilled by them.
Active The students fulfilled the assignment requirements. The students fulfilled the assignment requirements.
Passive The assignment requirements were fulfilled by the students. The assignment requirements were fulfilled by the students.
Active The government fulfilled its pledge to reduce poverty. The government fulfilled its pledge to reduce poverty.
Passive The pledge to reduce poverty was fulfilled by the government. The pledge to reduce poverty was fulfilled by the government.
Active The organization fulfilled its goal of providing clean water. The organization fulfilled its goal of providing clean water.
Passive The goal of providing clean water was fulfilled by the organization. The goal of providing clean water was fulfilled by the organization.
Active The developer fulfilled all the building codes. The developer fulfilled all the building codes.
Passive All the building codes were fulfilled by the developer. All the building codes were fulfilled by the developer.
Active The athlete fulfilled his dream of winning a gold medal. The athlete fulfilled his dream of winning a gold medal.
Passive His dream of winning a gold medal was fulfilled by the athlete. His dream of winning a gold medal was fulfilled by the athlete.

Examples in Different Contexts

Here are examples demonstrating the use of “fulfill/fulfil” in various contexts.

Context Example (American English) Example (British English)
Obligation He must fulfill his legal obligations. He must fulfil his legal obligations.
Promise She promised to fulfill his wishes. She promised to fulfil his wishes.
Requirement The software fulfills all the requirements. The software fulfils all the requirements.
Aspiration He worked hard to fulfill his ambitions. He worked hard to fulfil his ambitions.
Contract The company fulfilled the terms of the contract. The company fulfilled the terms of the contract.
Duty It is our duty to fulfill our responsibilities. It is our duty to fulfil our responsibilities.
Expectation The product fulfilled customer expectations. The product fulfilled customer expectations.
Goal The charity fulfilled its goal of providing aid to the needy. The charity fulfilled its goal of providing aid to the needy.
Role The manager fulfilled her role effectively. The manager fulfilled her role effectively.
Need The new policy fulfilled the needs of the community. The new policy fulfilled the needs of the community.
Pledge The politician fulfilled his pledge to create more jobs. The politician fulfilled his pledge to create more jobs.
Standard The project fulfilled the required quality standards. The project fulfilled the required quality standards.
Ambition She fulfilled her ambition of becoming a doctor. She fulfilled her ambition of becoming a doctor.
Desire He fulfilled his desire to travel the world. He fulfilled his desire to travel the world.
Task The team fulfilled the task ahead of schedule. The team fulfilled the task ahead of schedule.
Mission The organization fulfilled its mission to protect wildlife. The organization fulfilled its mission to protect wildlife.
Order The supplier fulfilled the order promptly. The supplier fulfilled the order promptly.
Function The system fulfilled its intended function. The system fulfilled its intended function.
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Usage Rules

The primary rule to remember is that “fulfill” (with two “l”s) is the standard spelling in American English, while “fulfil” (with one “l”) is more common in British English. However, even in British English, “fulfill” is gaining acceptance and is sometimes used, especially in formal writing.

American vs. British English

American English: Always use “fulfill.”

British English: Primarily use “fulfil,” but “fulfill” is also acceptable.

Consistency

Regardless of which spelling you choose, it is crucial to maintain consistency throughout your writing. Do not switch between “fulfill” and “fulfil” within the same document or piece of writing.

Derivatives

Derivatives of “fulfill/fulfil,” such as “fulfillment/fulfilment,” follow the same spelling rules. In American English, use “fulfillment,” while in British English, “fulfilment” is preferred.

Common Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes is using the incorrect spelling based on the region or style guide. Here are some examples of common errors and their corrections.

