English is a language known for its quirks and irregularities, making it a challenging to learn. For ESL (English as a Second Language) learners, navigating the intricacies of English spelling can be particularly daunting. However, by understanding common pitfalls and employing effective strategies, ESL learners can overcome spelling challenges and enhance their language skills. Silent Letter Strategies Silent letters add an extra layer of complexity to English spelling. These letters appear in the spelling, but they are not pronounced. TIP: When you learn words with silent letters, use the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check spelling activity. Click on the speaker to hear the word...
What does each word mean? A sleigh is a vehicle on runners which is pulled by horses or dogs over snow. As a verb, the word describes the act of riding in a sleigh. Here is sleigh used in some example sentences: Santa Claus delivers presents in a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer. Do you hear the sleigh bells jingling? We sleighed through the snow. Slay means destroy or kill. Here is slay used in some an example sentence: The show about a teenager who slays vampire. Where does each word come from? The word sleigh dates to 1703 and comes from Dutch the ‘slee’, which is a shortened versio...
What does each word mean? A berry is a type of small fruit often used in making desserts, jams and jellies, and preserves. Examples of berries include blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Here is berry used in some example sentences: I like berry-flavoured ice cream. We made a Christmas wreath with holly leaves and berries. Would you like some strawberry cake? If you bury something, it means you hide it from sight by covering it with something else, for example earth. Here is bury used in some example sentences: To keep warm and cosy. I bury myself under a pile of blankets. We bury the secret treasure in the garden....
Celebrating the Season with Spelling Lists In November’s spelling lists blog post, we embraced the season with a vibrant collection of Autumn vocabulary, learned how to spell the /l/ sound after the letter ‘n’, and shared 10 alternatives for the word tired. Don’t forget all Spellzone word lists can be used in a variety of online and offline spelling activities. Boost Your Vocabulary Series Continues This month, in our Boost Your Vocabulary series, we continued sharing words to help you elevate your writing. Explore 22 sentence starters to help you link contrasting ideas and 24 sentence starters for emphasising ideas. Remember, the...
What does each word mean? Meat refers to the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) when it is consumed as food. The word is also sometimes used figuratively to describe: a) the inner and usually edible part of a seed, grain, nut, or fruit, b) the most essential or most vital part of an idea or experience. Here is meat used in an example sentence: We are cooking meat and vegetables on the BBQ. Which meat do you prefer: chicken or pork? Extract the meat from the pumpkin before you carve it. Let’s get into the meat of this discussion. The verb meet describes the act of coming together. The word is also use...
calm – quiet and peaceful (often after a state of agitation) Now that the storm was over, it was a calm night. hushed – softened or muted in tone We heard the sound of hushed voices. muffled – soft in tone and unclear, difficult to hear There came the muffled sound of footsteps. muted – softened in tone The sound of their voices was muted by the wall between us and them. noiseless – marked by the absence of sound She expected the room to be noiseless. peaceful – quiet and calm (often after a state of agitation) After a day of meetings, she spent a peaceful hour walking in the woods. &n...
What does each word mean? The word suite can be used to describe a musical composition made up of several movements, a series of connected rooms used as a living space in a hotel, and a set of matching furniture. Here is suite used in some example sentences: This Christmas, the orchestra will play The Nutcracker Suite. They were staying in the penthouse suite in a very expensive hotel. Will you buy a three-piece suite for your living room? Look up suite in the Spellzone dictionary. If something is sweet, it means it tastes like sugar or is pleasing to hear, see, or smell. Sweet is also the British English word for ...
What does each word mean? Which is a question word used to ask what thing is being referred to out of a group of (assumed or explicit) options. Here is which used in some example sentences: Which way are we going? Which shoe do you like best? Which spelling is correct? Look up which in the Spellzone dictionary. A witch is a supernatural being who practises sorcery or magic known as witchcraft. Here is witch used in some example sentences: I want to dress up at a witch for Halloween. In medieval and early modern Europe, witches were thought commune with the devil and use supernatural powers to har...
What does each word mean? A creak is a squeaking sound like the one made by a stair. Here is creak used in some example sentences: Watch out for the creaking stair. We heard an ominous creak. The rocking chair creaked but no one was sitting in it. Look up creak in the Spellzone dictionary. A creek is a stream of water that is smaller than a river. Here is creek used in some example sentences: The bubbling creek was peaceful to listen to. They live on the other side of the creek. The creek connects to the river. Look up creek in the Spellzone dictionary. Where does each word come from? The word...
Words ending in 'ble' Our spelling pattern for October is words ending in ‘ble’. Practise this spelling pattern in Unit 26. Trick-or-Treat With October comes the countdown to Halloween! One of the most fun Halloween traditions is trick-or-treating. This is when children dress up in costumes and visit houses in the neighbourhood. Those who answer their doors are given the option of giving the children treat (like candy or an apple) or facing a trick. If you want to learn about costumes and candy, this is the list for you. Scary Words The English language is full of weird and wonderful w...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is Latin expressions used in English. Over September we've looked at the terms et cetera, de facto, and ad hoc. Our final Latin expression for the month is the E.g. is commonly used in English as an abbreviation for exempli gratia and means ‘for the sake of example’. Here is e.g. used in some example sentences: The Spellzone course includes a range of spelling activities, e.g. word lists, spelling tests, word games. There is likely to be a range of extreme weathers, e.g. rain, snow, and heavy wind. We will be serving light snacks (e.g. sandwiches, crisps, and fruit) at the party...
What does each word mean? A pair is a set of two. If you pair two things, it means you put them together. Here is pair used in some example sentences: They bride and groom make a wonderful pair. I need to pack a spare pair of socks. Can you pair the knives with the forks? Look up pair in the Spellzone dictionary. If you pare something, it means you trim it. Here is pare used in some example sentences: He pared down the overgrown plant. This essay is too long – you need to pare down some words. Use a knife to pare away the skin from the pear. Look up pare in the Spellzone dictionary...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is Latin expressions used in English. So far we’ve looked at the phrases et cetera and de facto. Today’s Latin expression is ad hoc. Ad hoc translates to ‘for this’, and describes something that is created or done for a specific and immediate purpose. Something that is created ad hoc, by definition, usually cannot be planned for in advance, because it responds to unexpected needs Here is ad hoc used in some example sentences: The company hires new staff on an ad hoc basis. Normally I work from home, but I do go into the office for ad hoc meetings. They formed an ad hoc committee to ...
What does each word mean? If someone is right about something (rather than wrong), it means they are correct about it. If something is to the right (rather than the left), it means it is on the south side of something that is facing east. If someone has the right to something, it means they are entitled to it. Here is right used in some example sentences: I got all the answers right in the spelling test. The plates are in the cupboard on the right. We have the right to vote. Look up right in the Spellzone dictionary. A rite is a ceremony or observance which is often relgious in nature. Here is rite used in some ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is Latin expressions used in English. Last week we looked at the term et cetera and today we are looking at the term de facto. De facto is a Latin term with legal roots. The expression means ‘in fact’ or ‘in reality’ and it refers to something that exists but may not necessarily be legally ordained. Here is de facto used in some example sentences: She was the de facto leader of the group. The de facto official language was English. They are not legally married, but they’ve been together so long they are de facto spouses. De facto is often used to contrast ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is Latin expressions used in English. Our first Latin expression of the month is et cetera. Et cetera, often abbreviated to etc., is commonly used at the end of a list as a way of saying ‘and other similar things’ or ‘and so on’. Here is et cetera used in some example sentences: The Spellzone course uses a range of spelling techniques: word lists, spelling tests, word games, et cetera. Please pack for a range of weathers: rain, snow, wind, et cetera. We will be serving light snacks (sandwiches, crisps, fruit, et cetera) at the party. If you are abbreviating et cetera to etc., you will need a full stop ...
‘al’ as a suffix Our spelling pattern for September is ‘al’ as a suffix. As -al is a vowel suffix, any vowel at the end of a root word is removed before the suffix is added. Practise this spelling pattern in Unit 26. Key Stage 3: Science The new school term is the perfect time to refamiliarise yourself will Spellzone's features. Don’t forget Spellzone doesn’t need to be limited to the English department: our word lists are the perfect tool for learning new topic words in primary schools and new subject-specific vocabulary at KS3 and GCSE level. Why...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is condiments. A condiment is added to food to enhance its flavour. The word has been used in English since the mid-fifteenth century and comes from the Latin ‘condire’ meaning ‘to pickle’. Over August we’ve looked at the words mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, and sriracha. Our final condiment for the month is chutney. Chutney is a spicy condiment of Indian origin that has been eaten since 500 BCE. It is made from fruits or vegetables cooked in vinegar, spices, and sugar. Unlike pickles – known in India as ‘achar’ – chutneys are often freshly prepared. C...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is condiments. A condiment is added to food to enhance its flavour. The word has been used in English since the mid-fifteenth century and comes from the Latin ‘condire’ meaning ‘to pickle’. Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at the condiments mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. This week’s word is sriracha. Sriracha is a spicy red sauce made from red chilli peppers and garlic that is popular in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. In Thailand, sriracha is often used for dipping and is especially eaten with omelette and seafood. In Vietnam, it is commonly eaten with pho, fried noodles, ...
