Excell or Excel: Correct Spelling, Common Mistakes Explained

Spelling can make or break your credibility. Especially in professional settings, a single extra letter can change how people perceive your attention to detail. One of the most frequent offenders is the confusion between Excell and Excel. You might be wondering, “Is it Excell or Excel?” Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all.

What Do “Excell” and “Excel” Mean?

What Does “Excel” Mean?

The word Excel functions primarily as a verb, meaning to surpass, be excellent, or outperform others. It’s often used to describe someone who is exceptionally good at something.

Examples:

She excels in public speaking.
They excel at problem-solving.

Additionally, Excel refers to Microsoft Excel software, the widely used spreadsheet application that’s integral to business and data analysis worldwide.

What Does “Excell” Mean?

Here’s the truth: Excell with two “l’s” is a common misspelling. It does not exist as a standard word in English dictionaries. However, it does appear as a surname or in some brand names, which fuels the confusion.

Origin and Etymology of Excel

The word Excel comes from the Latin verb excellere, meaning to rise, to be eminent, or to surpass. Over time, it entered Middle English as excelen and eventually became Excel in Modern English.

Root Word	Language	Meaning
Excellere	Latin	To rise, be eminent
Excellen	Old French	To surpass
Excel	Middle English	To be superior

The pronunciation of Excel is /ɪkˈsɛl/, with the stress on the second syllable.

Excell vs Excel: What’s the Difference?

Aspect	Excel (Correct)	Excell (Incorrect)
Spelling	Excel (one ‘l’)	Excell (two ‘l’s’)
Dictionary Entry	Exists as verb and proper noun	Does not exist (except as a surname)
Usage	Verb (to surpass), Software (Microsoft Excel software)	Common spelling mistake, surname use only
Example	I excel at math.	I excell at math. ❌

The correct spelling of Excel will always be with one ‘l’ unless you’re adding a suffix like -ed or -ing.

Tenses of the Verb “Excel” with Examples

Tense	Example Sentence
Present	I excel in creative writing.
Past	She excelled in her final exams.
Present Participle	They are excelling in their new roles.
Future	He will excel in his future career.

The verb excel adapts to various tenses, but the spelling of its base form remains Excel.

Why Double “L” Appears in Excelled but Not Excel

One of the biggest questions is why double “L” appears in “excelled” but not in “excel.”

Here’s the Rule:

When a word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, and you add a suffix beginning with a vowel (like “-ed” or “-ing”), you double the final consonant. That’s why we get:

Excel + ed = Excelled
Excel + ing = Excelling

But the base form remains Excel.

Comparison Examples:

Root Word	Suffix Added	Result
Propel	-ed	Propelled
Compel	-ing	Compelling
Excel	-ed	Excelled

This is why the Excelled and Excelling spelling rules are not arbitrary—they follow a consistent grammatical pattern.

Excel in Real-Life Contexts

As a Verb

The verb excel is widely used in:

Business: He excels in project management.
Academics: Students must excel in STEM subjects to compete globally.
Technology: She excels in coding and software development.

As Microsoft Excel Software

When capitalized, Excel refers to the Microsoft Excel software, an essential tool for data entry, analysis, and visualization.

Example Sentences:

I created the sales report in Excel.
Microsoft Excel software is a standard in financial modeling.

Common Misspelling “Excell”: Why It Happens

The misspelling Excell is surprisingly common. Here’s why:

Phonetic Misunderstanding: The pronunciation of Excel (/ɪkˈsɛl/) might make people think there should be an extra “l.”
Influence of Words like “Compelled” or “Propelled”: People apply the same doubling rule to the base form, which is incorrect.
Autocorrect Failures: Sometimes, typing “Excel” quickly results in autocorrect suggesting “Excell.”
Brand Names & Surnames: Excell exists as a surname or in company names, adding to the confusion.

Synonyms of Excel (Surpass, Outperform, Thrive, Shine)

If you’re looking for alternative words to Excel, here are several you can use:

Synonym	Meaning
Surpass	To go beyond in excellence or achievement
Outperform	To perform better than others
Thrive	To grow or develop vigorously
Shine	To stand out due to excellence
Outshine	To eclipse others in a particular field

Examples in Context: Correct vs Incorrect

Incorrect Use of “Excell”

She will excell in the competition. ❌
He always tries to excell his peers. ❌

Correct Use of “Excel”

She will excel in the competition. ✅
He always tries to excel his peers. ✅

Examples of Excelled and Excelling

She excelled in her performance review.
They are excelling in their customer service roles.

Memorization Tips: Link to “Excellent”

Here’s a trick to help you remember the correct spelling of Excel:

Excel is in Excellent. Think of “Excel” as the root of “Excellent.”
Visual Cue: Microsoft Excel’s logo only has one “L.”
Mnemonic: “Excel to be Excellent.”

Impact of Spelling Errors on Credibility and Professionalism

Spelling mistakes like writing Excell instead of Excel can have serious consequences:

Professional Emails: Incorrect spelling reflects poor attention to detail.
Resumes & Cover Letters: A misspelling might make hiring managers question your competence.
Business Proposals: Typos can undermine trust in your brand’s professionalism.
Academic Papers: Professors and reviewers expect high standards of writing accuracy.

In short, spelling errors damage your credibility and professionalism in all formal communications.

Confusion with Brand Names or Surnames

Adding to the complexity, Excell is a valid surname and part of brand names like Excell Communications. However, these are proper nouns and should not be confused with the verb excel or Microsoft Excel software.

Style Guide Recommendations

APA Style

Use Excel (capitalized) when referring to Microsoft Excel software.
Italics are not required for software names.

Chicago Manual of Style

Capitalize Excel as a brand name.
Use “excel” in lowercase when it functions as a verb.

Microsoft Writing Style Guide

Always capitalize Excel when referencing the software.
Avoid using Excell entirely.

Grammarly Tips: Avoid Misspelling “Excell”

Using grammar tools like Grammarly or Microsoft Editor can automatically flag spelling mistakes such as Excell. Always enable spell-check in:

Emails
Word Processors
Online Forms

For professionals working heavily with Microsoft Excel software, having auto-correct enabled ensures accuracy in reports and communications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is “Excell” ever correct in British English?

No. “Excell” is never correct in standard British, American, or any form of English spelling.

Why does “Excelled” have two L’s but “Excel” doesn’t?

It follows the grammatical rule of doubling the consonant when adding a vowel suffix like -ed or -ing.

Does Microsoft ever spell Excel with two L’s?

No. The official product is always spelled Excel with a single “L.”

Diagram: Spelling Flowchart

graph LR
A[Start] --> B{Are you referring to the software or verb?}
B -->|Software| C[Excel (Correct Spelling)]
B -->|Verb| D{Are you adding -ed or -ing?}
D -->|Yes| E[Excelled/Excelling (Double L)]
D -->|No| C

Commonly Misspelled Words Similar to Excel

Incorrect	Correct
Excell	Excel
Acomodate	Accommodate
Recieve	Receive
Ocassion	Occasion
Supress	Suppress

Conclusion

To wrap it up: Excell is an incorrect spelling in most contexts. The correct spelling of Excel is with a single “L.” Remember, the double “L” only appears when suffixes like -ed or -ing are added, resulting in Excelled or Excelling.

Avoiding spelling mistakes like Excell vs Excel is vital for maintaining credibility, professionalism, and clear communication. Whether you’re referring to the verb meaning to surpass, be excellent, or talking about Microsoft Excel software, spelling it right is non-negotiable.

Next time you write “Excel,” think “Excel to be Excellent.”

Grammar co

Excell or Excel: What is the Correct Spelling?