Blog Category: Spelling Tips
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, ...
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English spelling can be one of the most frustrating parts of learning the language. Words that look similar on the page are sometimes pronounced differently. Words that sound the same are often spelled in completely different ways. If you've ever found yourself wondering why English spelling is hard, you're not alone.
English spelling might seem unpredictable, but understanding its history can help make it easier to learn. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the reasons English spelling feels so inconsistent and share practical advice for overcoming spelling inconsistencies. We hope these tips will help you navigate English spelling with more confidence.
Why English ...
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English spelling doesn’t always play fair. Just when you think you’ve learned a rule, a word comes along and ignores it completely. Why does friend have an ie when it sounds more like frend? Why is there a d in Wednesday that we never say?
If you’ve ever felt confused by words that don’t sound like how they’re spelled, you’re not alone – and you’re not doing anything wrong. These tricky words are common, but they’re also easier to learn than you might think.
Why Are Some Spellings Trickier Than Others?
There are a few reasons why English spelling can feel unexpected:
English has taken words from many different languag...
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English is famous for its unpredictable spelling and pronunciation rules. This can make learning pronunciation a challenge, even for fluent speakers. From silent letters to unexpected letter combinations, let’s explore some of the key spelling pronunciation challenges in English and how to navigate them.
The Problem: Spelling vs Pronunciation
One of the biggest hurdles in English is the disconnect between spelling and pronunciation. Unlike other languages, where words are pronounced as they are written, English spelling is full of inconsistencies. This is largely due to its rich linguistic history, which includes influences from Latin, French, Germanic languages, and more. A...
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Have you ever wondered if you should double a letter when spelling a word? Double letters can be tricky, but once you learn the patterns, they’re much easier to remember. In this blog, we’ll explain the simple rules behind double letters, give you helpful tips, and share fun activities that will help students with their spelling with confidence.
Understanding Double Letters: A Quick Overview
Some spellings include double letter patterns, like in butter or address. Recognising the patterns help you avoid common spelling mistakes and improve your spelling skills.
Common Rules for Double Letters
Short Vowel Sounds Followed by Double Consonants When a short vowel sound...
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Spelling can be one of the trickier aspects of learning English. The mix of rules, patterns, and exceptions can leave both students and educators feeling frustrated. But understanding why spelling rules matter can help students make sense of seemingly complicated words and patterns. In this post, we’ll explore how rules can simplify spelling and share practical tips for teaching English spelling patterns in a way that’s both engaging and effective.
The Power of Spelling Rules
One of the main reasons spelling rules are so important is that they provide a framework for students to understand the often-unpredictable nature of English spelling. By introducing spelling rules in ...
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Looking for a simple, effective way to help your students learn spelling? The answer may be sitting right in front of them: reading! Reading teaches students to recognise words in context. When students read regularly, they become more familiar with the spelling of words, learning them in a way that sticks.
Why Reading Boosts Spelling Skills
When students read, they don’t just encounter words—they actively learn how to spell them. Here’s how reading helps:
Contextual Understanding: Students pick up words in context, which strengthens their understanding of how to use them and how to spell them correctly.
Repeated Exposure: The more students see a word...
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Looking for a way to help your students decode complex words with ease? Teaching root words might be the game-changer your classroom needs. Root words not only make spelling more manageable but also help students uncover the meaning of unfamiliar terms. In this blog, we’ll explore how understanding root words can transform learning, provide actionable strategies for teaching them, and share creative activities to make lessons engaging.
Why Teach Root Words?
Root words form the foundation of many English words. By identifying these building blocks, students can:
Improve spelling accuracy: Recognising patterns in root words helps students break down and spell complex words.
...
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The new year is the perfect time to think about achievements, challenges, and goals. This fresh start provides an excellent opportunity to focus on spelling skills. Whether you're a student, parent, or teacher, setting clear and realistic spelling goals can lead to impressive progress throughout the year. Let’s explore how you can embrace this opportunity and set yourself or your students up for spelling success.
Why Focus on Spelling Goals for the New Year?
Spelling is more than memorising words—it’s a critical skill that supports communication, reading, and writing. Strong spelling ability helps students articulate their ideas clearly, avoid common misunderstand...
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Have you ever noticed how certain words pop up again and again in written texts? High-frequency words are the building blocks of literacy, essential for fluency in reading and writing. Learning and understanding these words can make a significant difference in the educational journey. In this blog, we’ll explore what high-frequency words are, why they matter, and practical strategies for helping students learn to spell them effectively.