What does each word mean? A sea is a large body of salt water that surrounds land masses. The word is sometimes used figuratively to mean a large mass of something. Here is sea used in some example sentences: I love to swim in the sea. The story is about someone who sailed the seven seas. It was hard to see the art through the sea of phones trying to take a picture of it. Look up sea in the Spellzone dictionary. If you see something, it means you perceive it by sight. The word is also used to describe the act of imagining something with your mind’s eye. Here is see used in some example sentences: Can you see the sw...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is condiments. A condiment is added to food to enhance its flavour. The word has been used in English since the mid-fifteenth century and comes from the Latin ‘condire’ meaning ‘to pickle’. So far we’ve looked at the words mustard and ketchup. Today’s word is mayonnaise. Mayonnaise – also often called by its nickname mayo – is a thick creamy sauce made with egg yolks, oil, and either vinegar or lemon juice. This French word (which dates to 1806) has been used in English since 1815. It is probably a corruption of ‘mahonnaise’ and likely got its name fro...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is condiments. A condiment is added to food to enhance its flavour. The word has been used in English since the mid-fifteenth century and comes from the Latin ‘condire’ meaning ‘to pickle’. Last week, we looked at the word mustard and today’s condiment is ketchup. Ketchup is a red sauce made from tomatoes and vinegar. It is often used as a relish in burgers or eaten with chips (or French fries if you speak American English!). This condiment was first known in English as 'catchup' and later as 'catsup' (the latter of which is still sometimes used in American Engish)....
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is condiments. A condiment is added to food to enhance its flavour. The word has been used in English since the mid-fifteenth century and comes from the Latin ‘condire’ meaning ‘to pickle’. As Saturday August 5th marks National Mustard Day – a celebration of all things mustard that started in Wisconsin in 1991 – we couldn’t resist choosing the spicy condiment for our first word of the week. Mustard is a pungent yellow or brown paste made from ground mustard seeds. It has a strong hot taste and is often eaten with meat. Though mustard was likely eaten by ancient civilisations, the word firs...
Words ending in 'ory' Our spelling pattern for August is words ending in 'ory'. In these words, the weak vowel sound before a 'y' is spelled with the letters 'or'. Practise this spelling pattern in Unit 25. Compound Words A compound word is a word that is made up of two or more other words. While the compound words in this list do not require hyphens, other compound words do. Test yourself on these words and then learn more. 10 Words for... HOT Who’s feeling the heat? Our 10 Words series is designed to help you expand your vocabulary. In this li...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is portmanteau words. A portmanteau word is made up of two or more existing words that have been blended together. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. A portmanteau is a type of suitcase which had two compartments and so Carroll used it as a metaphor for a term that made of two separate words merged together. In the novel, the character Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice: “You see it’s like a portmanteau – there are two meanings packed up into one word.” Over July we’ve looked at the words blog, brunch, a...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is portmanteau words. A portmanteau word is made up of two or more existing words that have been blended together. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. A portmanteau is a type of suitcase which had two compartments and so Carroll used it as a metaphor for a term that made of two separate words merged together. In the novel, the character Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice: “You see it’s like a portmanteau – there are two meanings packed up into one word.” So far, we’ve looked at the words blog and brunch. ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is portmanteau words. A portmanteau word is made up of two or more existing words that have been blended together. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. A portmanteau is a type of suitcase which had two compartments and so Carroll used it as a metaphor for a term that made of two separate words merged together. In the novel, the character Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice: “You see it’s like a portmanteau – there are two meanings packed up into one word.” Last week, we looked at the word blog. Today’s word...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is portmanteau words. A portmanteau word is made up of two or more existing words that have been blended together. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. A portmanteau is a type of suitcase which had two compartments and so Carroll used it as a metaphor for a term that made of two separate words merged together. In the novel, the character Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice: “You see it’s like a portmanteau – there are two meanings packed up into one word.” The prominence of technology and the internet in our lives has led to many portmanteau words...
Words ending in 'ary' This month's spelling pattern is words ending in 'ary'. In these words, the weak vowel sound before a 'y' is spelled with the letters 'ar'. Practise this spelling pattern in Unit 25. Portmanteau Words July 2 marks Alice’s Day: a festival of all things Alice in Wonderland. To celebrate, we’ve chosen portmanteau words as our second vocabulary list of the month. A portmanteau word is made up of two or more existing words that have been blended together. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is words that derive from Greek mythology. So far we’ve looked at the words atlas, chaos, mentor, and narcissist; our final word for June is tantalise. If you tantalise someone, it means you torment or tease them with something they want but can’t get. Here is tantalise used in some example sentences: The blue skies tantalised us, but it was still very cold outside. She held the treat just out of reach to tantalise the puppy before finally giving it to him. We were tantalised by the computer in the shop window but we knew we couldn’t afford it. The word gets its name from Tantalus who, as ...
What does each word mean? If something is real, it means it can be treated as fact – it is not imaginary. Real estate is a term used to describe property. Here is real used in some example sentences: At the end of the story, the puppet turned into a real boy. I believe ghosts are real. Was King Arthur a real person? She has a real estate empire. Look up real in the Spellzone dictionary. A reel is a cylinder onto which flexible materials can be wound, for example: film, fishing wire, thread, and tape. The word reel can be used as a verb to describe the act of winding something in (like a fishing line). On Instagram, the socia...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is words that derive from Greek mythology. Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at the words atlas, chaos, and mentor. Today’s word is narcissist. A narcissist is someone who has an exceptional interest in or admiration for themself. Here is narcissist used in some example sentences: If you are a narcissist, it means you are self-centred. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is about a narcissistic young man. Could you stop being such a narcissist and talk about someone except yourself? The word is named for Narcissus who, known for his arrogance, was tempted to a pool by the spirit Nemesis. There he fel...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is words that derive from Greek mythology. So far, we’ve looked at the words atlas and chaos. Today’s word is mentor. A mentor is a wise and trusted guide and advisor who may serve as a teacher or counsellor. Here is mentor used in some example sentences: Yoda is Luke Skywalker’s Jedi mentor. She mentored young artists in her free time. I am looking for a mentor to learn from as I grow my business. In Greek mythology, Mentor was the advisor to Telemachus (the son of Odysseus and Penelope who are the central characters in Homer’s Odyssey). In many versions of the myth, the goddess Athena ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is words that derive from Greek mythology. Last week we looked at the word atlas and today’s word is chaos. The word chaos is used to describe a state of extreme confusion or disorder. Here is chaos used in some example sentences: The performance was utter chaos – no one knew what they were supposed to do! My bedroom may seem like chaos to you, but I find it a very relaxing space. The school predicted that the snow would cause chaos on the roads and so decided to close for the day. In Greek mythology, the god Chaos personifies the void that preceded the creation of the universe. Today the wor...
Words ending in 'ery' This month's spelling pattern is words ending in 'ery'. In these words, the weak vowel sound before a 'y' is spelled with the letters 'er'. Practise this spelling pattern in Unit 25. Platinum Jubilee Spelling Words June marks the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. This means seventy years have passed since her coronation in 1953. How many of these royal words can you spell? Under the Sea June 8 marks UN World Oceans Day. The event is ‘an opportunity to raise global awareness of the benefits humankind derives from the ocean and our individual and coll...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is words that derive from Greek mythology. Our first word of the month is atlas. An atlas is a book that contains a collection of maps. Here is atlas used in some example sentences: The Geography teacher gave each student an atlas. The shelves were filled with globes and atlases. An atlas was published to accompany the fantasy series so that readers could see maps of the different magical lands. The word gets his name from the story of Atlas who, with his brother Menoetius, fought alongside the Titans in in a war against the Olympians. When they were defeated, Zeus, the King of the Gods, condemne...
What does each word mean? In the Middle Ages, a knight was someone who trained in arms and chivalry and served his King or Lord. Today, in Great Britain, men are awarded knighthoods by the monarch as an honour for contributions to their fields. A knight is also a chess piece that is shaped like a horse. Here is knight used in some example sentences: Have you read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? He was given a knighthood for services to education. She would have to sacrifice her knight in order to win the game. Look up knight in the Spellzone dictionary. Night is the time between sunset and sunrise when...
Words ending in 'er' In American English, the weak vowel ending is sometimes spelt with the letters 'er'. Learn more about the differences between British English and American English in Unit 36. Ballroom Dancing Is your spelling better than your samba? Can you remember how to spell rumba? We hope you enjoy practising these ballroom-themed words. Why not add an extra spring to your step and test yourself in our Bouncing Anagrams game? 10 Words for...Said Are you trying to find the perfect way of saying something? Perhaps the word you’re looking for is… …Croaked? &he...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for April is pasta. Made from a durum wheat dough which is shaped and boiled, pasta dishes originate in Italy and are now enjoyed all over the world. Though the word pasta has been used in English since 1874, it didn't become common until after the second world war. The literal translation of the Italian word pasta is ‘paste’. Over April, we’ve looked at the words spaghetti, pappardelle and farfalle. Our final word of the month is orecchiette. Orecchiette come from Apulia in Southern Italy. Made from durum wheat and water, this type of pasta is dome-shaped with a thin centre and t...
