Both forms look similar, but modern English favors gluing as the correct present-participle and gerund form of glue.
The form glueing appears sometimes in old texts, on informal web pages, or as a typo, and that is why people ask which is right. Knowing the spelling rule for verbs that end in a silent e makes the answer simple: drop the e and add -ing, so glue → gluing. In this article I explain the rule, show many examples, compare American and British usage, and point out common mistakes.
I will analyze parts of speech in key sentences, check verb tenses and subject–verb agreement, and review articles, prepositions, and modifiers for precision. The goal is a clear, practical guide so you can spell and use the word correctly every time.
Parts-of-speech analysis
Below I break each sentence from the introduction into its main parts of speech and check verbs for correct tense and agreement.
Gluing vs glueing” is a short spelling question that confuses writers, students, and hobbyists
- Nouns: Gluing vs glueing (noun phrase/topic), question, writers, students, hobbyists
- Verb: is (present simple linking verb — subject “Gluing vs glueing” → singular is)
- Adjective: short, spelling (modifies question)
- Conjunctions/Prepositions: that (introduces relative clause), and (joins list)
- Verb in relative clause: confuses (present simple; subject question → confuses).
- Grammar check: Present simple used to state a general fact — correct subject–verb agreement.
Both forms look similar, but modern English favors gluing as the correct present-participle and gerund form of glue
- Pronoun/Determiner: Both (refers to the two spellings)
- Verbs: look (present simple; plural Both → look), favors (present simple; singular subject modern English→ favors)
- Nouns: forms, English, present-participle, gerund, form, glue
- Conjunction: but (contrast)
- Adjectives: modern, correct
- Grammar check: Verb tenses appropriate; subject–verb agreement maintained.
The form glueing appears sometimes in old texts, on informal web pages, or as a typo, and that is why people ask which is right
- Nouns: form, glueing, texts, pages, typo, people
- Verbs: appears (present simple; singular subject form → appears), ask (present simple; plural subject people → ask)
- Adverbs: sometimes, why (in clause)
- Prepositions: in, on, as
- Conjunctions: or, and, which
- Grammar check: Tense and agreement correct; long sentence but clauses are properly connected.
Knowing the spelling rule for verbs that end in a silent e makes the answer simple: drop the e and add -ing, so glue → gluing
- Noun (gerund phrase): Knowing the spelling rule for verbs that end in a silent e (subject)
- Verb: makes (present simple; gerund subject treated singular → makes)
- Infinitives/imperatives: drop, add (instructions in base form used as commands)
- Nouns: rule, verbs, e, answer
- Conjunction: so (result)
- Grammar check: Sentence is instructive; verbs and modifiers correct.
In this article I explain the rule, show many examples, compare American and British usage, and point out common mistakes
- Pronoun: I (subject)
- Verbs: explain, show, compare, point out (future/plan presented in present simple here for immediacy; parallel list)
- Nouns: article, rule, examples, usage, mistakes
- Grammar check: Parallel verbs match subject I; tense choice acceptable for summary.
I will analyze parts of speech in key sentences, check verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, and review articles, prepositions, and modifiers for precision
- Pronoun: I (subject)
- Verbs: will analyze, check, review (future simple; parallel structure)
- Nouns: parts of speech, sentences, verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, modifiers, precision
- Grammar check: Future tense fits a roadmap sentence and verb forms agree with subject.
The goal is a clear, practical guide so you can spell and use the word correctly every time
- Nouns: goal, guide, word, time
- Verbs: is (present simple; singular subject The goal → is), can spell, can use (modal + base verbs)
- Adjectives/Adverbs: clear, practical, correctly, every
- Preposition: so (introduces purpose clause)
- Grammar check: Verb agreement and modal use are correct.
Quick answer: which is correct?
- Correct modern spelling: gluing.
- Why: English verbs that end in a silent e typically drop the e before adding -ing (e.g., make → making, compose → composing). Glue ends with a silent e, so glue → gluing.
- Glueing: Seen occasionally as a variant or typo, but gluing is standard in both American and British English.
Now we will unpack the rule, show exceptions and pitfalls, analyze example sentences (with parts-of-speech checks), and offer practical tips.
The basic spelling rule
Rule (simple): If a verb ends with a silent e, drop the e and add -ing.
- make → making
- take → taking
- compose → composing
- glue → gluing (drop e, add -ing)
Why it works: The silent e often marks a long vowel or keeps a consonant from being pronounced separately. For glue, the e is part of the vowel spelling ue, but the e itself is silent. Dropping e before -ing follows the same pattern and avoids an unnecessary letter.
