The correct spelling is argument. A-R-G-U-M-E-N-T.
There is no e between the u and the m. “Arguement” is not a word.
Why the mistake is so reasonable
You are not being careless. You are applying a rule that is normally correct.
The word comes from argue, which ends in e. And when you add -ment to most verbs, the e stays:
| Verb | Add -ment | Result |
|---|---|---|
| manage | manage + ment | management |
| require | require + ment | requirement |
| encourage | encourage + ment | encouragement |
| state | state + ment | statement |
| move | move + ment | movement |
| excite | excite + ment | excitement |
Six words, six kept es. So argue + ment = arguement is the obvious answer.
It is just wrong.
The exception
Argue loses its e:
argue – e + ment = argument
Only a handful of English words drop the e before -ment. The two you are likely to meet are:
- argue becomes argument
- judge becomes judgment (in American English, and in British legal writing; ordinary British English keeps judgement)
Everything else keeps it. So you do not need a rule. You need to remember these two.
Why argue is different
The e in argue is not doing the same job as the e in manage or state.
In state, the final e changes the vowel sound. Take it away and you get stat, which sounds different. The e has to stay.
In argue, the ue together spells one sound. Take away the e and argu- still carries that sound, so the letter is doing no work once -ment is attached. English dropped it.
The memory trick
There is no “e” in an argument. Nobody wins one.
Silly, and it works. If you can picture the missing letter as the thing nobody gets out of an argument, the spelling sticks.
A second option if you prefer the mechanical version: argu-ment, two parts, no letter in between.
Related words
| Word | Spelling | Note |
|---|---|---|
| argument | no e in the middle | |
| arguments | no e | |
| argumentative | no e | |
| arguing | no e | argue also drops its e before -ing |
| argued | keeps the e | argue + d |
| arguable | no e | |
| arguably | no e |
Notice the pattern. Argue keeps its e only before -d. Everywhere else it goes.
The other spellings people search for
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| arguement | argument |
| arguements | arguments |
| arguemantative | argumentative |
| argueing | arguing |
Where to go next
- Grammar vs grammer, another word people misspell by ear
- Writting or writing, which is the opposite mistake with the same silent e
- Twelve common English mistakes
- Check your spelling against a 276,734 word dictionary
Questions people ask
Is it argument or arguement?
Argument. There is no e between the u and the m, and arguement is not a word in any variety of English.
Why is there no e in argument when there is one in management?
Most verbs keep their final e before -ment. Argue is one of a very small number that drop it, along with judge becoming judgment.
Is arguement ever correct?
No. Not in American, British, or any other standard English.
How do you spell the plural of argument?
Arguments. Just add s, still with no e in the middle.
Is it judgment or judgement?
Both exist. American English uses judgment. British English uses judgement in general writing but judgment in legal contexts.
For how suffixes interact with silent letters in English, see the overview of English orthography on Wikipedia.