What does each word mean? A fair is a travelling or periodic exhibition of stalls, rides, or games. As an adjective, fair is used to describe something that is free of favouritism, cheating, or bias. The word can also be used to describe good weather, something that has a reasonable chance of happening, and skin and hair that is light-coloured. Here is fair used in some example sentences: There’s a Ferris wheel at the funfair. The farmer sold her cheeses at the fair. Make sure you play in a fair way. It was a fair winter’s day. They thought they had a fair chance of winning The waiter had fair hair. ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for April is pasta. Made from a durum wheat dough which is shaped and boiled, pasta dishes originate in Italy and are now enjoyed all over the world. Though the word pasta has been used in English since 1874, it didn't become common until after the second world war. The literal translation of the Italian word pasta is ‘paste’. So far we’ve looked at the words spaghetti and pappardelle. This week’s word is farfalle. Farfalle are pinched in the middle, have scalloped edges, and come in a variety of sizes and colours. Larger farfalle are known as farfalloni and smaller farfalle are ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for April is pasta. Made from a durum wheat dough which is shaped and boiled, pasta dishes originate in Italy and are now enjoyed all over the world. Though the word pasta has been used in English since 1874, it didn't become common until after the second world war. The literal translation of the Italian word pasta is ‘paste’. Last week, we looked at the word spaghetti. Today’s word is pappardelle. Pappardelle are a ribbon-shaped pasta, similar to fettucine, which we mentioned in last week’s post, but broader. Each ribbon is two or three centimetres wide. Fresh pappardelle often have ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for April is pasta. Made from a durum wheat dough which is shaped and boiled, pasta dishes originate in Italy and are now enjoyed all over the world. Though the word pasta has been used in English since 1874, it didn't become common until after the second world war. The literal translation of the Italian word pasta is ‘paste’. Our first pasta-themed word of the month is spaghetti. Spaghetti are long solid strings of pasta, often served with sauce. Spaghetti is the plural of the Italian word ‘spaghetto’ which means ‘thin string’ or ‘twine’. The first known recording of the word in English is ...
There are over a million word lists on Spellzone. Each one can be used in a variety of online and offline activities. Words ending in 're' In British English, the weak vowel ending is sometimes spelt with the letters 're'. Learn more about the differences between British English and American English in Unit 36. Easter Vocabulary Easter falls on April 17 this year. If you need a break from all the chocolate, why not spend some time testing yourself on these Easter vocabulary words? You can even practise them in our Easter Egg Hunt spelling game. Characters from Much Ado About Nothing April 23 marks ...
March 21 marked World Poetry Day and to celebrate we’ve chosen poetry for this month’s Word for Wednesday theme. The word poetry dates to the late-fourteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘poetrie’, from the Latin ‘poeta’. Over March, we’ve looked at the words sonnet, limerick, villanelle, and haiku. Our final word of the month is acrostic. An acrostic is a poem in which the first letters of each line form a word. The word acrostic dates to the 1580s and comes from the medieval Latin ‘acrostichis’, from the Greek ‘akrostikhis&rsq...
March 21 marked World Poetry Day and to celebrate we’ve chosen poetry for this month’s Word for Wednesday theme. The word poetry dates to the late-fourteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘poetrie’, from the Latin ‘poeta’. Over the past few weeks we’ve looked at the words sonnet, limerick, and villanelle. Today’s word is haiku. A haiku is a three-lined Japanese poem made up of seventeen syllables, with five syllables in the first and final lines and seven syllables in the middle line. Haiku often describe the natural world. The word haiku was first used...
March 21 marks World Poetry Day and to celebrate we’ve chosen poetry for this month’s Word for Wednesday theme. The word poetry dates to the late-fourteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘poetrie’, from the Latin ‘poeta’. So far we’ve looked at the words sonnet and limerick. This week’s word is villanelle. A villanelle is a nineteen-lined lyrical or pastoral poem made up of five three-lined stanzas (tercets) followed by one four-lined stanza (a quatrain). This type of poem uses a pattern of two repeated lines (refrains). The first line of a villanelle is ...
March 21 marks World Poetry Day and to celebrate we’ve chosen poetry for this month’s Word for Wednesday theme. The word poetry dates to the late-fourteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘poetrie’, from the Latin ‘poeta’. Last week, we looked at the word sonnet, today’s word is limerick. A limerick is a humorous poem made up of five lines that follows the AABBA rhyme scheme. It is also the name of a port city in southwestern Ireland. The word, in reference to the poem, dates to 1896, but it is unclear if it is linked to Limerick in Ireland. One theory suggests that the name...
March 21 marks World Poetry Day and to celebrate we’ve chosen poetry for this month’s Word for Wednesday theme. The word poetry dates to the late-fourteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘poetrie’, from the Latin ‘poeta’. Our first poetry-themed word for March is sonnet. A sonnet is a poem made up of fourteen lines with a fixed rhyming structure. There are two popular types of sonnet: the Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet and the Shakespearean (or English) sonnet. The Petrarchan sonnet is made up of an eight-lined stanza (an octet) and a six-lined stanza (a sestet). The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA CDECDE or ABBAABBA CDC...
There are over a million word lists on Spellzone. Each one can be used in a variety of online and offline activities. Words ending in ‘or’ In American English, the weak vowel ending is sometimes spelt with the letters ‘or’. Learn more about ‘or’ word endings in Unit 25 and more about the differences between British English and American English in Unit 36. Key Stage 3 Maths March 14 marks National Pi Day and March 23 marks World Maths Day. How many of these Key Stage 3 Maths words can you spell? Poetry Words March 21 is World Poetry Day and to celebrate we’ve made poetry our Word fo...
There are over a million word lists on Spellzone. Each one can be used in a variety of online and offline activities. Words ending in ‘our’ In British English, the weak vowel ending is sometimes spelt with the letters 'our'. Learn more about ‘our’ word endings in Unit 25. Lunar New Year Vocabulary February 1st is Lunar New Year and marks the beginning of the Year of the Tiger. Celebrations will finish on February 15th with the Lantern Festival. How many of these Lunar New Year vocabulary words can you spell? Characters from Great Expectations Charles Dickens was a nineteenth-century En...
Personalise your profile by adding an avatar. Collect achievement points by working on test activities and effort points by working on learning activities. Work your way from a Spelling Newbie to a Spelling Grandmaster by collecting achievement points. Check out your current level on your Spellzone profile. Up for a little competition? Our league tables are updated weekly. Finished a unit? Rate how confident your feel about your new learning on the end-of-unit-summary page. Made a mistake? Practise spellings as many times as you need to in the My Difficult Words section. Create word lists for y...
There are over a million word lists on Spellzone. Each one can be used in a variety of online and offline activities. Words ending in 'lar' After the letter ‘l’, many words use ‘ar’ to spell the weak vowel ending. Learn more about ‘lar’ word endings in Unit 25. Characters in Twelfth Night Twelfth Night, also known as the Eve of the Epiphany, is the final night of the Twelve Days of Christmas. In some countries, there is a superstition that it is bad luck to leave decorations up after Twelfth Night. Shakespeare’s play of the same name is thought to have been written for Twelfth Night f...
Words ending in ssor and rror In this month’s spelling pattern word list, we’re looking at words ending in 'ssor' and 'rror'. After the letters 'ss' and 'rr', many words use 'or' to spell the weak vowel ending. Learn about 'ssor' and 'rror' word endings in Unit 25 and practise spelling them in this word list. Winter Words Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Whether or not the snow sticks to the ground this year, here in the UK we are sure to get plenty of wind and rain. From blizzard, to flurries, to icicle; this list will teach you how to spell a variety cold-...
3 Word Lists for November This month we looked at words ending in ‘ator’, tree words for National Tree Week, and fireworks words for Bonfire Night. Word for Wednesday: Fireworks We also chose fireworks for November’s Word for Wednesday theme. Follow the links to learn more about the words: sparkler, fountain, Catherine wheel, and rocket. Commonly Confused Words: Been vs. Gone In November, we returned to our Commonly Confused Words series with the words been and gone. One of these words is the past participle form for ‘be’ and the other is the past participle form for go ...
What does each word mean? Been is the past participle form of the verb to be. For example, Present tense: I am. I am at school. Past tense: I was. I was at school. Past participle: I have been. I have been at school. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word been. Gone is the past participle form of the verb to go. For example, Present tense: I go. I go to school. Past tense: I went. I went to school. Past participle: I have gone. I have gone to school. Click here for the full Spellzone...
Words ending in 'ator' In this month’s spelling pattern word list, we’re looking at words ending in 'ator'. After the letters 'at', many words use 'or' to spell the weak vowel ending. Learn about 'ator' word endings in Unit 25 and practise spelling them in this word list. Fireworks To celebrate Diwali and Bonfire Night, we’ve chosen fireworks as our Word for Wednesday theme for November. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be looking at the words: sparkler, fountain, Catherine wheel, and rocket. Practise these words and more firework-themed spellings here. National Tre...
3 Word Lists for October For October’s, spelling pattern word list, we looked at words ending in 'itor'. Practise this weak vowel ending here. Since Halloween is this month, we also chose two spooky spelling lists. Learn how to spell words for scary creatures here and how to spell body horror words here. Find more spooky spelling lists here. Word for Wednesday: Halloween To continue our celebration of spooky season, we also chose Halloween for October’s Word for Wednesday theme. Follow the links to learn more about the words: pumpkin, monster, skeleton, and trick-or-treat. Which ...
