Helping your child with their spelling homework can be a rewarding experience and, with a little guidance, you can make the process both effective and enjoyable. Begin by checking out our new video guide for parents, which is designed to help you get acquainted with Spellzone and make the most of the resources available. Once you're up to speed, these tips will help you support your child's spelling journey: 1. Review Goals and Homework Understand Teacher’s Goals: Take a moment to discuss the spelling goals set by your child’s teacher. Knowing what’s expected will help you provide the right support. Explore Spellzone Homework: Get familia...
Dyslexia presents unique challenges when it comes to spelling, but with the right strategies and support, dyslexic learners can overcome obstacles and improve their spelling skills. Here are our top spelling tips for dyslexic learners: Use Multi-sensory Techniques: Engage multiple senses in spelling practice to reinforce learning. Try reading aloud or tracing letters with your finger while saying them aloud. Multi-sensory approaches will help encode and retain spelling patterns more effectively. Written by a dyslexia expert, Spellzone follows the principles of multi-sensory teaching: using sound, sight and movement to teach spellings and to fix them in the mind. A variety ...
Limiting myths and misconceptions about spelling can lead to students to believe they will never improve. It’s time to set the record straight! In today's blog post, we'll debunk these myths and show you how to take your spelling to the next level. Myth 1: ‘You're Either Born a Good Speller or You're Not.’ Reality: While some individuals may have a natural inclination towards spelling, it's a skill that can be developed through practice and learning. Rather than from an innate talent, strong spelling skills come from understanding spelling patterns and consistent practice. Spellzone’s learning pathways – bespoke for...
Would you like to launch a spelling bee competition for your school, academy trust, or school district? Spellzone's multiplayer function allows you to effortlessly host spelling bee competitions to engage students while supporting spelling development. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up and executing a spelling bee event using Spellzone. Whether you're aiming to showcase your school's top spellers or foster friendly competition between schools, Spellzone will ensure your event runs seamlessly. Let’s get started… Enabling Multiplayer Games on Your Spellzone Account Before diving into your competition, make sure multiplayer games...
Understanding Homophones: Your Key to Confident Spelling Homophones, words that share similar sounds but differ in meanings and spellings, pose a challenge for many English learners. Whether you're a student striving for academic excellence, a professional aiming for clear communication, or simply someone eager to improve your language skills, mastering homophones is crucial. In this detailed guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of homophones, providing you with spelling strategies and practice word lists to become proficient in identifying and using homophones accurately. Exploring Spellzone's Homophone Guides Spellzone offers an extensive archive of homophone gui...
For ESL learners, building a robust English vocabulary is crucial for effective communication and language proficiency. To support your language learning journey, we've curated three essential word lists focusing on key areas of vocabulary development. Whether you're just beginning to learn English or want to improve your skills, these lists are designed to help you become fluent in English. Essential Words for ESL Learners: Building Vocabulary for Everyday Improve your English vocabulary with this handpicked list of essential words for ESL learners, designed to improve everyday communication. From common greetings like 'hello' and 'goodbye' ...
We know that involving parents and carers in their children's learning journey can be a game-changer - especially when it comes to remote learning! At Spellzone, we're here to help you make this as simple as possible. Here are 3 easy ways to get parents involved, complete with links to the necessary documents: Sample introductory letter and consent form If your school is new to Spellzone, this adaptable letter explains the benefits of Spellzone and how the students can participate. As each school uses Spellzone differently, make sure you edit the sample letter to suit your school’s specific purposes. You can also adapt and send home this cons...
In our 3 Word Lists for July 2023, we looked at words ending in ‘zle’, explored common spelling rules that appear in these family words. and improved our vocabulary with these synonyms for the word big. How many of these 10 things you can do with any Spellzone word list have you tried? As the world turned its attention to the Wimbledon Championships, we were here to help you ace your tennis-themed spellings. From ‘love’ and ‘deuce’ to ‘break point’ and ‘baseline,’ this blog post explores the rich language surrounding the beloved sport. The long, sunny days of summer provi...
Spellzone is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment so that as many users as possible can engage with our resources. The Spelling Ability Test identifies specific spelling weaknesses and provides bespoke learning pathways for students to work through. Students can then access Spellzone on any device, at school and at home, and work at their own pace and level. Students can also adapt Spellzone using 8 additional accessibility features. To find these: Log into Spellzone Click on the ‘Accessibility’ button in the top-right corner of the screen. Let’s explore 8 ways to adapt Spellzone to mee...
Our 3 Word Lists for January 2023 were words ending in 'dle', bird vocabulary words, and 10 Words for … HARDWORKING. You can adapt any Spellzone word list to your classroom needs and use it in a variety of online and offline activities. It’s not too late to take a look at our start-of-2023 checklist. In this post, we share 5 quick ways you can ensure you’re making the most out of your Spellzone subscription. Want to use Spellzone in your classroom but not sure where to begin? This month’s post on how to build a lesson plan with Spellzone is a great place to start. Spellzone cover...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for 2023 is tricky spelling words. This year, after sharing the definition and etymology of each week’s word, we will end every blog post with some tips and tricks to help you spell it. So far we've looked at the words beginning and believe. This week's word is friend. A friend is someone you like and know well. Here is friend used in some example sentences: They had been friends for a long time. We invited just family to our party, no friends. She spoke to her friend on the phone once a month. The word comes from the Old English ‘freond’, from Proto-Germanic ‘frijōjands&rs...