Incorrect Correct (American English) Correct (British English)
He will fulfil his promise (American English). He will fulfill his promise. He will fulfil his promise.
She found great fulfillement in her work (American English). She found great fulfillment in her work. She found great fulfilment in her work.
They need to fullfil the requirements (American English). They need to fulfill the requirements. They need to fulfil the requirements.
He will fulfill his promise (British English). He will fulfill his promise. He will fulfil his promise.
She found great fulfillment in her work (British English). She found great fulfillment in her work. She found great fulfilment in her work.
The company must fullfil its obligations (American English). The company must fulfill its obligations. The company must fulfil its obligations.
The project aims to fullfill the needs of the community (American English). The project aims to fulfill the needs of the community. The project aims to fulfil the needs of the community.
The team worked hard to fullfill the task (American English). The team worked hard to fulfill the task. The team worked hard to fulfil the task.
She has a sense of fullfilment in her new role (American English). She has a sense of fulfillment in her new role. She has a sense of fulfilment in her new role.
The organization strives for fullfilment of its mission (American English). The organization strives for fulfillment of its mission. The organization strives for fulfilment of its mission.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding with these practice exercises. Choose the correct spelling of “fulfill/fulfil” in each sentence, based on whether you are writing in American or British English (answers provided below).

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (American English)

  1. She needs to __________ her potential.
  2. The company aims to __________ customer expectations.
  3. They will __________ their promise to deliver on time.
  4. He has a strong desire to __________ his dreams.
  5. The project must __________ all the requirements.
  6. The government is working to __________ its pledges.
  7. The team is dedicated to __________ the mission.
  8. The contract outlines how to __________ the agreement.
  9. The new law will __________ the needs of the people.
  10. The athlete trained hard to __________ his goals.

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks (British English)

  1. She needs to __________ her potential.
  2. The company aims to __________ customer expectations.
  3. They will __________ their promise to deliver on time.
  4. He has a strong desire to __________ his dreams.
  5. The project must __________ all the requirements.
  6. The government is working to __________ its pledges.
  7. The team is dedicated to __________ the mission.
  8. The contract outlines how to __________ the agreement.
  9. The new law will __________ the needs of the people.
  10. The athlete trained hard to __________ his goals.

Exercise 3: Correct the Spelling (Identify and Correct Errors)

Identify and correct any spelling errors in the following sentences, assuming American English.

  1. The software fullfils all the necessary functions.
  2. He felt a sense of fullfilment after completing the project.
  3. The employee was praised for his fullfilment of duties.
  4. The new policy is designed to fullfill the needs of the community.
  5. The company strives for fullfilment in every aspect of its operations.
  6. She wants to fullfill her ambition of becoming a writer.
  7. The team worked hard to fullfill the task before the deadline.
  8. The organization is committed to fullfiling its mission.
  9. The product aims to fullfill customer expectations.
  10. He found fullfilment in helping others.

Exercise 4: Correct the Spelling (Identify and Correct Errors)

Identify and correct any spelling errors in the following sentences, assuming British English.

  1. The software fulfills all the necessary functions.
  2. He felt a sense of fulfillment after completing the project.
  3. The employee was praised for his fulfillment of duties.
  4. The new policy is designed to fulfills the needs of the community.
  5. The company strives for fulfillment in every aspect of its operations.
  6. She wants to fulfill her ambition of becoming a writer.
  7. The team worked hard to fulfill the task before the deadline.
  8. The organization is committed to fulfilling its mission.
  9. The product aims to fulfill customer expectations.
  10. He found fulfillment in helping others.
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Answers to Exercises

Exercise 1 (American English):

  1. fulfill
  2. fulfill
  3. fulfill
  4. fulfill
  5. fulfill
  6. fulfill
  7. fulfill
  8. fulfill
  9. fulfill
  10. fulfill

Exercise 2 (British English):

  1. fulfil
  2. fulfil
  3. fulfil
  4. fulfil
  5. fulfil
  6. fulfil
  7. fulfil
  8. fulfil
  9. fulfil
  10. fulfil

Exercise 3 (American English):

  1. The software fulfills all the necessary functions.
  2. He felt a sense of fulfillment after completing the project.
  3. The employee was praised for his fulfillment of duties.
  4. The new policy is designed to fulfill the needs of the community.
  5. The company strives for fulfillment in every aspect of its operations.
  6. She wants to fulfill her ambition of becoming a writer.
  7. The team worked hard to fulfill the task before the deadline.
  8. The organization is committed to fulfilling its mission.
  9. The product aims to fulfill customer expectations.
  10. He found fulfillment in helping others.

