We all stumble over certain words when writing, even the ones we use all the time. Some spellings just refuse to stick – whether it’s too many double letters, missing vowels, or letters that sound like they shouldn’t be there. In this post, we’ll explore commonly misspelled words and share helpful, learner-friendly tricks for remembering them. These are words you’ll see often, so it’s well worth taking a moment to get familiar with their quirks. By the end, you’ll have a set of easy-to-recall strategies to tackle even the most troublesome spelling words. 1. Why Do These Words Trip Us Up? Before we jump into the list, let’s ask: wh...
Limiting myths and misconceptions about spelling can lead to students to believe they will never improve. It’s time to set the record straight! In today's blog post, we'll debunk these myths and show you how to take your spelling to the next level. Myth 1: ‘You're Either Born a Good Speller or You're Not.’ Reality: While some individuals may have a natural inclination towards spelling, it's a skill that can be developed through practice and learning. Rather than from an innate talent, strong spelling skills come from understanding spelling patterns and consistent practice. Spellzone’s learning pathways – bespoke for...
Valentine's Day presents the perfect opportunity to express your love and appreciation for those dear to you through cards and notes. However, even the most heartfelt sentiments can be diminished by spelling errors. In this blog post, we'll look at common spelling mistakes to avoid when crafting your Valentine's Day cards, along with tips for proofreading and ensuring accuracy. By paying attention to spelling, you can ensure that your love notes convey your feelings with clarity and precision. Apostrophe Placement Common mistake: ‘Happy Valentines Day!’ Correction: ‘Happy Valentine's Day!’ Tip: Remember to use an apostrophe to indicat...
Are you ready for Halloween? Make sure you don't make these 10 mistakes this spooky season: Don’t muddle up the words witch and which! Our spelling game Which Witch is great for practice! Heard a scary sound? It’s a probably a creak, not a creek! As Frankenstein is a name, it needs capital letters. Make sure you don’t confuse forget the apostrophe if you’re writing about Frankenstein’s monster. Don’t get caught out by silent letters – watch out for the sneaky ‘h’ in the words ghost and ghoul . Describing somethin...
One week until Christmas Eve! Watch out for these 10 common writing mistakes this festive season: Bough Make sure you’re decking your halls with boughs of holly and not bows. Deer If you’re writing about the animals that pull Santa’s sleigh, use deer not dear. Frankincense What a tricky word to spell! Pay attention to the ‘i’, the ‘c’, and the ‘s’. Mistletoe Don’t get caught out by silent letters – watch out for the sneaky ‘t’ in the word mistletoe. Myrrh Do you find frankincense or myrrh harder to spell? Watch out for the ...
As English is spoken in many countries worldwide, it’s moot to argue that there is only one way to pronounce a word. Take the word ‘route’ for example – here in Britain, we pronounce it ‘root’, while in America it is pronounced ‘rowt’. Even within Britain, regional accents mean that the same word can be pronounced in many ways. Because English has evolved from a variety of different languages, you can’t consistently rely on the spelling of a word to figure out how it’s pronounced. As soon as you learn a pronunciation rule, you’re presented with all the exceptions – just take a look at the following ‘ch’ wo...
Last week we looked at redundant expressions and why you should cut them from your writing. Here ten examples: I am absolutely certain that the train is at 3pm. Since ‘certain’ means ‘established beyond doubt or question’, the word ‘absolutely’ is redundant. A better sentence would be: I am certain that the train is at 3pm. They should have given us advanced warning that the road would be closed. A ‘warning’ is usually given ahead of time, so the word ‘advanced’ is unnecessary. Better sentences would be: They should have given us warning that the road would be closed. They should have warned us ...
A few years ago, we looked at 20 words that are often mispronounced. One of the reasons English is such a difficult language to learn is because you can neither rely on the pronunciation of a word to work out its spelling, nor can you rely on the spelling to work out the pronunciation. This is because English has evolved from a variety of different languages. Take a look at the following ‘ch’ words: cheese, champagne, chaos. While they’re all spelt with the same first two letters, the start of each word is pronounced differently: ‘ch’, ‘sh’, and ‘k’. This week we are going to look at 20 more hard-to-pronounce words, but it’s i...
Today we’re looking at nine mistakes that people often make when speaking/writing. The correct version of each word – what you should be saying/writing instead – is italicised. Alot Don’t forget the space! To help you remember, think of the opposite to ‘a lot’. We rarely accidentally write ‘alittle’ instead of ‘a little’, so why do we write ‘alot’? Watch out that you don’t mix up ‘a lot’ with the verb ‘allot’ which means ‘to give out’. Alright People have used the spelling ‘alright’ since at least the 1600s, but it’s still considered i...
“Would you like to go to the zoo with Jane and me?” Somewhere along the way, many of us have got it into our heads that we should always be saying and I, and that saying and me is wrong.This is perhaps because many of us, at one time or another, have been corrected for using me in the wrong context without being taught the appropriate way to use each pronoun. I should be used when the pronoun is the subject of a verb. If the sentence makes sense with the word we, you should write Jane and I. If it doesn’t make sense, you should write Jane and me. Me should be used when the pronoun is the object of a verb. If the sentence make sense with the word us, you sh...
We’ve shared some of these tips on Facebook and Twitter over the last few months, but we thought it would be useful to round up these easy-to-avoid mistakes for those of you who don’t use social media. YOUR vs. YOU'RE. Can the word you want to use be replaced with 'you are'? If so, use 'you're'. ITS vs. IT'S. Can the word you want to use be replaced with 'it is'? If so, use 'it's'. WHOSE vs. WHO’S Can the word you want to use be replaced with ‘who is’? If so, use ‘who’s’. THERE vs. THEIR vs. THEY’RE There = a place. Their = a person. T...
As English is spoken in many countries worldwide, it’s moot to argue that there is only one way to pronounce a word. Take the word ‘route’ for example – here in Britain, we pronounce it ‘root’, while in America it is pronounced ‘rowt’. Even within Britain, regional accents mean that the same word can be pronounced in many ways! Because English has evolved from a variety of different languages, you can’t consistently rely on the spelling of a word to figure out how it’s pronounced. As soon as you learn a pronunciation rule, you’re presented with all the exceptions – just take a look at the following ‘ch’ wo...
American vs. British English
Common Mistakes
Commonly Confused Words
English Idioms Explained
English Literature
Exams & Tests
Grammar & Punctuation
Mindful Spelling
Spelling at School
Spelling Games
Spelling Homework
Spelling Tips
Spellzone Tips & Tools
Supporting Adult Learners
Supporting Dyslexic Learners
Supporting EAL Learners
Word Origins & Stories
Writing & Vocabulary
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King's Leadership Academy, Warrington
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