There are over 1.5 million Word Lists on Spellzone which can all be used in a variety of spelling activities including spelling games. Spellzone games fall into three main categories and many of them can be played in multiplayer mode: 1) Pattern recognition games Crack the eggs in the correct order to spell the words in Egg Hunt Click on the balls in the correct order to spell the words in Bouncing Anagram and Bouncing Anagram Extreme Collect the rain drops in the correct order to spell the words in Rain Drops 2) Problem solving games Find the words in our small, medium, and large Word Searches 3) Voice and vocabulary games ...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 Word Lists for October: Words ending in 'itor' In this month’s spelling pattern word list, you can practise words ending in 'itor'. After the letters 'it', many words use 'or' to spell the weak vowel ending. Learn about 'itor' word endings in Unit 25 and practise spelling them in this word list. Witches, Ghosts, and Monsters October means Halloween and Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without a...
3 Word Lists for September This month we looked at words ending in ‘ctor’, education vocabulary, and, in celebration of Roald Dahl Story Day, words invented by the author Roald Dahl. There are lots of different ways you can use a Spellzone word list to help you practise your spelling – learn more about them here. How to Adapt Any Spellzone Word List for Your Lesson Plan Spellzone has over 1.5 million word lists which can be used in a variety of spelling activities. Did you know teachers can adapt any word list to suit their specific needs and save time when creating resources? Learn how here....
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 word lists to try in September: Words ending in ctor This month’s spelling pattern is 'ctor' endings After the letters 'ct', many words use 'or' to spell the weak vowel ending. Learn about ctor words in Unit 25 and practise spelling them in this word list. Education - Places September means back to school and to celebrate we’ve chosen education as this month’s Word for Wednesday theme. Over the next few week...
3 Word Lists for August This month we looked at Words ending in ‘er’, Eponymous Words, and, in celebration of National Honey Bee Day, Insects. There are lots of different ways you can use a Spellzone word list to help you practise your spelling – learn more about them here. Commonly Confused Words: Shore vs. Sure For this month’s Commonly Confused Words blog post, we looked at the words shore and sure. Do you know which word refers to certainty? What about the seaside? Click here for tips and tricks to help you tell them apart. 10 Words for … SAD In our ...
What does each word mean? The shore is the land that runs along the edge of a body of water. Here is shore used in some example sentences: We walked along the shore until we reached the pier. The seals played on the shore. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word shore. If you are sure about something, it means you are confident or certain about it. Here is sure used in some example sentences: .I’m sure it is going to rain. Are you sure you can help me? Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word sur...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 Word Lists for August: Words ending in er In this month’s spelling pattern word list, you can practise words ending in /er/. The letters ‘er’ are the most common way to spell the /er/ sound at the end of the word. Learn about /er/ word endings in Unit 25 and practise spelling them in this word list. Eponymous Words Did you know the month of August was named after a Roman emperor? An eponymous word is a word that is name...
"Covid: Home-education numbers rise by 75%" New BBC research shows the number of children registering for home education has risen by 75% in the first part of the school year. In north-west England this is a 92% increase on the previous two-year average. While some parents made this decision for health reasons, others felt that pandemic simply gave them the final push they needed. Read the BBC article here. Do you home-school your children? Sign up for a free Spellzone home trial here. 3 Word Lists for July For this month’s word lists, we looked at The Dirty 30 (part 1 and part 2), Prefixes: p...
What does each word mean? The word board is used to describe a committee with supervisory powers or a long thin piece of wood (or other hard material) used for various purposes. The word is also sometimes used to describe a vertical surface which is used to display information on. If you board something, it means you get on it. If you board somewhere, it means you stay there. Here is board used in some example sentences: The board decided to terminate the project. The floor was made from interlocking boards. The cheese was served on a board. Can you see the board from the back of the classroom? We will board the ferry at midday.&...
The Dirty 30 (part 1 and part 2) Many people struggle with spelling these 30 words, and because they are so often spelt wrong, it is likely that examiners will be watching out for them while marking papers. Make sure you don’t get caught out – you might find these mnemonics helpful too. Prefixes: per or pre? In this month’s spelling pattern word list, you can practise per and pre prefixes. A prefix is a group of letters put on the front of a word to change its meaning – per means ‘by or through’ and pre means ‘before’. Learn more about them in Unit 23. Flowers This month’s ...
Work your way from a Spelling Newbie to a Spelling Grandmaster by earning achievement points! New Student Titles are now live on Spellzone. Click here to learn how many points you need for each level. If you are a teacher, you can find out a student’s current level by clicking on the star on their profile picture. We have also added Student Titles to the results overview spreadsheet. You can download this at the bottom of your student roll and class pages. We have recently added a bank of Tier 2 words to our Curriculum Word Lists page. Tier 2 words are less common than high frequency words (Tier 1) and are often integral to the compre...
In our 10 Words blog feature we help you expand your vocabulary by choosing a word and offering 10 other words that that you can use instead. Here is a list of all our 10 Words articles: 10 Words for… ANGRY 10 Words for ... BIG 10 Words for … COLD 10 Words for … FAST 10 Words for … FUNNY 10 Words for … GOOD 10 Words for... HAPPY 10 Words for … HARDWORKING 10 Words for… HELLO 10 Words for … HOT 10 Words for... LOVE 10 Words for … NICE 10 Words for … SAD 10 Words for ... SAID 10 Words for...SCARY 10 Words for … SMALL 10 Words for … SU...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 Word Lists for June: Tier 2 Words (abandon - adults) We have recently added a bank of Tier 2 words to our Curriculum Word Lists page. Tier 2 words are less common than high frequency words (Tier 1) and are often integral to the comprehension of exam questions or core subject knowledge. Find these lists here. The long /oo/ sound For our spelling pattern word list this month, we’ve chosen to look at the long oo sound. You can hear the long oo sound i...
3 Word Lists for May For this month’s word lists, we looked at synonyms of funny, exceptions to the ‘i before e except after c’ spelling rule, and colours. There are lots of different ways you can use a Spellzone word list to help you practise your spelling – learn more about them here. 10 Words for…Fast In our 10 Words blog post. we shared alternatives for the word for fast. From breakneck, to hasty, to swift – we’ve got the word for you! American English vs. British English: The School Edition Semester or Term? Student or pupil? Math or Maths? Some ...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 word lists to try in May: 10 Words for Funny Are you trying to find the perfect word? Perhaps the word you’re looking for is… …Amusing? …Hilarious? …Witty? In our 10 Words blog posts, we share 10 alternatives to a common word to help you expand your vocabulary. Did you know each blog post also includes a word list so that you can practise using the words in context? Click here to learn 10 alterna...
New Learn the Words Activities Prompt We have now added an on-page prompt to encourage students to use the Learn the Words activities while working on their Course Pathways. Teachers can monitor whether these activities are being used on each student’s Course Test results overview page. New Unit Summary Section Students are now provided with a summary of things they have learnt while completing a course unit. They can now also give feedback on how confident they feel at the end of each unit. Teachers can view each student’s confidence ratings on their Course Test results overview page. 3 Word Lists for April This month we looked ...
Maybe is an adverb meaning ‘perhaps’ or ‘possibly’. Here is maybe used in some example sentences: Maybe it’ll rain tomorrow. Maybe we’ll go on holiday next year. Maybe I’ll win the next game. Together, the words may and be are used to express how possible it is for something to exist or happen. Here is may be used in some example sentences: We may be late for the party. That may be true. We may be waiting for a long time. How do I know whether to use ‘maybe’ or ‘may be’? Try using the word perhaps in your sentence instead. Le...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 word lists to try in April: Easter Vocabulary April this year means Easter holidays! If you need a break from all the chocolate, why not spend some time testing yourself on these Easter vocabulary words? You can even practise them in our Easter Egg Hunt spelling game. Learn some eggy idioms for Easter here and about the words ‘chicken’ and ‘egg’ here. Words with Doubled Letters Our second word list this month is based around a spe...
We hope you’ve had a spelltastic March! Here’s everything we shared this month: Have you tried our new spelling games? Help decode an enemy message in Codebreaker. Enter the temple and test your spelling skill in Mayan Temple. March’s Word for Wednesday theme was clothing. Learn more about where shirts, trousers, dresses, coats, and shoes got their names from. Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Each month, we share 3 word lists for you to use when practising your spelling. Our March lists we...
What does each word mean? A cent is a fractional monetary unit used in several countries, worth one-hundredth of the value of the basic unit. For example, a euro is made up of a hundred cents. The plural of cent can be cent or cents. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is cent used in some example sentences: The toy cost two euros and ninety nine cents or €2.99. A euro is made up of a hundred cents. A dollar is made up of a hundred cent. A scent is a distinctive but pleasant smell. The word is also sometimes used to mean perfume. Click here for the full Spellzone dic...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Here are 3 word lists to try in March: Clothes Those of you who visited our blog yesterday, will know that this month’s Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. Each Wednesday in March, we’ll be sharing clothing-related words and having at looking into their origins. Why not practise spelling words for different items of clothing too? We also have word lists for accessories, footwear, and clothing-related verbs. 10 Words from Ireland Every year, on March 17th, Irish p...