Understanding High-Frequency Words
High-frequency words are those that occur frequently in written English. They make up a substantial portion of everyday texts. Examples include words like the, and, is, and you. ‘
While the unpredictable...
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Ever stumbled over a word that just doesn’t seem to follow the rules? You’re not alone! English is full of words that trip people up, even seasoned spellers. From colonel to receipt, some words seem determined to challenge us. But why are these words so difficult to spell, and what makes them confusing? In this blog, we’ll explore the quirky, rule-breaking world of confusing English words, helping you understand why these terms exist and how to overcome the challenges they pose.
Understanding Confusing Words in English
English is a complex language with a history that spans centuries and cultures, which has led to a rich and diverse vocabulary. Confusing words are oft...
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In our fast-paced world, mobile devices have become an integral part of daily life. For students, these devices can serve as valuable tools for enhancing spelling skills, making learning both accessible and engaging. In this blog, we’ll explore practical strategies for using mobile devices to support effective spelling practice.
Understanding the Benefits of Mobile Learning
Mobile learning offers flexibility and convenience, allowing students to practice spelling anytime and anywhere. This adaptability can lead to increased engagement, as students can seamlessly incorporate spelling practice into their routines—whether during a commute, while queiuing up, or at home. Moreov...
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Understanding spelling patterns in English can significantly improve your spelling skills. A key part of English spelling is recognising common prefixes and suffixes. These are essential building blocks that help to form new words and expand your vocabulary. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what prefixes and suffixes are, provide examples of common prefixes and suffixes, and explain how they can support both spelling and understanding of the English language.
What Are Prefixes and Suffixes?
Prefixes are groups of letters that appear at the beginning of a word and can change its meaning. They often provide clues about the word’s meaning. For example:
Un- (mean...
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Spelling can be a challenge, especially for those who learn best through visual means. If you or your student is a visual learner, don’t worry – there are many ways to make spelling easy and fun! In this blog post, we’ll share some simple and effective strategies to help visual learners improve their spelling skills.
Use Colour-Coding
Colour can help visual learners remember information better. Here’s how you can use colour-coding to make spelling easier:
Highlight Vowels and Consonants: Use different colours for the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and consonants (all other letters) in a word. For example, you could write vowels in red and consonants in blue. This ...
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Some words consistently challenge even the most adept spellers. In today’s blog post, we’ll delve into ten words that are particularly tricky and offer mnemonic devices to help you remember how to spell them.
Accommodation
Definition: Lodging or a place to stay.
Why it’s difficult: Spellers often forget the double ‘c’ and double ‘m’ in this word.
Mnemonic device: The mnemonic ‘two cots need two mattresses’ will remind you of the double c and double m in accommodation.
Conscience
Definition: An inner feeling or voice that acts as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behaviour.
W...
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Spelling is the foundation of effective communication, but it can also be a source of frustration for many students. Fortunately, understanding a few key spelling rules can significantly enhance your ability to spell words correctly. Join us as we explore the top five spelling rules that every student should know- you’ll be a confident and proficient speller in no time!
The Magic Silent ‘E’
One of the most iconic spelling rules involves the magic of the silent ‘e’. When a word ends with a consonant followed by the letter ‘e’, not only is the ‘e’ is usually silent, but it also affects the pronunciation of the preceding vowel by ...
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In today's digital age, spellcheckers and grammar correction tools offer quick fixes for our writing oversights. Though these automated tools are helpful, relying solely on them can sometimes lead to overlooked mistakes and missed opportunities for improvement.
In this blog post, we'll explore the art of manual proofreading and share effective techniques for spotting spelling errors.
The Limitations of Spellcheckers
While spellcheckers are invaluable tools for catching many spelling errors, they have their limitations. Here are a few common scenarios where spellcheckers may fall short:
Technical Jargon: Spellcheckers may struggle with specialised terminology or industry-s...
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Understanding the Role of Silent Letters in Spelling
Have you ever noticed that some letters in English words don’t seem to be pronounced when spoken aloud? These silent letters, though tricky to navigate, are an essential part of English spelling.
In this guide, we'll delve into the world of silent letters, exploring common patterns, understanding the historical context, and learning practical tips. By the end, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to master silent letters with confidence.
