Special (adjective) — better, more important, or different from what is ordinary or usual; arranged or designed for a particular purpose.
Special (noun, informal) — a product, programme, or dish that is available only for a limited time or on a particular occasion.
What Does Special Mean?
Special comes from Latin specialis, meaning "of a particular kind", which derives from species (kind, sort, appearance). It entered English in the 13th century via Old French especial. The same root gives us species, specific, specimen, and the adverb especially — all sharing the core idea of singling out one thing from the rest.
In everyday English, special carries two overlapping senses. The first is qualitative: something special is above average or particularly important — a special birthday, a special talent. The second is functional: something special is designed for a specific purpose — a special edition, a special committee. Both senses are common and correct.
As a noun, special appears in fixed expressions: today's special on a restaurant menu, or a TV special — a one-off programme outside the regular schedule. This noun use is informal and mostly spoken or commercial in register.
Note the key distinction: special implies that something stands out as noteworthy or purpose-built, whereas specific simply means clearly identified or particular. Confusing these two is one of the most common errors made by intermediate ESL learners.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & Usage Note |
|---|---|
| Today is a special day for our family. | A2 — attributive adjective before noun |
| She prepared a special vocabulary list for the presentation. | B1 — purpose-built meaning, adjective modifying noun |
| The hotel offered a special rate for guests who booked in advance. | B1 — commercial collocation "special rate" |
| His understanding of the subject is particularly special, combining technical depth with genuine creativity. | B2 — predicative use with intensifier |
| The commission was established with special reference to the environmental impact of the proposed development. | C1 — formal phrase "with special reference to" |
Collocations
Learning special as part of fixed phrases makes your English sound far more natural. The table below shows the most frequent and useful collocations.
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| special offer | Take advantage of our special offer — 30% off this weekend only. |
| special occasion | We only open that bottle of wine on a special occasion. |
| special needs | The school provides support for children with special needs. |
| special effects | The film's special effects won several industry awards. |
| special edition | She bought the special edition of the novel, which includes extra chapters. |
| special guest | The conference featured a special guest from the European Parliament. |
| special delivery | They sent the documents by special delivery to guarantee next-day arrival. |
| pay special attention | Please pay special attention to the safety instructions before you begin. |
| make someone feel special | A thoughtful card can make anyone feel special on their birthday. |
| nothing special | The meal was fine, but nothing special — I have eaten better. |
Usage Notes
- Attributive vs predicative: Special works in both positions — a special moment (before the noun) and this moment is special (after the verb). Both are standard.
- Intensifiers: You can strengthen special with very, truly, particularly, or quite — all are natural. Avoid more special in formal writing; prefer more significant or even more special.
- Spoken noun use: Today's special (on a menu) and a TV special are informal. In formal writing, use the full noun phrase instead: today's special dish, a special broadcast.
- British vs American spelling: The adjective special is identical in both varieties. The related noun differs: speciality (British) vs specialty (American).
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
Can you give me a special explanation for this problem? (confusing special with specific)
Can you give me a specific explanation for this problem? (use specific when you mean "clearly defined, detailed")
She is a very special in her field. (missing noun after adjective used predicatively without complement)
She is very special in her field. (no article needed — special is a predicative adjective here)
He has a specially talent for languages. (using the adverb form before a noun)
He has a special talent for languages. (use the adjective special before a noun, not the adverb specially)