New Class League Tables! Is your class in the top hundred on Spellzone? Find our new Class League Table, as well as the School League Table and the Student League Table on your Admin Homepage if you’re a teacher or on the My Spellzone page if you’re a student. Read more about league tables here. Closed Leagues Now Available Would you like to organise a closed league for the schools in your LEA or Academy Trust? Contact us and we will set one up for you. Once set up, your new league table will appear on your Admin Homepage if you’re a teacher or on the My Spellzone page if you’re a student. Have you added an Avatar to your...
It’s not long until Valentine’s Day and this month we’ve got a 10 Words blog post with a twist for you. How many of these pet names for loved ones do you know? babe/baby – a pet name for a loved one, implies intimacy ‘I love you, babe,’ he said. I love you, baby,’ he said. love – an affectionate way of addressing someone, from the verb ‘to love’ ‘Are you okay, love?’ she asked. beautiful – a pet name for a loved one, from the adjective ‘beautiful’ ‘Good morning, beautiful,’ she whispered to me. cutie – a pet na...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Each month in 2021, we will highlight 3 word lists for you to use when practising your spelling. We’ve chosen to theme February’s word lists around festivities that are taking place this month. Do you celebrate any of these holidays? Zodiac Animal Signs February 12th 2021 is Lunar New Year and the start of a period of celebrations that end with the Lantern Festival on February 26th. The Zodiac is a 12-year cycle of animal signs that is based on the lunar cal...
How has your first month of 2021 been? We hope you've had a chance to explore our website. Perhaps you've worked on your course pathway? Or practised your spelling using a word list? Here’s everything we shared in January: For our first Commonly Confused Words blog post of the year, we looked at the words new and knew. Do you know when to use each word? Learn tips and tricks to help you tell them apart here. This year, we’re starting a new monthly blog feature called 3 Word Lists. Our 3 word lists for January were Words from Scotland, Silent K Words, and Wh- Question Words. Read more about this month’s lists here. We returne...
dinky – sweetly small and neat in British English, small and insignificant in American English We ate at that dinky café on the corner. He lives in a dinky apartment on the other side of town. diminutive – extremely or unusually small She saw a diminutive figure in the distance. little – small in size (used both affectionately and condescendingly) They live in an adorable little cottage in the country. Their cottage is so little. mini, miniature – a small version of something I’m wearing a mini skirt tonight. Do you like my miniature doll’s house? miniscule &n...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? Every word list can be used in a variety of online and offline activities – learn more about them here. Each month in 2021, we will highlight 3 word lists for you to use when practising your spelling. Here are January’s: Words from Scotland As it is Burns Night later this month, we’ve chosen to highlight a list of words that originate in Scotland for our first word list this month. Learn more about these words here and practise spelling them here. Burns Night is an event celebrating the life and work of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. It has been marked on the poet&r...
What does each word mean? If something is new it has only just been acquired, made, or discovered. The word also describes things that have only just come into being. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is new used in some example sentences: I got a new book for Christmas. The painter stepped back and took in his new creation. I’ve learned a new way to practise my spelling. Happy New Year! Knew is the past tense of know. If you know something, it means you are aware of or familiar with it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word know.&...
2020 is almost over and it has been like no other. With school closures across the world, we have all had to adapt to new ways of teaching and learning. So from us, here’s a big well done to every teacher, student, parent, and carer. You have been brilliant. Here is a round-up of our year: Students from around the world sent in their rainbow artwork. View their amazing creations here. We shared advice on how to use Spellzone if your school was closed, how to use Spellzone to keep up with your learning while at home, and how to use Spellzone to help you stay connected. We enhanced our Spelling Ability Test to allow students to get started o...
One more day until December! Here’s a round-up of the blog posts we shared in November: Is it beginning to get cold in your part of the world? Here in England, the days are getting shorter and many of us have found ourselves reaching for our hats, scarves, and gloves. In our first blog post in November, we shared 10 alternatives for the world cold. From bitter, to chilly, to nippy; you’ll never struggle to describe the cold weather again. The fact that it gets dark early lends itself well to many of our celebrations for this time of year, many of which include sparkling lights. Our Halloween, Bonfire Night, and Diwali celebrations may have lo...
Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers in the USA! Today, we are sharing a 10 Words blog post with a twist. Here are ten ways to express gratitude in English: Thanks – a shortening of ‘thank you’ Thanks for you help. Cheers – an informal way of expressing gratitude or well wishes in British English ‘Cheers mate,’ she said when her friend lent her a book. Ta – an informal way of saying ‘thank you’ in British English ‘Ta,’ said the shopkeeper when the woman handed over her payment. Thank you very much – a more formal and more effusive way of expre...
What does each word mean? The palate is the upper surface of the mouth that separates the oral and nasal cavities. The word is also used to describe the ability to distinguish between different flavours. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is palate used in some example sentences: The palate is sometimes called the roof of the mouth. She loved wine and had a sophisticated palate. A palette is a group of colours used for a particular project or by a particular artist or school of art. The word also describes a board on which artists mix paints. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary defi...
all sweetness and light – harmonious, benevolent in light of something – with something taken into consideration in the cold light of day – after one has had the time to properly consider a situation in the limelight/spotlight – in the centre of attention leading light – an influential person light at the end of the tunnel – a signal that a long period of hardship is coming to an end the light of one’s life – someone who is deeply loved to go out like a light – to fall asleep quickly or suddenly to bring something to light – to make something known, to expose something to come to li...
arctic – extremely cold, like in arctic regions The weather channel says we can expect arctic conditions next week. biting – causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation; used especially of cold The wind was biting. bitter – causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation; used especially of cold We walked through a bitter storm. chilly – lacking warmth of feeling I look forward to the chilly Autumn weather because I love wearing cosy jumpers. cool – neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat The cool breeze was extremely welcome on the hot day. crisp – pleasantly ...
Happy Halloween to all our subscribers! This month we’ve been looking at all things spooky and scary in our Word for Wednesday blog posts. Have you ever seen a ghost? How about a were-hyena? Where does the word vampire come from? Who was Victor Frankenstein? We also stayed on theme in our 10 Words blog post where we shared alternatives for the word scary. Whether your Halloween plans are alarming, chilling, or eerie, we’ve got the right word for you. Maybe it’s because we’ve got handwashing on the brain, but this month we decided to base our Idioms blog post on hands. From lending a hand to having your hands tied, there are plenty of idioms to learn in ...
Not long until Halloween! Here are 10 different ways to say something is scary: bloodcurdling – extremely alarming The banshee gave a bloodcurdling shriek. chilling – terror provoking There was a chilling scream and then silence returned to the graveyard. creepy – causing the sensation that there are things crawling on your skin We heard creepy music coming from the basement, but when we checked there was no one there. eerie – suggestive of the supernatural, strange and frightening An eerie silence descended over the house. frightening – causing t...
a safe pair of hands – a capable, responsible, and reliable person all hands to the pump/all hands on deck – all members of a group or team must be involved at hand – close by, accessible at/by the hands of – done or caused by cap/hat in hand – humbly (used to describe someone who is asking for a favour) first-hand – from an original source hand in glove with – closely associated with, in collusion with hand over fist – very quickly hand-me-down – a piece of clothing or other item which has been passed from one person to another hands down – clearly, decisively hands-off – without direct involvemen...
October is here—the leaves are beginning to change colour, the days are getting shorter, and Halloween is just around the corner. This time of year also means the return of our Autumn Anagrams and Spooky Spelling games! Collect autumn leaves or catch creepy spiders to spell the words. You can even use our Autumn and Halloween spelling lists. Spelling games are great for warming up at the start of a lesson, or taking a break with when you’re beginning to lose focus. Here are some other games for helping you practise your spellings without making it seem like a chore: ⦁ Help a shark find his catch of the day in Fishy Business. Click here to pract...
We’ve been working hard on some updates which we hope will improve Spellzone for you. Here is a round-up of the changes we’ve made and everything we shared in September: We’ve enhanced our Spelling Ability Test so your student’s can get started on their Course Pathways as soon as possible. Click here to learn more about how the test works. Google login is now available! Too many usernames and passwords? Use your students’ Google Classroom email addresses when adding them to Spellzone or updating their current logins and they will be able to log in using their Google credentials straight away. Choose the units you’d like ...
drained – very tired, emptied of energy We were drained after our first week back at school. drowsy – half asleep My medication makes me drowsy. exhausted – extremely tired, depleted of energy We were exhausted after our day at the beach. fatigued – extremely tired, drained of energy I was fatigued after our long drive. jet-lagged – extremely tired due to flying from one time zone to another It took me a week to stop feeling jet-lagged after our holiday to America. knackered – very tired I don’t know about you, but I’m knackered after that ...
We kicked off August by returning to our 10 Words feature where we looked at alternatives for the word hot. Whether you love or hate summer weather, this blog post will help you describe it. In this month’s Commonly Confused Words post we looked at the words flower and flour. Do you know when to use which word? In our Idioms article we looked at figurative expressions about flowers. We also shared a list of all our Idioms articles from over the years. We continued with the flower theme in July’s Word for Wednesday posts. We looked at a flower that opens at dawn and closes at dusk, flowers named for their resembl...
If you’re one of our regular readers you’ll be familiar with articles about idioms, but every now and then we like to share a recap for our new subscribers. Here are Spellzone we believe that one of the reasons English is such a difficult language to learn is because it’s full of idioms. Every few weeks we take a list of popular idioms and translate them for our second-language English speakers. An idiom is an expression which has a figurative meaning rather than a literal one. For example, when someone says ‘needle in a haystack’ they probably aren’t actually talking about a needle and a haystack, but about something that is as difficult to fi...