OurWord for Wednesday theme for 2023 is tricky spelling words. This year, after sharing the definition and etymology of each week’s word, we will end every blog post with some tips and tricks to help you spell it. Last week we looked at the word beginning and this week's word is believe. If you believe something, it means you regard it to be true. If you believe in someone it means you are confident in their ability to do a specific thing. Here is believe used in some example sentences: The teacher didn’t believe that the dog ate my homework. I believe you will reach your goal. She believed in god. Believe comes from the Middl...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is other words for funny. If something is funny, it means that it provokes laughter. The word has been used in English since 1756 and comes from the word ‘fun-‘ and the suffix ‘-y'. 'Fun' comes from the Middle English ‘fonnen’ meaning ‘befool’. Over November we’ve looked at the words amusing, droll, hilarious. and silly. Our final funny word of the month is witty. If something is witty, it means it is characterised by quick and inventive verbal humour Here is witty used in some example sentences: They exchanged a witty back-and-forth.&nbs...
This month's English vocabulary lists were words ending in 'cle', -ey words, and 10 Words for … COLD. Have you tried our new COOL SPELLING game? Listen to the words and collect the icicles to spell them. Beware of enemies! Are some of your students making slower progress than you’d hoped? Or being reassigned units they’ve completed before? To get the best out of the Spellzone experience, we recommend that students complete a range of Learn the Words activities before moving onto course tests. How many of these 5 classroom ideas have you tried at your school? If you use Spellz...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is other words for funny. If something is funny, it means that it provokes laughter. The word has been used in English since 1756 and comes from the word ‘fun-‘ and the suffix ‘-y'. 'Fun' comes from the Middle English ‘fonnen’ meaning ‘befool’. Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at the words amusing, droll, and hilarious. This week’s word is silly. If something is silly, it means it is funny in a foolish or frivolous way. Here is silly used in some example sentences: The joke was silly but I couldn’t stop laughing. She wore a silly hat t...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is other words for funny. If something is funny, it means that it provokes laughter. The word has been used in English since 1756 and comes from the word ‘fun-‘ and the suffix ‘-y'. 'Fun' comes from the Middle English ‘fonnen’ meaning ‘befool’. So far we’ve looked at the words amusing and droll. This week’s word is hilarious. If something is hilarious, it means it is extremely funny. Did you watch the hilarious video of the goat that sounds like a screaming man? They couldn’t stop laughing at the comedian’s hilarious jokes. Hi...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is other words for funny. If something is funny, it means that it provokes laughter. The word has been used in English since 1756 and comes from the word ‘fun-‘ and the suffix ‘-y'. 'Fun' comes from the Middle English ‘fonnen’ meaning ‘befool’. Last week we looked at the word amusing and today’s word is droll. If something is droll, it means it is funny in an unexpected and dry way. Here is droll used in some example sentences: He enjoyed droll satire. Her expression was droll when she told him he was her hero. Droll dates to the 1620s and come...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is other words for funny. If something is funny, it means that it provokes laughter. The word has been used in English since 1756 and comes from the word ‘fun-‘ and the suffix ‘-y'. 'Fun' comes from the Middle English ‘fonnen’ meaning ‘befool’. Our first word of the month is amusing. If something is amusing it means it provides enjoyment or causes laughter. Here is amusing used in some example sentences: The chair made an amusing squeaking sound. There’s an amusing twist at the end of the film. The word amusing entered English in the 1590s as synonym for ‘cheating...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. Over October, we’ve looked at the words witch, banshee, and zombie. Our final word for the month is ghoul. A figure of Arabic folklore, the ghoul is a demonic being or evil spirit that robs graves and feasts on human flesh. In some stories, ghouls...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. So far, we’ve looked at the words witch and banshee. Today’s word of the week is zombie. A zombie, a figure of Haitian folklore, is a dead body that has been reanimated by supernatural spirits or forces. Today, the zombie exists in popula...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. Last week, we looked at the word witch and today’s word is banshee. A banshee is a female spirit from Irish folklore whose wailing, screeching, or keening foretells impending death. The word banshee has been used in English since 1711 and is a phonetic s...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. Our first word for the month is witch. A witch is a (usually female) being who practises sorcery or magic known as witchcraft. In medieval and early modern Europe, witches were thought to have supernatural powers from communing with the devil and other evil be...
With Easter just a few weeks away, here is an end-of-spring-term checklist to help you get ready for the holidays: Reset the Spelling Ability Test End of term is the perfect point to reset the ability test. Your students will be provided with an updated pathway for the start of the new term and you will have a data point to help you map their progress. Compare each student’s end-of-term Spellzone Score to their start-of-term one to see how much they have improved. Look at your class results As well as exploring the results section for each student, you can look at and download the results for your class as a whole. C...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for February is Valentine’s Day. Originally a Christian feast day for St. Valentine, Valentine’s Day in now celebrated all over the world on February 14th. The day is a dedication to all things love and romance. The word Valentine has been used since the fifteenth century to describe the person one chooses to spend Valentine’s Day with. It was first used to describe a card or letter sent on Valentine’s Day in 1824. Over February we’ve looked at the words Cupid, sweetheart, and romance. Our final word for the month is desire. Desire is a strong ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for February is Valentine’s Day. Originally a Christian feast day for St. Valentine, Valentine’s Day in now celebrated all over the world on February 14th. The day is a dedication to all things love and romance. The word Valentine has been used since the fifteenth century to describe the person one chooses to spend Valentine’s Day with. It was first used to describe a card or letter sent on Valentine’s Day in 1824. So far, we’ve looked at the words Cupid and sweetheart. This week’s word is romance. Romance refers to the exciting and ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for February is Valentine’s Day. Originally a Christian feast day for St. Valentine, Valentine’s Day in now celebrated all over the world on February 14th. The day is a dedication to all things love and romance. The word Valentine has been used since the fifteenth century to describe the person one chooses to spend Valentine’s Day with. It was first used to describe a card or letter sent on Valentine’s Day in 1824. Last week, we looked at the word Cupid. Today’s word is sweetheart. The word sweetheart is used as an affectionate pet name between lovers or friends. The term might also be used by some...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for February is Valentine’s Day. Originally a Christian feast day for St. Valentine, Valentine’s Day in now celebrated all over the world on February 14th. The day is a dedication to all things love and romance. The word Valentine has been used since the fifteenth century to describe the person one chooses to spend Valentine’s Day with. It was first used to describe a card or letter sent on Valentine’s Day in 1824. Our first word of the month is Cupid. Cupid is the Roman God of Love and takes the form of a cherubic naked boy with wings and a bow and arrow. Today, the phrase playing cupid is used to describe ...