Parts-of-speech note: Glue is a verb here (to glue). Gluing is the present participle (used in progressive tenses) and the gerund (used as a noun).
Exceptions and tricky cases
Not all verbs follow a single pattern. Here are common considerations.
Verbs ending in -ee keep the e
- see → seeing (not seing)
- agree → agreeing Rule reason: The double e already shows a long /iː/ sound; you do not drop the e.
Verbs ending in -ie change ie → y + -ing
- die → dying (not dieing)
- lie → lying Note: This is a special, established change.
Single consonant doubling after short vowel (not relevant to glue)
- run → running (double consonant)
- glue has two-syllable structure and does not double.
Regional/older variants may keep the e
- glueing appears in some older British texts or nonstandard sources. Modern style guides typically prefer gluing.
Grammar check: Always treat the base form as a verb when applying these rules. Pay attention to syllable count and vowel sounds.
Pronunciation
- Gluing is pronounced /ˈɡluː.ɪŋ/ or /ˈɡluːɪŋ/ — stress on the first syllable GLUE-ing.
- Glueing (if read) would be pronounced the same; the extra e does not change spoken form. Pronunciation therefore is not helpful in choosing spelling — the rule is orthographic.
Parts-of-speech: Pronunciation is independent of grammatical category. Whether you use gluing as a verb form or a gerund, pronunciation remains the same.
Examples in sentences (with parts-of-speech and tense checks)
Below are several example sentences using gluing. Each example includes parts-of-speech labels and a quick grammar check.
- She is gluing the broken handle back on the cup.
- She (pronoun subject)
- is gluing (present progressive: auxiliary is + present participle gluing — verb phrase)
- the broken handle (noun phrase — direct object of the action)
- back on the cup (prepositional phrase)
- Grammar check: Present progressive shows ongoing action; subject–verb agreement: she is — correct.
- Gluing small pieces together takes patience.
- Gluing (gerund noun — subject)
- small pieces (noun phrase — object of gerund)
- takes (present simple verb; singular subject Gluing → takes)
- patience (noun complement)
- Grammar check: Gerund functions as subject; verb takes matches singular gerund subject.
- They have been gluing prototypes all afternoon.
- They (pronoun subject)
- have been gluing (present perfect progressive — auxiliary have, been + present participle gluing)
- prototypes (noun — direct object)
- Grammar check: Tense indicates action continuing up to now; subject–verb agreement correct.
- He admitted to gluing the torn pages together.
- He (pronoun subject)
- admitted (past simple verb)
- to gluing (prepositional phrase with gerund object gluing)
- the torn pages (noun phrase)
- Grammar check: Past tense consistent; infinitive/gerund usage in object of preposition to — correct.
- Before gluing, wipe the surface clean.
- Before (subordinating conjunction)
- gluing (gerund — object of preposition)
- wipe (imperative verb)
- the surface (noun phrase)
- Grammar check: Instructional imperative style; gerund used as noun — correct.
Each sentence shows gluing used properly. None of them would require or benefit from glueing.
Why “glueing” appears
People write glueing for several reasons:
- Uncertainty about the silent e rule. Writers sometimes assume the base glue keeps its e, so they add -ing to get glueing.
- Analogy to other words. Some may incorrectly generalize patterns from agreeing or seeing where the e stays.
- Typographical error. Fast typing or copy-paste can produce the variant.
- Historical/older spellings. Older print may show glueing, and that survives in some corpora and online pages.
- Nonnative interference. Writers whose first language has different orthographic rules may apply them here.
Grammar note: None of these reasons change the spelling rule; they explain why you might still encounter glueing.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Here are typical errors and quick corrections.
- Mistake: Writing glueing in formal text.
- Fix: Use gluing.
- Why: Standard spelling uses drop-the-e rule.
- Mistake: Using glueing while agreeing uses ee.
- Fix: Remember agree ends in -ee, so agreeing keeps the e. Glue ends in a silent single e.
- Why: Patterns differ with -ee endings.
- Mistake: Confusing gerund with noun form variants.
- Fix: Whether gluing acts as verb or noun, spell it gluing.
- Why: Same orthography for present participle and gerund.
- Mistake: Thinking pronunciation dictates spelling.
- Fix: Use spelling rules, not speech. Gluing and glueing (if read) sound identical; spelling follows orthography rules.
- Proofreading tip: Search document for “glueing” and replace with “gluing”.
Parts-of-speech reminder: When fixing mistakes, ensure verbs are in correct tense and pronouns agree with subjects.