What does each word mean? Flour is a fine powdery foodstuff obtained by grinding and sifting the meal of a cereal grain. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is flour used in some example sentences: We need to buy flour if we want to make pancakes. He can only eat cakes made with gluten-free flour. A flower is a plant that is cultivated for its blooms or blossoms. It is the reproductive part of the plant, typically where seeds are found. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is flower used in some example sentences: ...
“Oops-a-daisy!” – an expression of encouragement said to a child who has fallen/ hurt him or herself, an expression of mild annoyance used when something has gone wrong a late bloomer – someone who is slower than their peers to develop in a particular field a shrinking violet – a (comically) shy person a thorn in your side – a source of annoyance or discomfort as fresh as a daisy – healthy, energetic, youthful flowery – a word used to describe speech, writing, or language that uses elaborate (but not necessarily effective) literary words or devices ...
Whether you love or hate this August heat, here are 10 words to help you describe it. blistering – (figuratively) hot enough to raise blisters I can’t work in this blistering heat. boiling (figuratively) hot enough to change something from a liquid to a gas I was boiling so I took off my cardigan. humid – containing or characterised by a great deal of water vapour It was a humid day and she was dripping with sweat. piping – extremely hot Despite the piping hot weather, he stayed indoors. roasting – (figuratively) hot enough to cook You must be roasting with that c...
The English language is constantly evolving in creative ways and this has always been the case. This month we started a new blog feature on slang words and their plain English meanings. Our first post in this new series looks at Cockney rhyming slang. We returned to our Commonly Confused Words series with a very similar-sounding pair of words—allusion and illusion. Do you know when to use which word? Visit the blog for memory devices to help you tell them apart. For our Idioms article we looked at figurative expressions about fruit. We continued with the fruit theme in July’s Word for Wednesday posts. Did you know the word ...
What does each word mean? An allusion is a passing and indirect reference to something. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is allusion used in some example sentences: The film was full of allusions to Shakespeare’s plays. The teacher made allusions to other works of poetry in his lesson. An illusion is an erroneous mental representation—when someone misinterprets something that they’ve seen or believes they have seen something that is not there. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is illusion used in some example sente...
a bad apple spoils the barrel – a bad/corrupt person will ruin the group’s endeavour a bite at the cherry – an attempt at an opportunity a bowl of cherries – a pleasant situation apple of (someone’s) eye – the person someone most loves/cherishes/admires bad/rotten apple – a bad influence/someone who brings trouble gone pear-shaped – gone unexpectedly wrong like a ripe plum – with little or no effort like apples and oranges/like apples to oranges – very different/incompatible sour grapes – someone who is negative about something because they can’t have it for themself the apple/fruit ...
This month one of our users wrote in and asked us to write an article about the difference between the words prophecy and prophesy. Do you know when to use each word? You can also learn about the difference between more ‘c’ vs. ‘s’ spellings here. For this month's 10 Words feature, we chose a word that we’ve occasionally heard teachers describe as their nemesis: nice. Click here to learn ten alternatives and here to practise spelling them. There are an estimated 25,000 idioms in the English language and many of them are about animals. In the past we’ve shared idioms about cats, do...
Last week we looked at 25 idioms about farming, here are 25 more: to chicken out – to opt out of doing something because of being frightened to egg someone on – to urge someone to do something foolish/ to encourage someone to do something they don’t want to do to farm out – to delegate work to people outside of your company to flog/beat a dead horse – to spend a lot of energy on something that is a lost cause to get someone’s goat – to annoy someone to go the whole hog – to fully commit to an act to have a cow – to become angry or excited to have egg on your face – to look foolish to h...
“Hold your horses!” – an expression requesting someone to wait a moment/hold on/slow down “Holy cow!” – an exclamation of surprise or shock a good/bad/rotten egg – a good/bad/rotten person a hard row to hoe – something difficult as happy as a pig in mud – very happy as meek as a lamb – very meek as stubborn as a mule – very stubborn as sure as eggs is eggs – without a doubt chickens come home to roost – bad things from your past may come back to cause trouble cock and bull story – a far-fetched and unlikely story dark horse – a less well-known c...
a barrel/bundle of laughs – something that's fun or amusing a bundle of joy – a baby as happy as a clam – very happy as happy as Larry – very happy as pleased as punch – delighted, proud buzzing – very excited fool’s paradise – happiness predicated on ignoring potential problems or troubles happy accident – a mistake or unplanned occurrence which results in something good happy camper – someone who is comfortable and content happy-go-lucky – cheerfully content, unconcerned about the future in seventh heaven – extremely happy in stitches – laughing un...
1. a clean bill of health – a declaration that someone is healthy again 2. a clean break – a complete separation 3. a clean getaway – an undetected escape 4. a clean slate/sheet – free of existing commitments and restrictions 5. a new broom sweeps clean – people who are new to a responsibility will make vast changes 6. as clean as a whistle – very clean 7. clean cut – appearing neat and tidy 8. elbow grease –physical effort...
Over the course of March we’ve decided to try something new for our Word for Wednesday feature and choose each week’s word to fit around a specific theme. Our chosen theme is punctuation, starting with the word apostrophe. As today is National Grammar Day in the United States of America, it is important to point out that grammar and punctuation are not the same thing. Grammar refers to the whole system and structure of a language and you can find a Word for Wednesday post about the word’s origin here. Punctuation on the other hand refers to the written marks used to separate sentences in order to clarify meaning. Punctuation marks have a variety of...
To celebrate World Hello Day, we chose hello for this month’s 10 Words blog post. What is World Hello Day? World Hello Day was started in response to the 1983 conflict between Egypt and Israel with the intention of promoting and encouraging communication as a vital tool for keeping peace. Over the years, World Hello Day has been observed in 180 different countries. How can I take part in World Hello Day? The goal of World Hello Day is for each participant to greet ten people over the course of the day. This can be in person, over the phone, or via written communication. Some people like to get in touch with world leaders using social media. To help...
1. down to earth – unpretentious, practical, realistic 2. earth to someone – used to get someone’s attention 3. earth-shattering – important, shocking, traumatic 4. from the ground up – completely, from top to bottom 5. heaven on earth – a pleasant/enjoyable place or situation, somewhere that feels like paradise 6. hell on earth – an extremely unpleasant place or situation 7. how/what/when/where/who/why on earth? – used for emphasis when asking a question 8. like noth...
November 13th marks World Kindness Day, which was introduced by the World Kindness Movement in 1998. The World Kindness Movement is a ‘legally registered not-for-profit organization with no political, commercial or religious affiliations’. Members of the World Kindness Movement span 27 different countries and their mission is to ‘inspire individuals towards greater kindness by connecting nations to create a kinder world’. World Kindness Day aims to celebrate and promote kindness in the many different forms it comes in. Click here for ideas for how you can celebrate World Kindness Day in your communities. The Spellzone dictionary defines kin...
Friday is National Cappuccino Day. Every year, on November 8th, people join to celebrate the creamy drink they love so much. After all, what’s better on a cold November morning that a hot cup of coffee to help you warm up? A cappuccino is equal parts of espresso and hot milk. Sometimes the drink might be topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate, or whipped cream. Although versions of coffee and milk have been enjoyed since the 1700s, the cappuccino as we know it became widespread after the second world war as espresso machines became more common. The drink – first called 'Kapuziner' – comes from Viennese coffee houses where it was sold alongsid...
Those of you who’ve been reading our blog for a long time will know that, here at Spellzone, we're huge Halloween fans. From exploring the gruesome origins of common English phrases to sharing frightful Words for Wednesday – if it’s scary, we’re there. This year to celebrate, we’ve launched an extra special spelling game! It’s only available until October 31st, so make sure you have a go while you can. In Spooky Spelling, you have to catch creepy spiders in order to spell words. You can even choose a Halloween vocabulary list to practise with! Spelling games are great way to warm up at the start of a lesson, or to take a break with...
1. a breath of fresh air – a refreshing change 2. airhead – a foolish person 3. as light as air – very light 4. castles in the air – daydreams, unattainable aspirations 5. dead air – a period when no material is transmitted on television or radio due to a signal interruption 6. hot air – empty talk intended to impress 7. in the air – collectively felt my multiple people 8. on/off the air – on/off radio or television 9. out in the open air –...
Here at Spellzone, we’re partial to a good quiz. Be it spelling or trivia, in the classroom or at the pub, we can certainly get behind an activity that helps people develop their knowledge. What's interesting about this word is that its origin story is unclear. One rumour is that the word came into use after a Dublin theatre owner bet he could add a new word to the English language in just a few days. Supposedly he had the word written on city walls across Dublin and the next day the mysterious word was the talk of the town. Soon after the word quiz was incorporated into English as a synonym for ‘test’ which is what the people of the city though the word was meant to...
Happy 4th of July to our American subscribers! Earlier in the week we shared a BBC article that explored whether English spelling should be made simpler. If you find yourself agreeing that English is more complicated than it needs to be, you’re not alone. Longtime readers of our blog might remember our article on the creation of Webster’s dictionary. In An Independent American Language, we wrote: 'With his dictionary and other spelling books, Noah Webster wanted to emphasise that now America was no longer under the rule of Great Britain, its language should also be independent. Many of the changes involved shortening words and changing odd-looking spellings to ...