January’s Word for Wednesday theme is Janus words. A Janus word is a word with contradictory meanings. These words are also known as contronyms and auto antonyms. So far, we’ve looked at the words weather, dust and left. Today’s word is refrain. As a verb, refrain describes the act of stopping oneself from doing something. For example: Please refrain from smoking indoors. The boy refrained from picking his nose. I will refrain from saying what I think. As a noun, the word refrain describes repeated lines at the end of a verse. For example: There’s a refr...
January 24 marks the UN International Day of Education which celebrates "the role of education for peace and development". The UNESCO website says of the day: “Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. Today, 258 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are...
There are 3 types of task on Spellzone: the Spelling Ability Test, a Spellzone course unit, and a word list task. Teachers can set classroom and homework tasks for individual students, for a class, or for the whole school. Tasks can be set alongside or instead of the Course Pathway. How to set the Spelling Ability Test as a task If your student is working on their Course Pathway regularly, it is likely that their Spellzone Score will be up-to-date. However, in some instances, you might want to reset the test: If you would like to give your students a fresh start, for example, at the beginning of a new school year If you want a score for ...
January’s Word for Wednesday theme is Janus words. A Janus word is a word with contradictory meanings. These words are also known as contronyms and auto antonyms. So far, we’ve looked at the words weather and dust. Today’s word is left. The word left is used to describe the act of departing. For example: They have already left the party. The UK left the European Union in 2020. She left on her adventure around the world last week. It is also used to describe what is remaining. For example: There are plenty of people left at the party. How much food is left? She le...
January’s Word for Wednesday theme is Janus words. A Janus word is a word with contradictory meanings. These words are also known as contronyms and auto antonyms. Last week we looked at the word weather, this week’s word is dust. As a noun, dust refers to a fine powder made from microscopic particles of other materials that coats surfaces and floats in the air. However, like with weather, it is the verb forms of dust that have contradictory meanings. The verb dust is used to describe the act of removing dust. For example: He made sure to dust the house before his parents came to visit. I should dust those cobwebs away. We haven...
January marks the shift into the new year and is named for Janus, the Roman god of beginning and transitions. Janus is usually depicted with two heads – one looking back into the past, and the other looking forward to the future. With this in mind, this month’s Word for Wednesday theme is Janus words. A Janus word is a word with contradictory meanings. These words are also known as contronyms and auto antonyms. Our first Janus word of the year is weather. As a noun, this word refers to atmospheric effects like wind, rain, and snow. It is the verb forms of weather that have contradictory meanings. One meaning of the verb weather is ‘to withstand’. F...
Site Updates All users can play our new spelling games. Help decode an enemy message in Codebreaker. Enter the temple and test your spelling skill in Mayan Temple. All users can now personalise their profile by adding an avatar. Students can now work their way from a Spelling Newbie to a Spelling Grandmaster by earning points. A new on-page prompt will remind students to use the Learn the Words practice activities. A new summary page will go over what has been taught in each unit. Classes can now compete for the top spot in the new Classes League Table. Contact us to organise a closed league for ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for December is Christmas decorations. A decoration is something that is used to beautify a space. The word comes from the Latin ‘decorare’. Over December we’ve looked at the words nutcracker, bauble, mistletoe, and stocking. Though Christmas might be over, there are still a few days left to enjoy the festive decorations and, with that in mind, our final word of the month is poinsettia. A poinsettia is a small shrub with scarlet petal-like leaves. The star-shaped leaves symbolise the star of Bethlehem and their blood red colour symbolises Christ’s sacrifice. The story of the poinse...
Seasons Greetings! Joyeux Noel! Bah humbug! Find a holiday greeting for every mood. Writing some last-minute cards? Here are 10 writing mistakes to avoid this Christmas. Have you tried our relaxing Spelling Snowball game yet? Here are five wintry word lists to practise with. Play against a friend using the multiplayer option. Spending time away from the computer? Here are five more games to try. Christmas is a time for stories. Have you heard of these three Christmas characters? How about these three? How did Charles Dickens, author of A Christmas Carol, influence the English language? Of cour...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for December is Christmas decorations. A decoration is something that is used to beautify a space. The word comes from the Latin ‘decorare’. So far this month, we’ve looked at the words nutcracker, bauble, and mistletoe. With Christmas Eve just days away, what else could we choose for this week’s word but stocking? Stockings are long socks which are hung up by children on Christmas Eve in the hope that they will be filled with gifts. There is no record of the origin of this tradition and even today different households have different gift-giving rituals. In some families, stockings are filled e...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for December is Christmas decorations. A decoration is something that is used to beautify a space. The word comes from the Latin ‘decorare’. So far, we’ve looked at the words nutcracker and bauble. Today’s word is mistletoe. Mistletoe is a plant with green leathery leaves that grows on trees including apples and oaks. In the winter, the mistletoe plant produces white berries. Though poisonous, mistletoe is often used to decorate with at Christmas time. The tradition of kissing under a mistletoe branch is attributed to servants in late-eighteenth-century England. In some versi...