Tip 1: Learn Common Spelling Patterns
Common silent letters in English include: k, w, b, t, l, n, h, g, and p. You can use the letters than come fo...
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Understanding Homophones: Your Key to Confident Spelling
Homophones, words that share similar sounds but differ in meanings and spellings, pose a challenge for many English learners. Whether you're a student striving for academic excellence, a professional aiming for clear communication, or simply someone eager to improve your language skills, mastering homophones is crucial.
In this detailed guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of homophones, providing you with spelling strategies and practice word lists to become proficient in identifying and using homophones accurately.
Exploring Spellzone's Homophone Guides
Spellzone offers an extensive archive of homophone gui...
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If you struggle with spelling – you're not alone. One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult is because of how inconsistent it is. Vowels – a, e, i, o, and u – are broken up into short and long sounds. To make things more confusing, there are also multiple ways of spelling each short and long vowel sound.
In this post, we will look at the five long vowel sounds and the different ways to spell each one. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent.
Long A Sound
There are six ways of spelling the long a sound
just the letter a, like in acorn, apron, and alien
with the letters a-e, like in snake, ...
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English is a tricky language to learn and one of the things that makes it so difficult is that it’s full of words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings. These words are called homophones.
In the past, we’ve looked at many pairs and groups of homophones in our Commonly Confused Words series. This week we’re sharing tips for handling homophones – scroll down to make sure you never mix up your meanings again!
Use homophones in the same sentence to show their different meanings.
For example:
Although we had a ball dancing the night away at the summer ball, we were so tired the next day we had to miss our football practi...
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One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult to learn is because, a lot of the time, the same sound is spelled in a variety of ways. In the past we’ve shared blog posts on how to spell the four other vowel sounds: the long /a/ sound, the long /e/ sound, the long /i/ sound, and the long /o/ sound – this week we’re finishing the series with how to spell the long /u/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent.
The long /u/ sound is pronounced like the word ‘you’. Here are four ways of spelling it:
Just the Letter U
Some words spell the long /u/ sound with just the letter u. These w...
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One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult to learn is because often the same sound is spelled in a variety of ways. In past blog posts we’ve looked at how to spell the long /a/ sound, the long /e/ sound, and the long /o/ sound.
Today, we will look at six ways of spelling the long /i/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent.
Just the Letter I
Some words spell the long /i/ sound with just the letter i. These words are usually more than one syllable long with the long /i/ sound is in the first syllable.
Here are some examples:
item
idea
iron
irate
crisis
final
pilot...
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One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult to learn is because often the same sound is spelled in a variety of ways. Click here to read about the different ways to spell the long /e/ sound and here to read about the long /o/ sound.
Today, we will look at six ways of spelling the long /a/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent.
1) Just the Letter A
Some words spell the long /a/ sound with just the letter a.
Here are some examples:
acorn
apron
alien
agent
basic
basin
data
fatal
2) A – E Words
Sometimes, to spell the long /a/ sound, you use an a in the middle of th...
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A few weeks ago we looked at seven common ways of spelling the long /e/ sound. Scroll down to read about six ways of spelling the long /o/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent.
Just the Letter O
In some cases, the long /o/ sound is spelled with just the letter o. These are often but not always words that are more than one syllable long.
Here are some examples of long /o/ words spelled with just the letter o:
oval
hotel
program
total
yoga
no
ago
gecko
O – E Words
A very common way of spelling the long /o/ sound is with an o in the middle of the word and an e at t...
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If you struggle with spelling – you’re not alone. One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult is because of how inconsistent it is. This week we’re looking at the long /e/ sound and the seven different ways of spelling it. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent.
Just the letter e
In some cases, the long /e/ sound is spelled with just the letter e. This is usually the case in words that are more than one syllable long, but exceptions include some very common words like ‘me’, ‘be’, ‘we’, ‘he’, and ‘she’.
This spelling of the long /...
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Over the years, we’ve shared plenty of advice to help you get to grips with some of the trickier aspects of the English language. This week, we’ve compiled a handy list of these tips to make them easier for you to find.
Ten tips for using apostrophes
One of the most common mistakes people make when using apostrophes is breaking the following rule: NEVER USE AN APOSTROPHE TO FORM A SINGULAR PLURAL. But when should you use an apostrophe? In this list of tips, we go over the appropriate situations in which to use an apostrophe and some common situations in which people incorrectly use them.