Not to be confused with a semi colon, a colon has three main uses: Use a colon between two main clauses when the second clause explains or clarifies the first. A clause is a group of words containing a verb that can either stand alone as a complete sentence or make up part of a more complex sentence. You can learn more about clauses here. Here are some examples of colons used in this way: She soon discovered the secret to spelling success: practise as often as possible. The journey won’t be easy: the buses are infrequent and there are often railway engineering works on the weekends. She had one motto in life: never give up. Use a colon ...
Last week marked summer solstice – the longest day of the year. The word 'solstice' has been used in English since the mid-13th century. It comes from the Latin ‘sol’ meaning ‘sun’ and ‘sistere’ meaning ‘stand still’. To celebrate the end of spring and the beginning of summer, here are twenty idioms about the warm weather seasons: a place in the sun – a position of advantage a touch of the sun – slight sunstroke come rain or shine – whatever the weather/situation everything under the sun – everything on earth happy is the bride the sun shines on – old proverb saying that if the sun sh...
What does each word mean? The word elicit means ‘to call forth’ or ‘to draw out’. It is used to describe the calling forth of emotions, opinions, responses etc. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is elicit used in some example sentences: The museum elicited huge media interest. She tried to elicit a smile from her crying friend. The adjective illicit is used to describe activity which is done in spite of accepted morality, law, or convention. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is illicit used in some example sentences: The area was known for the presence of ...
English is one of the most-used languages in the business world, and if you don’t know what an idiom means you can quickly lose track of the conversation and lose out on opportunities. Here are some popular idioms and what they mean to help get your business ahead of the rest! Click here for part 1 of our list of business idioms. to explain something in a nutshell – to explain something in a few words to get (back) into the swing of things – to get used to/to return to a routine or activity to get down to business – to stop stalling and begin matters more seriously to get the pink slip – to get fired to get/have a foot the door – to gain/h...
English is one of the most-used languages in the business world, and if you don’t know what an idiom means you can quickly lose track of the conversation and lose out on opportunities. Here are some popular idioms and what they mean to help get your business ahead of the rest! Find out how to use Spellzone to help improve English in your workplace here and here. 24/7 / round-the-clock – 24 hours a day a backroom deal – a decision that is made in secret (sometimes because it is against regulations/public interest) a ballpark figure – an estimate a no brainer – a decision that should be obvious/easy to make a no-win (lose-lose) situation – a...
With just over a week to go until Christmas, we couldn’t resist choosing a Christmassy word for this week’s blog post. The word ‘reindeer’ has been used in English since around 1400, and probably comes from a Scandinavian source like the Old Norse ‘hreindyri’. ‘Dyr’ was Old Norse for ‘animal’ or ‘beast’, and the Old English cognate was ‘deor’. ‘Hreinn’ (and the Old English ‘hran’) both likely came from the PIE ‘krei’ meaning ‘horn, head’. ‘Hreindyri’, then, translates to something like ‘horn-headed animal’. Although reindeer have be...
Both Karaoke and Karate are Japanese loanwords. A loanword is the term given to a word which is directly borrowed from another language and used in the recipient language without being translated first. One of the reasons why English is such a difficult language to learn (and why its spellings are so inconsistent!) is because the language is full of loanwords. Some loanwords are obvious, such as words used to describe food traditionally from other countries (such as ‘tsatsiki’ or ‘chow mein’), whereas others were borrowed so long ago that you might be surprised to discover they are loanwords at all (such as: ‘pyjamas’ or ‘breeze’). Accord...
Here at Spellzone we’ve had a rather busy summer. As well as producing a new Starter Course which takes students through the early stages of phonic spelling, we have put together a collection of new word lists targeted at Key Stage 3 pupils. Within the collection there is a general secondary spelling list, a list of common homophones, and a variety of subject-specific spelling lists. None of the lists are intended for blanket teaching, but instead as tools to help identify weak spots and from which to develop personalised word lists. View our lists here. Click here for our guide on how to make the most out of the Spellzone word list feature. General Secondary Spelling List ...
One of the reasons English is so difficult to learn is because it is a language full of idioms. An idiom is a combination of words that has a figurative meaning separate from the actual definitions of the words used. When someone talks about a ‘storm in a teacup’, for example, they probably aren’t referring to actual storms in actual teacups! It can be quite hard, as a second-language English speaker, to keep up with all these expressions, and so this year we’ve been compiling lists of idioms alongside their meanings. Last week we looked at the first half of 50 Idioms about the Human Body – now it’s time for part two! to have egg on your face &nda...
At Spellzone, we often talk about how one of the reasons English is such a difficult language to learn is because it has roots all over the world. Once you take this into consideration, however, you can begin to look out for word patterns. Many English words come from Latin origins. Word roots are useful for both figuring out how to spell a word, and figuring out what it might mean. For example if you know that the Latin prefix ‘ab’ means ‘away from’ in English, you can work out that ‘abnormal’ might describe something that is ‘away from what is normal’. Or if you know that the Latin ‘cent’ refers to a ‘hundred’...
Last year, in one of our Word for Wednesday posts, Hugh took a look at some apostrophe catastrophes. Over the next two posts we’re going to take a look at how to use these sneaky little punctuation marks correctly. What is a contraction? A contraction is a shortened version of a word created by the omission of a sound. In writing, the omission of a sound (which is usually a vowel) is marked with an apostrophe. It is important to note that while contractions are acceptable in conversation and informal writing, it is better to avoid them in formal writing. What are some commonly used contractions? Here is a list of contractions commonly used in English. Notice how the mi...
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...
What is a loanword? A loanword is the term given to a word which is directly borrowed from another language and used in the recipient language without being translated first. One of the reasons why English is such a difficult language to learn (and why its spellings are so inconsistent!) is because the language is full of loanwords. Some loanwords are obvious, such as words used to describe food traditionally from other countries (such as ‘tsatsiki’ or ‘chow mein’), whereas others were borrowed so long ago that you might be surprised to discover they are loanwords at all (such as: ‘pyjamas’ or ‘breeze’). Last week we shared a list of Japa...
What does each word mean? The word allow refers to the act of making it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen. The past tense and past participle for allow is allowed. You can read the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word here. Here is allowed used in some example sentences: The teacher allowed the class to spend five extra minutes in the playground. By leaving earlier than he needed to, he allowed himself time to stop at the shop. His argument was weak, but she allowed it because she was bored of the debate. Click here for the Spellzone Word Lists which include the word allowed. The Spellzone dictionary defines aloud...
Spellzone is the mustard! This week’s inquiry into the expansive English vocabulary features a culinary condiment that has come to be a divider of people’s tastes. This word has a handful of applications in both slang and a formal situation so is worth getting to know. Mustard. ‘Must’ comes from the Latin ‘vinummustum’ (young wine) and refers to any freshly pressed juice where the entire fruit: skin, seeds, flesh etc. is used. Picture the very basic but entirely effective method of pressing wine: the human foot - you’ve probably seen it in books or even had a go at it yourself! This process is used to make ‘must’ from the grapes ...
This week’s word for Wednesday comes from the mid 19th century and, like many words in the English language has evolved from the merging of two Latin words. Ubiquitous. Let’s take a look at the Latin words that make up this compound: The Latin ‘ubi’ means ‘where’ and ‘ubique’ translates to ‘everywhere’. Combining these two stems seems to pose a question before answering it: ‘Where?’ ‘Everywhere’. Ubiquitous has several synonyms that you might be more familiar with such as omnipresent or universal. In the last 50 years or so, a usage of this word has risen significantly, so it is certainly worth understanding its meaning and origins and adding to your own vocabulary. Having multiple w...
Can you believe December starts tomorrow? We're going to be sharing Advent Anagrams next month, so if you enjoy a good puzzle, make sure you stay tuned! In the meantime, here's a round-up of this month's posts! I've spent November exploring the influences of Latin on the English language. I finally know what 'ad hoc' means, and have developed a (perhaps unhealthy) habit of telling every new person I meet where 'Thursday' got its name from. You can find the links to my posts below. Latin expressions in English - Part One Latin expressions in English - Part Two Where the months get their names from Where the days of the week get their names fr...
Like with the months, the names of the days in English hark back to the Romans. They are named after the seven ‘planets’ of classical astronomy: the sun, the moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Later, the Germanic peoples adjusted the names of the days so that they reflected their own mythology rather than that of the Romans. As English is part of the West Germanic family of languages, the English words for the days (mostly) derive from these Germanic names. Monday – The word ‘Monday’ comes from the Old English ‘Monandaeg’, which translates to ‘day of the moon’, and comes from Máni, the North Germanic Moon-god. &...
Today we’re back with more Latin phrases. You may think of Latin as a dead language, but in actuality we still use many Latin phrases as part of modern English. If you would like to read Part 1 of this series (including terms like ‘et cetera’ and ‘in camera’), you can click here. Ad hoc is one of those terms that is thrown around in the workplace all the time. For years, I was too scared to ask anyone what it meant. When I finally did, the person who used it said: ‘You know, I actually have no idea…’ . The phrase translates to ‘for this’, and describes something that is created or done for a specific and immediate purpos...