Reset the Spelling Ability Test The final week of the first term is the perfect point to reset the ability test. Your students will be provided with an updated pathway for the start of the new term and you will have a data point to help you map their progress. Compare each student’s end-of-term Spellzone Score to their start-of-term one to see how much they have improved. Look at your class results As well as exploring the results section for each student, you can look at and download the results for your class as a whole. Click on the class name and then scroll to the results section. You may wish to look at the tasks, activity, and logins ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for December is Christmas decorations. A decoration is something that is used to beautify a space. The word comes from the Latin ‘decorare’. Last week we looked at the word nutcracker and this week's Christmas decoration is bauble. A bauble is brightly coloured glass or plastic orb that is hung on a Christmas tree and catches and reflects the lights in a room. Today, it is common for people to buy or make baubles that are personalised with names, special dates, or photos. The word also means trinket or toy. Bauble dates to the early-fourteenth century and comes from the...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for December is Christmas decorations. A decoration is something that is used to beautify a space. The word comes from the Latin ‘decorare’. Our first Christmas decoration of the month is the nutcracker. A nutcracker is a device that is used to crack nuts open. Some traditional versions of this tool are shaped like a human figure with a space for the nut where the mouth would be. Such devices have come to be associated with Christmas thanks to The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffman, which was famously scored as a ballet by the composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In the ballet, a little girl is given a figure-...
Our Word for Wednesday theme this month is fireworks. A firework is a device with an explosive that burns with coloured flames. The word dates to the 1570s fro Over November we’ve looked at the words sparkler, fountain, and Catherine wheel. Our final fireworks-themed word for the month is rocket. A rocket is a firework that propels high into the sky when lit and produces sparks and whistles. The word has been used since the 1610s and comes from the Italian ‘rocchetto’ which means 'bobbin' (in reference to how a rocket spins), from ‘rocca’ meaning ‘distaff’. The word took on its space-related meaning in ...
This month’s Word for Wednesday theme is fireworks. A firework is a device with an explosive that burns with coloured flames. The word dates to the 1570s from the Old English ‘fyr’ and ‘work’. So far we’ve looked at sparklers and fountains. Our third firework for November is the Catherine wheel. A Catherine wheel is a spinning firework that emits colourful sparks. It is usually affixed to something solid like a wall before being lit. The Catherine wheel is named after St Catherine of Alexandria who was sentenced to death on a spiked wheel which broke at her touch. She was instead executed by beheading. The wo...
November’s Word for Wednesday theme is fireworks. A firework is a device with an explosive that burns with coloured flames. The word dates to the 1570s from the Old English ‘fyr’ and ‘work’. Last week we looked at the word sparkler and today’s word is fountain. A fountain is a firework which is propped in the ground and, once lit, erupts a shower of sparks in the shape of a water fountain. Fountains often produce whistling sounds and bangs. The word fountain, in reference to a spring of water, dates to the early-fifteenth century and comes from Old French ‘fontaine’, from the Medieval Latin ‘fontana...
With Diwali and Bonfire Night falling back-to-back this week, we can expect plenty of glitter and sparkle lighting up our skies. To celebrate, we’ve chosen fireworks as our Word for Wednesday theme for November. A firework is a device with an explosive that burns with coloured flames. The word dates to the 1570s from the Old English ‘fyr’ and ‘work’. Our first fireworks-themed word of the month is sparkler. A sparkler is a handheld firework that burns slowly and produce sparks. The word sparkler has been used in reference to this type of firework since 1905, and more generally in reference to anything that sparkles since 1713. The word sparkle day...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at the words pumpkin, monster, and skeleton. For our final Halloween-themed post of the month, we’ve chosen trick-or-treat. Trick-or-treating is a Halloween tradition in which costumed children visit ne...
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 ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. So far we’ve looked at the words pumpkin and monster. Today’s word is skeleton. A skeleton is the hard structure of bones and cartilages that provides a frame for the body. Animated skeletons have been used to personify death since the Middle Ag...
Spellzone is a dynamic resource that allows students to work on tailored Course Pathways at their own pace. Each time a student makes an error on a spelling test, Spellzone will add the word to the My Difficult Words section on their profile. The My Difficult Words section is tailored to each student and is updated every time the student takes a spelling test. To find the My Difficult Words section, students should: Click on My Spellzone (this is also the page that appears when a student logs in) Choose My Word Lists from the red tool bar Choose My Difficult Words from the list. They can then practise the words in various spelling activ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. Last week, we looked at the word pumpkin. Today’s word is monster. A monster is a frightening imaginary creature that is usually depicted with various animal and human parts. The word is also used to describe a cruel or evil person. Monster c...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for October is Halloween. The word Halloween likely dates to the seventeenth century but was popularised in the Burns poem ‘Halloween’ which was written in 1785. It is a Scottish abbreviation of ‘Allhallow-even’ which means ‘Eve of the All Saints’. ‘Hallow’ means ‘holy person’ or ‘saint’. Our first Halloween-themed word of the month is pumpkin. A pumpkin is a round orange Autumn squash that has become associated with Halloween due to the time of year it matures. Pumpkins are used in both sweet and savoury dishes. Since 2003, when Starbucks first introduced the drink,...
September's Word for Wednesday theme is school. So far, we’ve looked at the words semester, teacher, pupil, and uniform. Our final word for September is exam. An exam is a formal set of questions or exercises that evaluate a particular skill or knowledge. In schools, exams are often set at the end of a term or a year to assess a student’s progress. Exam has been used as an abbreviation for examination since 1848, when it was a slang word used by college students. Examination comes from the Old French ‘examinacion’, from the Latin ‘examinare’ meaning ‘to ponder’ or ‘to consider’. The word took on ...
What is a Course Pathway? Spellzone is a dynamic resource that allows students to work on tailored Course Pathways at their own pace. When a student logs into Spellzone for the first time, they will be prompted to sit the Spelling Ability Test. The test will take approximately five minutes (depending on the student) and will identify any gaps in the student’s knowledge. Upon completing the test, each student will receive a Spellzone Score and a learning pathway that will indicate where they should begin the course and which units they should study. A typical Course Pathway is eight units long. Each subsequent time the student logs i...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is school. The word school comes from the Old English ‘scol’ meaning ‘place of instruction’, from the Latin ‘schola’ meaning ‘intermission of work’ and ‘leisure for learning’. The idea of children attending a school is from around 1300 and the idea of a school building is from the 1590s. Over the last few weeks we’ve looked at the words semester, teacher, and pupil. Today’s word is uniform. A uniform is a specific outfit worn my members of a particular group as means of identification. In the UK, it is common for p...