Capital letters
While you probably know that you should use a capital l...
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A suffix is added to the end of a word to change its meaning. Sometimes, when you add a suffix, the root word has to be changed slightly first. Here are five tips for adding suffixes:
Before adding a suffix, you need to identify if you’re using a vowel suffix or a consonant suffix. This will help you work out what (if any) changes you need to make to the root word.
Vowel suffixes: -able, -al, -es, -ed, -er, -en, -est, -ible, -ing, -ish, -ous, -y
(At the end of a word, the -y is pronounced with an /ee/ sound.)
Consonant suffixes:-ful, -less, -ly, -ment, -ness, -s, -ty
If you add a vowel suffix to a word which only has one consonant at the end, you m...
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When you begin learning English spelling, ‘I before E except after C’ is probably one of the first spelling rules you’ll come across. Today we’re going to take a closer look at this spelling rule. Does it always work? Are there any exceptions? When should you spell a word ‘E before I’?
Most of the time, when spelling a long /e/ sound in the MIDDLE of a word, the rule applies. Click here to test yourself on some words that are spelled ‘I before E’. Some examples of the long /e/ sound in the middle of a word are: field, believe, and cashier. Of course, as always, there are exceptions (for example: protein, weird, and Keith) and it is import...
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The key to remembering how to spell words with silent letters is, unfortunately, the same as that for remembering all spellings: practise, practise, practise! Here are Spellzone, we know that the ‘Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check’ method of learning and testing spelling provides results, and here are some of our other top spelling tips.
Some silent letters were pronounced hundred years ago, but over the years, because the words were difficult to say, some of the sounds died out. Get into the habit of pronouncing silent letters in your head whenever you think of the word. When taking a Spellzone Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check test, click on the loudspeaker icon to hear...
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Do you struggle with spelling?
You’re not alone. Since poor spelling can lead to a whole host of problems, and because your teacher can only do so much, we’re sharing five top tips to help you get your spelling under control. Let’s make this school year the one for getting that spelling under control!
Don’t try and learn spellings blindly
It might seem obvious, but if you come across a word and you don’t know what it means, look it up! You can find the Spellzone dictionary on the right-hand side of your screen. Knowing a little bit about a word can go a long way when it comes to working out how to spell it later. For example, if you know the wor...
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If you’ve been using Spellzone for a long time, you’ll know that we love a good mnemonic. While our online course is useful for understanding English spelling rules and their exceptions, individual students often have different words that they struggle to spell. It’s in these instances, that we believe it’s helpful to come up with a mnemonic.
Since mnemonics work best if they are personal to the student using them, today we are sharing our top tips for creating your own.
Think of words that rhyme with the word you’re trying to spell.
For example:
“Please keep quiet about my diet.”
Come up with an acrostic to help y...
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Over the last couple of years we’ve shared plenty of tips and tricks to help make spelling and grammar easier. For those of you who are new to our site, here are five of our favourite posts from the archives:
Five Tips for Teaching Spelling
Our Five Tips for Teaching Spelling post is useful for teachers, but students and independent learners might find it well worth a read too. Remember that if you find spelling difficult, you are not alone! Connect with us using #Spellzone2015 to share your struggles and achievements.
Other related posts you might be interested in are Five Reasons Why English Spelling is so Difficult and Five Reasons Why It’s Worth Learning to Spel...
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Last week we wrote about The Dirty Thirty – a list of words that are often misspelled, even by people who consider themselves to be good at spelling!
These words often aren’t pronounced phonetically, or fall among the exceptions to common spelling rules – in short, they’re sneaky. We thought it’d be useful to come up with a list of tips and tricks to help you remember how to spell each word in the list.
Click here for part one of our advice on dealing with The Dirty Thirty, and read on for part two!
minute
‘Minute’ has the word ‘nut’ in the middle of it.
necessary
Try using one of these mnemonics to help you rem...
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Many people struggle with spelling these thirty words, and because they are so often spelt wrong, it is likely that examiners will be watching out for them while marking papers. Over the next two blog posts, we’re going to take a look at these words and share tips and tricks to help you remember how to spell them.
Read on for the first fifteen words!
accommodation
Imagine two people with the initials CC and MM sharing accommodation to help you remember that this word is spelt with two Cs and two Ms. Here at Spellzone we imagine Cheerful Charlie and Mad Mick, but it’s useful to come up with your own characters to make them easier for you to remember.
beautifu...