American vs British English
Modern standard: Both American and British English generally prefer gluing.
- American English: Style guides and dictionaries list gluing as the standard form.
- British English: Also favors gluing, though glueing may appear in older British texts or in nonstandard sources. Contemporary British publications use gluing.
Why no major difference: The morphological rule (drop silent e + -ing) is common across modern English variants.
Practical note: If you write for a publisher, follow their house style. If you write for school or professional contexts, use gluing.
Idiomatic expressions and set phrases
While gluing itself is a straightforward verb form, it appears in idioms and collocations:
- gluing to — The child glued to the screen (informal: meaning became very absorbed) — technically should be was glued to the screen, where glued is past participle.
- gluing something together — common collocation in craft and repair contexts.
- gluing effect — figurative use: The gluing effect of shared goals (rare, but used metaphorically).
Parts-of-speech: In was glued to the screen, glued is a past participle acting like an adjective; in gluing something together, gluing is a present participle or gerund.
Practical tips for writers, editors, and learners
- Remember the simple rule: Drop the silent e: glue → gluing.
- Use a quick search: If you suspect glueing in your text, search and replace with gluing.
- Consult reliable dictionaries: Modern dictionaries list gluing as standard.
- Teach by analogy: Compare make → making and glue → gluing — both drop e.
- Watch for -ee and -ie endings: see → seeing (keep ee), die → dying (change ie to y).
- When unsure, rephrase: Use apply glue or use adhesive instead of glueing to avoid spelling concerns.
- Proofread with grammar in mind: Check verb tense, subject–verb agreement, pronoun case in sentences containing gluing.
- Respect audience/formality: In school or publishing, follow the standard gluing.
- Teach nonnative students the rule: Show examples and exceptions.
- Keep a quick cheat-sheet: For -ing forms and exceptions — handy for writers.
Rewritten, polished summary
Here is a tightened, clearer two-paragraph rewrite you can use as a compact reference or lead paragraph in an article.
Polished summary: The correct modern spelling is gluing. English verbs that end with a silent e normally drop that ebefore adding -ing, so glue becomes gluing. The variant glueing is rare and generally nonstandard; you may see it in older texts or online but avoid it in formal writing. Use gluing whether the word functions as a present participle (She is gluing) or as a gerund noun (Gluing takes patience).
Grammar check: This summary uses present simple for rules, imperative tone avoided, and provides clear examples. Parts of speech and tense choices are consistent and correct.
Conclusion
Key points (simple):
- The standard and correct spelling is gluing.
- Rule: drop the silent e and add -ing for most verbs (e.g., glue → gluing).
- Exceptions: verbs ending in -ee keep the e (see → seeing), verbs ending -ie change to -y (die → dying).
- Glueing is a nonstandard or historical variant; avoid it in formal writing.
- When using gluing in sentences, check verb tense, subject–verb agreement, and pronoun case as usual.
If you proofread for glueing and replace it with gluing, you will follow modern standard usage and avoid common errors.
FAQs
- Q: Is “glueing” ever correct? A: In modern standard English, gluing is correct. Glueing is mostly considered nonstandard or an older variant. Avoid glueing in formal writing.
- Q: Why not keep the “e” in “glueing”? A: The silent e is dropped before -ing in English for most verbs (drop + -ing). Keeping the e is unnecessary and breaks the common pattern.
- Q: How do you pronounce “gluing”? A: /ˈɡluː.ɪŋ/ — GLUE-ing. The pronunciation is the same whether someone writes gluing or glueing.
- Q: Are there verbs that keep the final “e”? A: Verbs ending in -ee keep the es (e.g., see → seeing, agree → agreeing). Verbs ending in -ie usually change to -y + -ing (e.g., die → dying).
- Q: Which is correct in American English: gluing or glueing? A: Gluing — standard in American English.
- Q: Which is correct in British English? A: Gluing is also standard in British English. Glueing may show up in older British texts but is not preferred now.
- Q: Is “gluing” a noun or verb? A: It can be both: as a present participle in progressive tenses (She is gluing) and as a gerund noun (Gluing is messy).
- Q: Should I use “applying glue” instead? A: You can. Applying glue or using adhesive are clear alternatives and avoid the -ing spelling question.
- Q: How do I teach this to students? A: Show the drop-the-e rule, give examples and counter-examples (glue → gluing, see → seeing, die → dying) and practice with short exercises.
- Q: What quick proofing tip helps? A: Search your document for “glueing” and replace with “gluing.” Also check other -ing forms for -ee and -ie exceptions.