Spellzone has over 1.5 million word lists which can be used in a variety of spelling activities. As a teacher, you can adapt any word list to suit your specific needs and save time when creating resources. Where do I find relevant Word Lists? All our lists can be found on the Word Lists section of the site: See which word lists are popular with users on Spellzone and within your school by scrolling to the bottom of the page. Use the search bar to find word lists that are relevant to a key word. For example, ‘homophones’ or ‘poetry’. Click on the tabs at the top of the page to explore our banks of ‘Course Lists’, &lsq...
This month's Word for Wednesday theme is school. The word school comes from the Old English ‘scol’ meaning ‘place of instruction’, from the Latin ‘schola’ meaning ‘intermission of work’ and ‘leisure for learning’. The idea of children attending a school is from around 1300 and the idea of a school building is from the 1590s. So far we’ve looked at the words semester and teacher. Today’s word is pupil. A pupil is a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution. The word is usually used to refer to schoolchildren. Pupil was the Late Middle Eng...
What is a Spellzone Score? Spellzone is a dynamic resource that allows students to work on tailored Course Pathways at their own pace. When a student logs into Spellzone for the first time, they will be prompted to sit the Spelling Ability Test. The test will take approximately five minutes (depending on the student) and will identify any gaps in the student’s knowledge. Upon completing the test, each student will receive a Spellzone Score and a learning pathway that will indicate where they should begin the course and which units they should study. A typical Course Pathway is eight units long. Each subsequent time the student logs in they will be...
September's Word for Wednesday theme is school. The word school comes from the Old English ‘scol’ meaning ‘place of instruction’, from the Latin ‘schola’ meaning ‘intermission of work’ and ‘leisure for learning’. The idea of children attending a school is from around 1300 and the idea of a school building is from the 1590s. Last week we looked at the word semester. Our second word of the month is teacher. A teacher is someone whose occupation is imparting skills or knowledge. The word teacher dates to around 1300 and comes from the verb ‘teach’. ‘Teac...
It’s back-to-school season! To celebrate, we’ve chosen school as our Word for Wednesday theme for September. The word school comes from the Old English ‘scol’ meaning ‘place of instruction’, from the Latin ‘schola’ meaning ‘intermission of work’ and ‘leisure for learning’. The idea of children attending a school is from around 1300 and the idea of a school building is from the 1590s. Our first word of the month is semester. A semester is one of two divisions of a school year. The word is common in North American schools where the academic year is usually split into two eighteen-week semesters. Here i...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is eponymous words. An eponymous word is a word that is named after a person or fictional character. These people or characters are known as eponyms and examples include the Earl of Sandwich (sandwiches), the Duke of Wellington (wellington boots), and Don Quixote (quixotic). Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at the words August, hoover, and echo. Our final word for the month is cardigan. A cardigan is a knitted jacket that is fastened up the front with buttons or a zip. The word dates to 1868 and is named for James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, who supposedly wore such...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is eponymous words. An eponymous word is a word that is named after a person or fictional character. These people or characters are known as eponyms and examples include the Earl of Sandwich (sandwiches), the Duke of Wellington (wellington boots), and Don Quixote (quixotic). Eponym comes from the Greek epi- meaning ‘upon’ or ‘called after’ and the Aeolic dialect -onyma meaning ‘name’. ‘Onyma’ comes from the PIE root ‘no-men’ meaning ‘name’. So far we’ve looked at the words August and hoover. This...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is eponymous words. An eponymous word is a word that is named after a person or fictional character. These people or characters are known as eponyms and examples include the Earl of Sandwich (sandwiches), the Duke of Wellington (wellington boots), and Don Quixote (quixotic). Eponym comes from the Greek epi- meaning ‘upon’ or ‘called after’ and the Aeolic dialect -onyma meaning ‘name’. ‘Onyma’ comes from the PIE root ‘no-men’ meaning ‘name’. Last week we looked at the word August and this week’s e...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is eponymous words. An eponymous word is a word that is named after a person or fictional character. These people or characters are known as eponyms and examples include the Earl of Sandwich (sandwiches), the Duke of Wellington (wellington boots), and Don Quixote (quixotic). Eponym comes from the Greek epi- meaning ‘upon’ or ‘called after’ and the Aeolic dialect -onyma meaning ‘name’. ‘Onyma’ comes from the PIE root ‘no-men’ meaning ‘name’. Did you know that August is an eponymous word? What better choice to kick off this month’s theme than with the name ...
Our July Word for Wednesday theme is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. So far we’ve looked at the words delphinium, lily&nb...
Our July Word for Wednesday theme is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. So far we’ve looked at the words delphinium and lily. This wee...
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. ...
Our July Word for Wednesday theme is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. Last week we looked at the word delphinium. Today’s flower is ...
