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Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

flu, flue, influenza

The short form flu for influenza has become standard, with no apostrophe (’flu) needed. The word flu is not capitalized when preceded by an uppercase adjective, as in Hong Kong flu.

  • When you have the flu, it is in everyone’s best interest for you to stay at home and rest.
  • The Singapore flu was especially hard on the very young and the very old.

A flue is a duct, channel, tube or pipe.

  • There was a bluebird stuck in the flue of the wood stove.