Monday Muddle: peek, peak

peek: (noun) a quick look or glance; (verb) to take a quick look or glance, often secretively

Used in the expression “a sneak peek”.

peak: (noun) the summit; pointed top; highest level; (verb) to reach the highest level

NOT used in the expression “a sneak peek”.

A sneak peak is a mountain that is up to no good. 😜

I think people often mix this up because they use the same vowel combination in peak as they do in sneak. But they shouldn’t. The memory trick I use is that peek has two Es just like the word eye does. And it is your eye that you use to take a peek. Another memory trick is that a capital A has a peak, so use an A in the word that refers to the pointed top. Let me know if either of those memory tricks will help.