For our July Word for Wednesday theme, we’ve decided to return to flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. Our first flower-themed word this month is delphinium. Delphinium...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is coffee. Coffee is made by roasting and grinding coffee beans and creating an infusion. The word coffee entered English around 1600 via the Dutch ‘koffie’, which comes from the Turkish ‘kahveh', from the Arabic ‘qahwah’. So far we’ve looked at the words espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, and latte. Our final word of the month is Americano. An Americano is made by adding hot water to espresso, and the word is simply Italian for ‘American coffee’. One popular theory behind the origin of the Americano ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is coffee. Coffee is made by roasting and grinding coffee beans and creating an infusion. The word coffee entered English around 1600 via the Dutch ‘koffie’, which comes from the Turkish ‘kahveh', from the Arabic ‘qahwah’. So far we’ve looked at the words espresso, cappuccino, and macchiato. Today’s word is latte. Latte literally means ‘milk coffee’ and refers to an espresso served with hot milk. The word comes from the Latin ‘lac’ meaning ‘milk’. ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is coffee. Coffee is made by roasting and grinding coffee beans and creating an infusion. The word coffee entered English around 1600 via the Dutch ‘koffie’, which comes from the Turkish ‘kahveh', from the Arabic ‘qahwah’. So far we’ve looked at the words espresso and cappuccino. Today’s word is macchiato. A macchiato is an espresso with a small amount of milk added to it. In Italian, the word means ‘stained’ or ‘spotted’ and it was first used in reference to coffee when baristas needed to differentiate between esp...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is coffee. Coffee is made by roasting and grinding coffee beans and creating an infusion. The word coffee entered English around 1600 via the Dutch ‘koffie’, which comes from the Turkish ‘kahveh', from the Arabic ‘qahwah’. Last week we looked at the word espresso and today’s word is cappuccino. A cappuccino is made by topping an espresso with hot frothed milk. In Italian, the word cappuccino is the diminutive of ‘cappuccio’ meaning ‘hood’ (from the Latin ‘caputium’ – where we also get the word ‘cap&rsqu...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is coffee. Coffee is made by roasting and grinding coffee beans and creating an infusion. The word coffee entered English around 1600 via the Dutch ‘koffie’, which comes from the Turkish ‘kahveh', from the Arabic ‘qahwah’. Our first coffee-themed word this month is espresso. An espresso is a shot of coffee made by forcing steam through finely ground coffee beans. It is served in a small (2-3 oz) cup. The word comes from the Latin ‘exprimere’ meaning ‘press out' or 'squeeze out’. ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for May is onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeic word imitates the sound of the action or thing it describes. Onomatopoeic words are often used to describe animal sounds (chirp, hiss, meow, oink, squeak, etc), collisions (crash, bang, wallop, etc.); voice-related sounds (grunt, giggle, guffaw, rasp, wheeze, etc.); and water-related sounds (drip, gush, trickle, pitter-patter, etc.). So far we’ve looked at the words bumblebee, flip-flop, and hiccup. Today’s word is sizzle. Sizzle is a verb used to describe something that is making hissing a sound like that of frying fa...
This month’s American English vs. British English blog post theme is school. Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spelling, and here for more detailed information. Here are 25 American English school-themed words and their British English counterparts: break – holidays cafeteria – canteen college – university elementary school – primary school, junior school eraser – rubber exclamation point – exclamation mark faculty – staff freshman (college) – fresher (university) grade,...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for May is onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeic word imitates the sound of the action or thing it describes. Onomatopoeic words are often used to describe animal sounds (chirp, hiss, meow, oink, squeak, etc), collisions (crash, bang, wallop, etc.); voice-related sounds (grunt, giggle, guffaw, rasp, wheeze, etc.); and water-related sounds (drip, gush, trickle, pitter-patter, etc.). So far we’ve looked at the words bumblebee and flip-flop. This week's word is hiccup. The word hiccup imitates the chirping sound made by a spasm of the diaphragm and the sudden closure...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for May is onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeic word imitates the sound of the action or thing it describes. Onomatopoeic words are often used to describe animal sounds (chirp, hiss, meow, oink, squeak, etc), collisions (crash, bang, wallop, etc.); voice-related sounds (grunt, giggle, guffaw, rasp, wheeze, etc.); and water-related sounds (drip, gush, trickle, pitter-patter, etc.). Last week we looked at the word bumblebee and today’s onomatopoeic word is flip-flop. A flip-flop is a casual backless sandal which is held in place with a y-shaped strap between the big toe and...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for May is onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeic word imitates the sound of the action or thing it describes. Onomatopoeic words are often used to describe animal sounds (chirp, hiss, meow, oink, squeak, etc), collisions (crash, bang, wallop, etc.); voice-related sounds (grunt, giggle, guffaw, rasp, wheeze, etc.); and water-related sounds (drip, gush, trickle, pitter-patter, etc.). Our first word of the month is bumblebee. While the obvious onomatopoeic word associated with a bumblebee is ‘buzz’, the name of the creature itself is onomatopoeic too. Bumblebee dates back to the 1520s and replaced the Middle English ‘humbul-be&...
This month’s American English vs. British English blog post theme is driving. Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spelling, and here for more detailed information. Here are 20 American English driving-themed words and their British English counterparts: blinker, turn signal – indicator crosswalk – zebra crossing, pedestrian crossing crossing guard – lollipop person detour – diversion divided highway – dual carriageway drink driver, drink driving – drunk driver, drunk driving driving licence – driver&rs...
Our March Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. The word clothes comes from the Old English ‘claðas’ meaning ‘garments’. ‘Claðas’ is also the plural of ‘clað’ meaning ‘cloth’. So far, we’ve looked at the words shirt, trousers, dress, and coat. Today’s word is shoe. Shoes are worn below the ankle and over the foot. A shoe usually has a flexible upper of leather or plastic, as well as a sturdy sole and heel. The word comes from the Old English ‘scoh’, from the Proto-Germanic ‘skokhaz’. A boot is a shoe that covers both the fo...
Last month we shared 20 food-themed American English words and their British English counterparts. This week—in line with our Word for Wednesday theme for March —we’re looking at clothing-related words. Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spellings, and here for more detailed information. Here are 20 American English words for clothes and their British English counterparts: coveralls – boilersuit, overalls diaper – nappy jumper – pinafore overalls – dungarees panties – knickers, pants pants &nda...
Our March Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. The word clothes comes from the Old English ‘claðas’ meaning ‘garments’. ‘Claðas’ is also the plural of ‘clað’ meaning ‘cloth’. So far, we’ve looked at the words shirt, trousers, and dress. Today’s word is coat. A coat is an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from the shoulder down. It is worn outdoors in the cooler months to keep warm. A short coat is called a jacket. Coat dates to the early-fourteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘cote’ meaning ‘robe’ or &lsqu...
