Spelling matters - if you want to create a good impression in your writing and
get the right meaning across, it's important to spell correctly. Here are some
commonly misspelled words with explanatory notes to help you learn to spell
them correctly.
address noun and verb
Spell address with a double d.
Tip: please add your address.
alcohol noun
Spell alcohol with alco- at the beginning.
Tip: drink a large cold orange juice, not alcohol.
argument noun
There is no e after the u in argument, even though it comes from argue. It
does not follow the usual rule that the final silent e is kept when adding
endings that begin with a consonant.
beautiful adjective
Remember that beautiful and the related words beauty and beautify are
spelled with beau- at the beginning.
Tip: bare elegant arms are usually beautiful.
belief noun
Rule: Belief and the related word believe follow the rule i before e except
after c (as in thief).
business noun
Remember that business begins with busi-.
changeable adjective
Rule: Keep the final silent -e when adding endings which begin with a vowel
to words which end in -ce or -ge (here, change), if this is needed to preserve
the soft sound of the first part of the word: changeable.
deceive verb
Rule: i before e except after c (as in receive).
desperate adjective
Spell desperate with -per- in the middle.
Tip: perhaps he was desperate to escape.
disappoint verb
Remember that disappoint and the related word disappointment are spelled
with one s and a double p.
eighth adjective
Remember that eighth is spelled with -hth at the end.
Tip: Sam hoped that he wouldn't finish eighth.
embarrass verb
Remember that embarrass and the related word embarrassment have a
double r and a double s.
Tip: embarrassed, she was rosy red with severe shame.
extraordinary adjective
Spell extraordinary with extra- at the beginning (it is made up of the words
extra and ordinary).
friend noun
Spell friend with -ie- in the middle. FRIENSHIP NEVER ENDS!
fulfil verb
Spell fulfil with one l in the middle and one at the end (the spelling fulfill is
American).
Rule: Double the l when adding endings which begin with a vowel to words
which end in a vowel plus l (as in travel): fulfils, fulfilling. fulfilled.
Related word: fulfilment noun
guarantee noun and verb
Rule: Although most verbs ending in -e drop the final e before adding -ing
(e.g. bake, baking), verbs ending in -ee, -ye, and -oe keep the final -e:
guarantees, guaranteeing, guaranteed.
.
immediate adjective
Spell immediate and the related word immediacy with a double m.
Related word: immediately adverb
licence noun
Do not confuse licence with license. Licence is a noun which means 'a
permit to do something' (a driving licence), whereas license is a verb meaning
'give a permit to someone: allow something' (the loggers are licensed to cut
mahogany trees). In American English, both the noun and the verb are
spelled license.
miniature noun and adjective
Remember that miniature begins with mini-.
Tip: a miniature minibus. TRY TO OVERPRONOUNCE
mischievous adjective
Rule: i before e except after c (as in thief). Remember that mischievous
ends with -vous.
misspell verb
Spell misspell with a double s. The different forms of this verb are:
misspells, misspelling; the past tense is misspelt or misspelled.
necessary adjective
Remember that necessary and the related word necessity are spelled with
one c and a double s.
Tip: it's necessary for a jacket to have one collar and two sleeves.
Related word: necessarily adverb
occasion noun and verb
Spell occasion with a double c and a single s.
Tip: a ceremony celebrating a special occasion.
original adjective and noun
Spell original with an i before and after the g.
outrageous adjective
Rule: Keep the final silent -e when adding endings which begin with a vowel
to words which end in -ce or -ge (here, outrage), if this is needed to preserve
the soft -ce or -ge sound: outrageous.
parliament noun
Spell parliament with -ia- before the m.
Tip: I am a member of parliament.
possess verb
Spell possess and the related words possession and possessive with a
double s before and after the e.
Related word: possessor noun
potato noun
The plural of potato is made by adding -es: potatoes.
practice noun
Do not confuse practice with practise. Practice is a noun meaning 'the
action of doing something rather than the theories about it' (putting policy into
practice), whereas practise is a verb meaning 'do something repeatedly to
improve your skill' (they were practising for the Olympics). In American
English, both the noun and the verb are spelled practice.
really adverb
Remember that really is spelled with a double l.
receive verb
Rule: i before e except after c.
recommend verb
Spell recommend and the related word recommendation with a single c and
a double m.
Tip: he recommended that I cut out milk and meat from my diet.
restaurant noun
Remember that restaurant is spelled with -au- between the t and r: it is a
French word.
Remember that rhythm is spelled with rhy- at the beginning, then -thm.
Tip: rhythm really has your two hips moving.
secretary noun (plural secretaries)
Spell secretary with an e after the r; the ending is -ary.
separate verb and adjective
Remember that separate is spelled with -par- in the middle.
Tip: the rock split into two separate parts.
Related word: separation noun
similar adjective
Remember that the ending of similar is spelled -lar.
Related word: similarity noun similarly adverb
skilful adjective
success noun
Spell success and the related word successful with a double c and a double
s.
Related word: successor noun
surprise verb and noun
Remember that surprise has an r before and after the p. Unlike most verbs
ending in -ise, it cannot be spelled with an -ize ending.
tomato noun
The plural of tomato is made by adding -es: tomatoes.
tomorrow adverb and noun
Spell tomorrow with a single m and a double r.
Tip: tomorrow morning, rise refreshed.
twelfth number
Remember that twelfth has an f in the middle.
Tip: go to the twelfth floor of the building.
unfortunately adverb
Spell unfortunately with -ately at the end (it is made up of the adjective
unfortunate plus the ending -ly).
until preposition and conjunction
Spell until with a single l.
vehicle noun
Spell vehicle with -icle at the end.
vicious adjective
Remember that the beginning of vicious is spelled vici-.
weird adjective
Remember that weird is spelled with the e before the i: it does not follow the
usual rule of i before e except after c.
Tip: a weird, eerie, inhuman sound.