Bless you! In English, we say ‘Bless You!’ after someone sneezes. It seems like a nice thought to bless someone with good health when they are coming down with something, doesn’t it? Indeed, the response to sneezing in other languages often translates to ‘Health’, such as ‘Gesundheit!’ in German, or ‘Salute!’ in Italian. One suggested origin of the phrase ‘Bless You!’, though, comes from an old belief that the soul could be ejected from someone’s body when they sneezed, leaving the body unprotected from the devil and other evil spirits. Another theory suggests that sneezing may have been thought of as the body’...
You may think of Latin as a dead language, and though it is true that it is no longer spoken outside of classrooms, Latin is the root of many English words. Furthermore, many Latin phrases and expressions have survived and are often used interspersed with English. Let’s take a look at a few. Et cetera, often abbreviated to ‘etc.’, is perhaps one of the most commonly used Latin phrases in day-to-day conversations. The expression directly translates to ‘and the rest’ and we usually use it at the end of a list as a way of saying ‘and all the other things’ or ‘and so on’. Example sentence: The Spellzone course uses a range of spell...
Now that the summer holidays are well and truly over, we thought it might be worth sharing a few ideas for how you can use Spellzone both in the classroom and for setting homework. To find some general tips for teaching spelling click here and for a typical lesson plan click here. If your school doesn’t already have a school-wide spelling policy, it is really worth implementing one. Consistency is vital for learning spelling, so it is important that students are encouraged to spell correctly in all fields and subjects – rather than just in English lessons. With spelling feedback from all subjects, students will be able to create a more detailed record of their spelling erro...
In this week’s blog, I’ve decided to celebrate a game that, embarrassingly, is new to me this summer. I mean, I’ve been around almost two decades and have still only played it twice – winning once and losing once. Admittedly, my victory was against an eleven-year-old child, who, to be honest, probably let me win. The game is a classic case of ‘simple to learn, difficult to master’. In fact, the world tournament dishes out prizes of between one and two million dollars annually. Of course I’m referring to one of the world’s most popular and intricate games: Chess. Chess has been around since the 6th century but the modern rules first evolve...
One of the reasons English is so difficult to learn is because it is a language full of idioms. An idiom is a combination of words that has a figurative meaning separate from the actual definitions of the words used. There are an estimated 25,000 idioms in the English language. Here in Britain, the influence of the American film and television industry has led to many so-called ‘Americanisms’ being adopted into day-to-day language. It is not uncommon for a Brit to metaphorically talk about ‘touching base’ or ‘striking out’ without ever actually having seen a ball game. Today, to end our month dedicated to American language, we’re going to take a l...
In Word for Wednesday blog this week, we’ll be clearing up a pair of words, which, in my experience, many people struggle with. The words in question are ‘imply’ and ‘infer’. The difference is subtle but marked – leading to their easy confusion and misuse. To imply, is a communicative device whereby one suggests or indicates something without explicitly stating it – in words or speech. Here’s an example: ‘John, you need to lay off the hamburgers’ Here, the speaker implies that John should lose some weight. However, it is left as an open statement. This allows John or the other people in the conversation to draw their own...
Following the inevitably short-lived spell of wonderful weather we had in the UK this Bank Holiday, it seems only fitting that this week’s blog is weather-related! Just one slight twist, instead of looking into one just word, we’ll be looking into four… The seasons: four cyclic subdivisions of our calendar year that mark shifts in hours of sunlight, the weather and nature. But why the names 'spring', 'summer', 'autumn' and 'winter'? In the 14th century, what we now know as 'spring' was called 'springing-time', presumably a reference to the blossoming of plant life; the spring of the leaf. Through the centuries, the ...
In the limelight this week for various reasons is a word that encompasses almost all human achievements; a word that has come to represent our creativity and our desire to explore and progress. Art. Today we are in a social climate where art completely surrounds us, whether we like it or not. The paintings of masters, the music of the greats, the work of our finest writers and the world’s most incredible buildings can all be accessed with the click of a mouse and, finance permitting, in ‘the flesh’ by travelling abroad. But what is art? Unfortunately, to many, the word art conjures up an image of pretentiousness, luxury and controversy. A quick look in to the me...
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...
English is full of tricky spellings and inconsistencies that make it especially hard to learn compared to some other more phonetic languages. Perhaps these complexities give the English language its character and expressive qualities in literature and but do they alienate people who would otherwise be more inclined to read and write? English spelling is already very firmly and widely established, is it too late to re-think the entire method of spelling? Perhaps rather than changing the way we spell it would be wiser to support the proper learning of spelling? Spellzone posted a blog yesterday about the late Edward Rondthaler who was a strong supporter of a spelling reform called &ls...
The late Edward Rondthaler was a strong supporter of a spelling reform called ‘SoundSpel’. He passionately believed that a new method of spelling would eliminate the struggles of learning to spell English through phonetic spelling. Using SoundSpel every word would be spelt exactly as it is pronounced making it possible to spell any word so long as you can say it. Rondthaler is best known for this wonderful clip, in which he demonstrates some of the inconsistencies of English spelling and how the new method of spelling, ‘SoundSpel’ would resolve them. ...
It’s midweek, that means it’s time for ‘A Word for Wednesday’. This week, we’ve chosen a word that has become commonplace in British culture, yet whose origin is often confused: ‘Gossip’. We are well aware of what the word ‘Gossip’ has come to mean. The general public’s fixation with the lives of celebrities has never been more apparent. We are bombarded daily across the media with often personal reports on the lives of others and these make alarmingly popular topics of conversation. How many times a week are we presented with insights into the private lives of celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Victoria Beckham or even the Royal...
The words effect and affect are perhaps two of the most confused words in the English language. Oxford Dictionary Online reports that the most-searched word each month is ‘affect’. So if you have struggled with these words in the past, you are certainly not alone! Interestingly, the words themselves actually have entirely different meanings and functions… ‘Effect’ usually functions as a noun: ‘You will be banned from the tournament with immediate effect’ in this context effect is a noun, the state of something being in effect. ‘Being banned from the tournament had a terrible effect on your results’ So a good definition for...
‘A mish-mash of colliding egos, conflicting claims and confused memories has led researchers down many false trails while searching for the origins of this American art form, not least where the name came from.’ – Posh and Other Language Myths, Michael Quinion. This unusual word has fascinated scholars and the public alike since its very gradual and shrouded inception sometime in early twentieth century America. Although its history has been rather well documented, its early use and actual origin is still shrouded in mystery. The word Jazz continues to be and always has been a very versatile word encompassing a plethora of different meanings and even spellings. Spelli...
One of the most alarmingly persistent grammatical errors in the English language is the incorrect use of the words there, their and they’re. We’ve all asked that age-old question: ‘Is it there, their or they’re?’ So why is it that this mistake is so commonly made and how can we learn to master these pesky spellings and help resolve this issue for good? There, their and there are a certain type of homophone known as heterographs. This means they sound the same but both their spellings and their meanings are different. Since their meanings are different, when one is used in the incorrect context, the sentence actually fails to make sense. Here is a commo...
In September 2012, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced that UK secondary schools will receive £500 of additional ‘Catch-Up Premium’ funding for each Year 7 pupil (aged 11-12 years old) who did not achieve Level 4 or better at Key Stage 2 in reading and/or maths. The aim of this funding is to pay for additional support for these pupils in literacy and numeracy to help them to catch up and access the secondary curriculum more fully. This support is welcome. According to Department for Education figures (from the 2012 Key Stage 2 provisional data and the autumn 2012 School Census data), 13 per cent of UK Year 7 pupils did not achieve level 4 in reading in 2012...
Spellzone s aim is to help improve the spelling of English worldwide. The use of sound and speech technology is one of the keys to the functionality and effectiveness of our educational resource. Where would we be without this technology and more fundamentally, where would we be without the ability to speak? Sadly many people worldwide have to rely on assistive speech technology for their day-to-day communication needs, something which most of us take for granted. Spellzone have recently been involved in a research project called The Creative Speech Technology Network (CreST). CreST is an interdisciplinary network of contributors to the field of computer speech. It is led by Dr Alistai...
Being born and raised in York, England and looking forward to my holiday visiting friends in Sweden, I started to think about the words that connect our cultures. Many of these words are still used in Yorkshire and are of Old Norse origin. Here are a few examples: Barn (pronounced Bairn) - a young child Beck - a stream Berserk - going mad Brigg - a bridge Cleg - a horse fly Crake - a crow (my parents live in a village called Crayke) Dale - a valley Fell- a hill or mountain Flags - paving stones Flit - to move house ( Are you flitting? ) Foss - waterfalls or rapids - (there is a River Foss in York) Gat - got Gate - Street - Micklegate is a street in York Gawp - look Hey up (s...
When you speak does: pristine rhyme with wine, respite pronounced as if there were no e, combat is cumbat, finance is finn-ance. If so you might sound like a BBC newsreader from 1928 as these were all in the BBC´s guide to pronunciation back then. In the 1970s Frank Spencer on Some Mothers Do Ave Em was ridiculed for pronouncing harass with the emphasis on the first syllable. Apparently now 40 years later this pronunciation is favoured by people under 35 years old. Maybe Frank Spencer started the trend! The younger you are, the more likely you are to make says rhyme with lays rather than fez, ate rhyme with late rather than bet and to add a whole new syllable to mischievous, turn...
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