Our March Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. The word clothes comes from the Old English ‘claðas’ meaning ‘garments’. ‘Claðas’ is also the plural of ‘clað’ meaning ‘cloth’. So far we’ve looked at the words shirt and trousers. Today’s word is dress. A dress is a one-piece garment made from an attached top and skirt. A skirt is a garment that hangs from the waist. The word dress dates to around 1600 and was originally used to refer to any type of clothing, but specifically clothing that was suitable for a particular rank or ceremony. It has...
Our March Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. The word clothes comes from the Old English ‘claðas’ meaning ‘garments’. ‘Claðas’ is also the plural of ‘clað’ meaning ‘cloth’. Last week, we looked at the word shirt. Today’s word is trousers. Trousers are a garment which extend from the waist to the knees or ankles, and which cover each leg separately. The word is usually used a plural due to the separate leg parts, though one might refer to a ‘trouser leg’ in the singular form. The word trousers dates to the 1610s, and before that this item of clothi...
Our March Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. The word clothes comes from the Old English ‘claðas’ meaning ‘garments’. ‘Claðas’ is also the plural of ‘clað’ meaning ‘cloth’. Our first word of the month is shirt. A shirt is a garment worn on the upper half of the body, typically with a collar and buttons down the front. Shirts—especially those worn by women—are sometimes also called blouses. Shirt comes from the Old English ‘scyrte’ which means ‘skirt’ or ‘tunic’. ‘Scyrte’ comes from the Proto-Germanic ‘skuryjon’ meaning...
In February, we are continuing with the Word for Wednesday theme of colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth...
Although the Spellzone course was written in the UK, it covers both British English and American English spellings. The different spellings of a words are highlighted throughout the course, and you can choose whether you would prefer to take a British English or an American English version of a test. Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spellings, and here for more detailed information. It’s not just spellings you need to watch out for though! Some words have different meanings depending on whether they are used in an American English or a British English context. Here are 20 American English...
In February, we are continuing with the Word for Wednesday theme of colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth...
In February, we are continuing with the Word for Wednesday theme of colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth...
In February, we are continuing with the Word for Wednesday theme of colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for January is colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth century. Color&nbs...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for January is colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth century. Color&nbs...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for January is colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth century. Color&nbs...
Happy New Year! Our Word for Wednesday theme for January is colours. The word colour entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘color’, from the Old Latin ‘colos’ meaning ‘a covering’, from the PIE root ‘kel-’ meaning ‘to conceal’. The word has been used in reference to skin colour since the early-thirteenth century and in reference to pigments and dye since the fourteenth century. The spelling colour became the common English spelling from the fourteenth century, but a classical correction made color an alternative from the fifteenth century. Color is now the common American English spelling...
December’s Word for Wednesday theme is festive food and drink. So far we’ve looked at mulled wine, mince pies, eggnog, and Brussels sprouts. Our final festive drink of the month is sherry. Sherry is a dry to sweet amber wine from the Jerez region of southern Spain. It is usually drunk as an aperitif. The word dates to around 1600 when it was used as a mistaken singular form of the word 'sherris' (which dates to the 1530s). 'Sherris' comes from the Spanish ‘vino de Xeres’ meaning ‘wine from Xeres’. Today, this Andalusian town where sherry is made is known as Jerez. You can lea...
December’s Word for Wednesday theme is festive food and drink. So far we’ve looked at mulled wine, mince pies, and eggnog. Today’s festive food is the Brussels sprout. This Christmas dinner vegetable is often debated – some people love Brussels sprouts, others can’t stand them. A Brussels sprout is a small green cabbage-like bud that grows on a stalk. The word dates to 1740, though the first written description of this type of vegetable dates to the 1580s. Brussels sprouts have long been associated with Flanders, specifically Brussels, in Belgium. The name Brussels is of Germanic origin and comes from ‘brocca&r...
One week until Christmas Eve! Watch out for these 10 common writing mistakes this festive season: Bough Make sure you’re decking your halls with boughs of holly and not bows. Deer If you’re writing about the animals that pull Santa’s sleigh, use deer not dear. Frankincense What a tricky word to spell! Pay attention to the ‘i’, the ‘c’, and the ‘s’. Mistletoe Don’t get caught out by silent letters – watch out for the sneaky ‘t’ in the word mistletoe. Myrrh Do you find frankincense or myrrh harder to spell? Watch out for the ...
December’s Word for Wednesday theme is festive food and drink. So far we’ve looked at mulled wine and mince pies. The festive drink we have chosen to look at today is eggnog. Traditionally served in North America during the Christmas season, eggnog is a punch made of an alcoholic liquor mixed with egg and sweetened milk or cream. Sometimes it is flavoured with spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg. Other historic names of this drink include ‘egg milk punch’ and ‘milk punch’. Eggnog has been used in American English since around 1775. The word ‘egg’ dates to the mid-fourteenth century and comes from Old Norse. The word ...
Did you know there are over a million word lists on Spellzone? You can find them on our Word Lists homepage by using the search bar or following the links on the green toolbar at the top of the page. Today we are sharing 10 things you can do with any of the word lists on Spellzone: What does the word mean? Click on a word to see its dictionary definition. Scroll down for synonyms, scrabble scores, and other lists the word appears in. How do you pronounce the word? Click on the speaker icon to hear the word and the example sentence spoken. What does the word mean in my language? Did you know Spellz...
December’s Word for Wednesday theme is festive food and drink. Last week we looked at mulled wine and today’s chosen treat is mince pies. Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no doubt that the mince pie is a Christmas staple here in the UK. A mince pie is a round sweet pie that is filled with mincemeat (a mixture of dried fruits, fat, and spices). Originally mince pies would have contained meat, but today they are usually made without. Although early versions of this pie often went by other names – 'mutton pie', 'Christmas pie', 'shrid pie' – the name mince pie dates to around 1600. The word mincemea...