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Most plurals are formed by adding an -s to the end of the word. However, you should NEVER use an apostrophe to form a plural (click here for Ten Tips for Using Apostrophes).
If the noun ends in a consonant plus –y, form the plural by swapping the –y for –ies. Click here for a word list.
Watch out: if the noun ends in a vowel plus –y, form the plural by adding –s as usual. For example, story (as in a tale/book) becomes stories, whereas storey (as in a floor/level) becomes storeys.
If the noun ends in –ch, -s, -sh, -x, or -z, form the plural by adding –es. Click here for a word list.
HOWEVER, if a noun ending in...
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For the last month or so I’ve been sharing my favourite spelling mnemonics over on Twitter. Today, especially for those of you who don’t use Twitter, I’ve decided to round up some of them to share with you all.
The thing I struggle with most when it comes to spelling the word ‘necessary’ is keeping track of how many Cs and how many Ss the word has. To combat this (and I’m about to betray how English I am!), I think of how necessary a cup of tea is in ensuring I have a good day – and once I’ve got the image tea in my mind, I think the following: “The word 'ne[c]e[ss]ary' is spelt using one [c]up and two [s]ugars”. Some ...
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Over the last few weeks we’ve been sharing different methods which we hope will help make learning to spell a little easier and a bit more fun.
Here is a recap of our posts – which ones did you find most helpful?
In our blog post about why English spelling is so difficult, we discussed heterographs, homonyms, and heteronyms. These groups of words make it difficult to solely rely on the ‘sound’ of a word in order to figure out its spelling.
The word heterograph refers to words that sound the same, but have different spellings and meanings. Hetero- comes from the Greek heteros which means ‘other’ or ‘different’, whilst -graph comes ...
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Make sure your student knows that they are not alone.
Finding spelling difficult to get to grips with does not mean that someone is stupid. In fact, some of the world’s cleverest people have struggled with English spelling. Why not organise a research project on successful people and what they have accomplished despite finding spelling hard? Your students might be surprised at how many there are and the variety of fields that they have excelled in.
Recommend that your student starts a SPELLING LOG.
Whilst your student is certainly not alone in finding spelling difficult, it is important to remember that not everyone will find the same words hard. Students should cre...
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Last week we blogged about why, despite being difficult, learning to spell is really worth the effort. The Spellzone course will help you get to grips with English spelling rules and their exceptions, but there will always be individual spellings that each of us will find hard to remember. In these situations it can sometimes help to come up with mnemonic.
A mnemonic is a memory device. It comes from the ancient Greek word mnemonikos which means ‘mindful’. The ‘m’ at the beginning of the word is silent.
Mnemonics can take a variety of shapes, such as rhymes, visual cues, and word associations, but they work best if they are personal to the individual using them....
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Unfortunately there is no shortcut when it comes to learning how to spell – it takes practice, and sometimes lots of it. Spellzone will guide you through the ins and outs of English spelling, but you are probably wondering: Is it worth the effort?
Here are five reasons why we think learning how to spell is important……
Poor spelling can lose you marks in exams
More and more examination criteria are testing students’ ability to spell and punctuate well. Whilst this may seem unfair, it doesn’t seem worth taking the risk. Do you really want to lose marks in a subject you’re passionate about because of poor spelling?
Poor spelling will d...
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Does it sometimes feel like just as you’ve got to grips with a spelling rule, you are faced with a number of situations where that rule doesn’t apply? You’re not alone. Here are five reasons why English is such a hard language to learn…
English words are from all over the place
The English language has been heavily influenced by European invaders; art, music and literature; the colonisation of other countries; and immigration. Even common-sounding words can originate from far-away places, such as: ‘rucksack’ (borrowed from German) or ‘pyjamas’ (borrowed from Hindi).
There are different ways of spelling the same sound
Bec...
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1. First - don´t despair! Some of the world´s cleverest people have struggled with English spelling - you are not alone! Try out these ideas and you should soon see an improvement.
2. When you are practising spellings, use as many senses as you can:
LOOK closely at a word, try to remember what it LOOKS like
Think about the SOUND of a word - that will often give you clues about the spelling
To learn a word, WRITE it or TYPE it - or both
In this way, you are using three senses to learn a word: sight, hearing and movement - the method most experts agree is best.
If you only use a keyboard, use that for your practice. You will be training your fingers to use the ...
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