Refering vs. Referring: The Correct Spellings

The word "referring" is derived from the Latin word "referre," which means to bring back or to report. It has several forms like “referred” and “referral.”

To remember the correct spelling of "referring," think about the word "fer," and recall that it is included twice in the spelling, as in "refer-ring."

The correct spelling is “referring,” and “refering” is incorrect. “Referring” is spelled with two ‘r’s following the rule where verbs ending in a vowel plus a consonant, with the stress on the last syllable, double the final consonant when adding “-ing” or “-ed.” The incorrect spelling “refering” violates this rule by omitting the second ‘r.’

Incorrect: He keeps refering to the manual for instructions.

Correct: He keeps referring to the manual for instructions.

Incorrect: I was refering to the email you sent yesterday.

Correct: I was referring to the email you sent yesterday.

Incorrect: Are you refering to the incident last week?

Correct: Are you referring to the incident last week?

Incorrect: When refering to the law, one must be precise.

Correct: When referring to the law, one must be precise.

Incorrect: She was refering to the book by its old title.

Correct: She was referring to the book by its old title.

Referring is also used to describe directing someone to a different place or person for information, help, or action.

It can also mean mentioning or alluding to something.

In linguistics, referring is used to denote the directing of attention by means of language.

Referring means to direct someone’s attention to something.

Referring, in the context of referencing, means to cite a source.

To direct to a source for help or information

To submit (a matter in dispute) to an authority for arbitration, decision, or examination.

To direct the attention of

To assign or attribute to; regard as originated by.

To assign to or regard as belonging within a particular kind or class

To relate or pertain; concern

To serve as a descriptor or have as a denotation

To speak or write about something briefly or incidentally; make reference

To turn one's attention, as in seeking information

present participle of refer

The act by which somebody or something is referred; a reference.

When referring to a scientific article, it's important to cite it properly.

She keeps referring back to her childhood experiences in her speeches.

The professor was referring to the latest research in her field.

I think you are referring to the wrong document.

Are you referring to the time we got lost in the city?

When referring to historical events, accuracy is key.

She was referring to a chapter from the textbook in her explanation.

He was referring to the notes he took during the lecture.

The doctor was referring to the standard treatment protocol.

They were referring to the guidelines set by the committee.

She was referring to the data collected in the recent survey.

The author was referring to a well-known theory in economics.

The teacher was referring to the rules stated in the school handbook.

When referring to this painting, it's important to understand the historical context.

The speaker was referring to the challenges faced by the industry.

He's referring to the instructions given at the beginning of the project.

In his speech, he was referring to the achievements of past leaders.

In that song, the artist is referring to a personal journey.

The manual keeps referring to diagrams that aren't included.

In his argument, he was referring to various scientific studies.

In this case, the lawyer was referring to a precedent set by a previous case.

She was referring to the classic works of literature in her thesis.

When referring to a person, it's important to use their preferred pronouns.

He was referring to the goals outlined in the strategic plan.

When referring to the software, make sure to mention the version number.

Mentioning or alluding to something or someone.

To repeatedly look at or mention a source of information.

Used to introduce the context or subject one is talking about.

To talk about the same thing or subject that was previously mentioned.

Mentioning a specific detail or piece of information.

To explicitly mention or talk about something or someone.

When two or more subjects mention or relate to one another.

To identify or describe something by a particular name or term.

To discuss or mention without needing to look at a source or mention explicitly.

To call or label something or someone by a specific name.

To talk about oneself or mention oneself in a conversation or writing.

To allude to something or someone without mentioning directly.

To mention or cite specific parts of a written document or book.

To talk about a specific problem or matter that has been identified.

To specifically mention someone or something by their name.

To mention or talk about a particular thing or subject.

To mention or discuss a particular moment or part of a conversation or text.

To address or go back to a specific query that was raised.

To mention or use a particular case or instance to illustrate a point.

To mention or go back to something that was previously stated.

“Referring” is spelled with two ‘r’s as it follows the rule of doubling the final consonant when adding “-ing” to verbs ending in a vowel plus a consonant with the stress on the last syllable.

Yes, other forms of “referring” include “referred” and “referral.”

To remember the correct spelling of "referring," think about the word "fer," and recall that it is included twice in the spelling, as in "refer-ring."

The correct spelling is “referring”; “refering” is incorrect.

Yes, “referring” can mean to direct someone to a different place or person for information, help, or action.

Yes, “referring” can mean mentioning or alluding to something.

No, “refering” is not found in standard English dictionaries as it is an incorrect spelling of “referring.”

Yes, in linguistics, referring is used to denote the directing of attention by means of language.

Yes, referring can also relate to the act of citing a source, especially in academic writing.

Yes, the word “referring” is derived from the Latin word "referre," meaning to bring back or to report.