The words especially and specially have just a hair’s breadth of difference between them. Both can be used to mean “particularly.” Especially tends to be more formal, while specially tends to be more informal: … But our words have finer points to them that are worthy of being understood.
1 especially and specially
Especially and specially can often both be used with the same meaning.
- It was not (e)specially cold.
2 especially
meaning ‘above all’. Especially is often used to mean ‘above all’.
- We play a lot of tennis, especially on Sundays.
- The children are very noisy, especially when we have visitors.
- I like all kinds of fruit, especially apples.
Especially follows a subject:
- All my family like music. My father, especially, goes to as many concerts as he can. (NOT … Especially my-father goes-…)
3 especially
We prefer especially before prepositions and conjunctions.
- We go skiing quite a lot, especially in February.
- I drink a lot of coffee, especially when I’m working.
4 specially with past participles
Specially is used with a past participle to mean ‘for a particular purpose’.
- These shoes were specially made for me.
- The song was specially written for his birthday.
5 especial and special
The adjective especial is rare. We normally use special.
- He took special trouble over his work.
See more on Adverbs.