How to Recognise and Overcome Tricky Spelling Patterns With Clarity and Confidence
We all have them: certain words we just can’t seem to get right. You might breeze through most of your spelling practice only to stumble every time you write necessary, definitely, or friend. These are examples of tricky spelling patterns – words or letter combinations that consistently trip us up.
Rather than being random, these errors often reflect underlying patterns or gaps in knowledge. Understanding why we make certain mistakes is the first step towards overcoming them.
In this post, we’ll help you recognise your personal spelling sticking points and share practical, low-stress strategies for overcoming recurring spelling mistakes. Whether you're a student, teacher, or adult learner, these tips offer real spelling solutions to make your learning more focused and effective.
What Are Tricky Spelling Patterns?
Tricky spelling patterns are the letter combinations or words we consistently misspell, even after repeated practice. These aren’t just occasional typos: they’re persistent mistakes that suggest something isn’t quite clicking.
Common examples include:
- Doubled letters (accommodation, committee)
- Homophones (their vs. there)
- Tricky vowel combinations (receive, believe)
- Silent letters (knight, psychology)
- Rule-breakers and exceptions (weird, colonel)
Because these errors occur frequently, they can quietly affect confidence and writing quality – unless we take steps to address them.
Why Do These Mistakes Happen?
Most cognitive spelling errors aren’t due to laziness or lack of ability. Instead, they often stem from:
- Phoneme-grapheme confusion: Not all English sounds match neatly with their spellings – especially across different accents.
- Visual memory issues: We might picture a word incorrectly and reinforce the wrong version by repeating it.
- Overgeneralised spelling rules: Learners often apply rules like “i before e” where they don’t belong.
- Lack of feedback: If no one points out repeated mistakes, we may not even realise they’re happening.
- Learning differences: For example, dyslexia can make certain letter sequences harder to retain or recognise.
With awareness and support, however, learns can overcome these challenges.
Step 1: Identifying Spelling Weaknesses
The first step is recognising which words or patterns are holding you back. Here are a few simple ways to start identifying spelling weaknesses:
- Keep a list of tricky words
Each time you make a mistake, jot it down. This will help you spot pattern. Are you often mixing up vowel pairs, dropping silent letters, or forgetting which consonants to double? Alternatively, take advantage of Spellzone’s My Difficult Words feature.
- Review past writing
Go back through your old schoolwork, notes, or writing tasks and highlight every spelling mistake. Look for any patterns that will help reveal your personal spelling sticking points.
- Try dictation exercises
Writing what you hear will help you focus on how sounds relate to spelling. The mistakes you make during dictation will offer useful clues.
- Get feedback from Spellzone
Spellzone’s personalised learning pathway will help you track where you’re going wrong, showing you common errors and helping you fill the gaps in your knowledge.
- Read your writing aloud
Sometimes your brain skips over mistakes when reading silently. Reading aloud will encourage you to pay more attention to each word.
Step 2: Overcoming Recurring Spelling Mistakes
Now that you’ve identified where you’re going wrong, it’s time to use targeted spelling solutions to address your problem areas.
1. Create Word Maps
Break a tricky word into meaningful parts: root words, prefixes, and suffixes. Add colour, images, or context to help build stronger memory links.
Example: “necessary” → ne + ce + ss + ary → “one collar, two sleeves” (to remember the number of Cs and Ss).
2. Use Mnemonics
Turn difficult spellings into memorable phrases.
Because → Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants.
3. Say It the Way It’s Spelled
Stretch or exaggerate unusual parts of a word to remember them better.
Saying Wed-nes-day or Feb-ru-ary help with those commonly miswritten letters.
4. Focus on a Few Words at a Time
Too much at once can be overwhelming. Choose 3–5 tricky words and focus on them until they feel easy before moving on to new ones.
5. Use Multisensory Techniques
Engage more than one sense:
- Write the word in the air
- Say it aloud
- Tap out syllables
- Use colour to highlight the tricky parts of owrds
This will help embed spelling patterns more deeply in memory.
6. Use Spaced Repetition
Don’t just study a word once – review it again after a day, then a week, then a month. This will help transfer spelling from short-term to long-term memory.
7. Write in Context
Learning to spell accommodation is one thing, but remembering it in a sentence is another.
Use tricky words in sentences, emails, or short paragraphs to practise in a real-world setting.
Step 3: Make It a Habit
Improving spelling isn’t just about what you do, but also about how often. Small, regular habits are far more effective than cramming.
Try a weekly routine like this:
- Monday: Add new tricky words to your list.
- Tuesday: Practise using visuals or mnemonics.
- Wednesday: Use the words in sentences.
- Thursday: Self-test or use a tool to check your spelling.
- Friday: Review progress and spot any new sticking points.
Spelling sticking points are part of every learner’s journey. They don’t mean you’re bad at spelling – they mean there’s more to learn, and more ways to learn it.
By identifying spelling weaknesses, exploring what makes certain words tricky, and using creative, targeted strategies to practise them, learners of all ages can overcome recurring spelling mistakes and build their confidence.
Don’t let a few difficult words hold you back. The right tools, habits, and mindset can make all the difference.
Want help working through your own spelling challenges?
Spellzone’s tailored learning pathways and built-in feedback tools can help you focus on the exact words and patterns you need to improve. Try it today and see the difference.
07 Jul 2025
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