Exercise 4 (British English):

  1. The software fulfils all the necessary functions.
  2. He felt a sense of fulfilment after completing the project.
  3. The employee was praised for his fulfilment of duties.
  4. The new policy is designed to fulfil the needs of the community.
  5. The company strives for fulfilment in every aspect of its operations.
  6. She wants to fulfil her ambition of becoming a writer.
  7. The team worked hard to fulfil the task before the deadline.
  8. The organization is committed to fulfilling its mission.
  9. The product aims to fulfil customer expectations.
  10. He found fulfilment in helping others.

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, understanding the nuances of “fulfill/fulfil” can enhance their command of the English language. This includes exploring the etymology of the word and its usage in idiomatic expressions.

Etymology

The word “fulfill” comes from the Old English “fullfyllan,” which combines “full” and “fyllan” (to fill). This etymology reflects the meaning of completing or satisfying something fully.

Understanding the origins of the word can provide deeper insight into its usage and connotations.

Idiomatic Expressions

“Fulfill/Fulfil” appears in various idiomatic expressions, such as:

  • Fulfill/Fulfil one’s destiny: To achieve what one is meant to achieve.
  • Fulfill/Fulfil a prophecy: To make a prediction come true.

FAQ

  1. Is “fulfill” or “fulfil” correct?

    Both spellings are correct, but “fulfill” is standard in American English, while “fulfil” is more common in British English. Consistency is key.

  2. Which spelling should I use?

    If you are writing for an American audience, use “fulfill.” If you are writing for a British audience, “fulfil” is generally preferred, but “fulfill” is also acceptable.

  3. Do derivatives like “fulfillment” and “fulfilment” follow the same rules?

    Yes, “fulfillment” is American English, and “fulfilment” is British English.

  4. Is it wrong to use “fulfill” in British English?

    While “fulfil” is more traditional in British English, “fulfill” is becoming increasingly acceptable, especially in formal contexts. However, maintaining consistency is crucial.

  5. How can I remember the difference between the spellings?

    Associate “fulfill” with American English and “fulfil” with British English. Pay attention to the audience you are writing for.

  6. What if I’m writing for an international audience?

    In this case, consider using “fulfill” as it is more widely recognized and understood. Alternatively, choose one spelling and maintain consistency throughout your document.

  7. Are there any exceptions to these spelling rules?

    There are no specific exceptions, but always adhere to the style guide or preference of the publication or institution you are writing for.

  8. Is one spelling considered more formal than the other?

    Traditionally, “fulfil” was considered more formal in British English, but both spellings are now widely accepted in formal writing.

  9. Can I use a spell checker to help me choose the correct spelling?

    Yes, spell checkers can be helpful, but ensure that your settings are configured to the correct regional dialect (American or British English).

  10. Why does this word have two different spellings?

    The difference in spelling reflects the broader variations between American and British English, which often involve the simplification or alteration of certain words over time.

Conclusion

Mastering the spelling of “fulfill” and “fulfil” is essential for effective communication in English. Remember that “fulfill” is the standard American English spelling, while “fulfil” is more common in British English.

Consistency is key, so choose one spelling and stick with it throughout your writing. By understanding these rules and practicing regularly, you can confidently use “fulfill/fulfil” in any context.

Pay attention to your audience and the specific requirements of the writing task to ensure accuracy and clarity. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well-equipped to use “fulfill/fulfil” correctly and enhance your overall writing skills.

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