Happy December! This month’s Word for Wednesday theme is festive food and drink. Our first choice of the month is a seasonal favourite—mulled wine. Mulled wine is wine that is heated with sugar, spices, and often citrus fruit. Other popular mulled drinks include mulled cider, mulled apple juice, and hot toddy. The word ‘mull’ has been used to describe the process of heating a drink with sweeteners and spices since the 1600s. While the origin of this word is unknown, there may be a link with the Dutch word ‘mol’ which was used to describe a sweet beer. ‘Mull’ has also been used in English to mean ‘...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is vegetables. A vegetable is a plant or part of a plant that is used for food. The word dates to the mid-fifteenth century when it meant 'non-animal life’ and was used to describe any type of plant. It has been used in reference to plants specifically grown for food since 1767. So far we’ve looked at the vegetables cabbage, potato, and courgette. Today’s word is tomato. The first thing to note about the tomato is that it’s not technically a vegetable—it’s a fruit. As we explained at the start of this post a vegetable is a plant or part of a plant used for food. A fruit is...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is vegetables. A vegetable is a plant or part of a plant that is used for food. The word dates to the mid-fifteenth century when it meant 'non-animal life’ and was used to describe any type of plant. It has been used in reference to plants specifically grown for food since 1767. So far we’ve looked at the words cabbage and potato. This week we’ve chosen two words that are used to refer to the same vegetable—courgette and zucchini. Both words describe a dark green cucumber-shaped squash that is typically eaten when small. The same vegetable left to mature is often called a marrow. Cour...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is vegetables. A vegetable is a plant or part of a plant that is used for food. The word dates to the mid-fifteenth century when it meant 'non-animal life’ and was used to describe any type of plant. It has been used in reference to plants specifically grown for food since 1767. Last week we looked at the word cabbage and this week’s word is potato. A potato is a root vegetable native to South America with starchy edible tubers and poisonous vines. It is widely cultivated as a garden vegetable. The word entered English in the 1560s and was used to describe the vegetable we call sweet potato today...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for November is vegetables! A vegetable is a plant or part of a plant that is used for food. The word dates to the mid-fifteenth century when it meant 'non-animal life’ and was used to describe any type of plant. It has been used in reference to plants specifically grown for food since 1767. Our first word of the month is cabbage. A cabbage is a vegetable with large thick green or purple leaves that grow around a spherical heart. The word dates to the mid-fifteenth century and comes from the Old French ‘cabace’ which means ‘head’ and is a diminutive of the Latin word ‘caput’. Cabbages are likely n...
It’s time for our last Word for Wednesday post in October! This month’s blog posts have been themed around all things spooky and scary. So far, we’ve looked at the origins of the words ghost, werewolf, and vampire. Today’s word is technically the name of a character from a book. Frankenstein was written in 1818 by English author Mary Shelley. The story is about a scientist called Victor Frankenstein who, in an unusual experiment, creates a monstrous living creature out of old body parts. Here is how the creature is described in the book: “His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautifu...
It’s ten days until Halloween and our October Word for Wednesday theme is all things spooky and scary. Have you had a chance to try out our Spooky Spelling game? Click here for five spooky spelling lists to play the game with. So far this month we’ve looked at the words ghost and werewolf. Today’s scary word is vampire! From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Twilight, there’s no doubt that the vampiric figure is popular when it comes to scary stories. The word is used to describe a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living. Folk tales about vampires exist all over the world and details from how to create a vampire to how ...
Halloween is going to be different this year, but we’re still excited to celebrate all things spooky and scary in this month’s Word for Wednesday articles. Last week we looked at the word ghost and today’s word is werewolf. So what exactly is a werewolf? Sometimes referred to as a man-wolf or a lycanthrope, the werewolf suffers an affliction which forces it to change from a human to a wolf or wolf-like creature at the full moon. A human usually becomes contaminated after being bitten or scratched by another werewolf. The werewolf crops up in stories across Europe and evil shapeshifters appear in mythology from all over the world. Humans...
With Halloween at the end of the month, our Word for Wednesday theme for October is all things spooky and scary. The first word this month is ghost. A ghost is a spirit of a dead person that appears to the living, often as an image of what they looked like when they were alive. More recently the word has been used as a verb to describe the act of writing someone else’s work for them and, in an online dating context, the act of disappearing from a relationship by suddenly ending all communication. You can read about other words which have changed in meaning thanks to the internet and technology here. Ghost comes from the Old English ‘gast’ which meant ‘good or...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is stationery. Stationery comes from the Latin ‘stationarius’ which means ‘tradesman who sells from a station or shop’. The word was first used to describe ‘the articles sold by a stationer’ in 1727. So far we have looked at the words pencil, pen, ruler, and sharpener, and today's stationery-themed word is stapler. A stapler is a machine that inserts staples into sheets of paper in order to fasten them together. The word dates to 1949 and comes from ‘staple’ which as a verb dates to the late fourteenth century and as a noun d...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is stationery. Stationery comes from the Latin ‘stationarius’ which means ‘tradesman who sells from a station or shop’. The word was first used to describe ‘the articles sold by a stationer’ in 1727. So far we have looked at the words pencil, pen, and ruler, and today's stationery-themed word is sharpener. The word sharpener refers to any implement that is used to make something sharper. While the term sharpener dates to the 1630s, the term pencil sharpener is from 1854. Both words come from word ‘sharpen’ which dates to the 1520s...
If you’re one of our regular readers you’ll be familiar with articles on easy-to-confuse words, but every now and then we like to share a recap for our new subscribers. Here is a list of all our Commonly Confused Words articles: A vs. An Accept vs. Except Adverse vs. Averse Affect vs. Effect Air vs. Heir Aisle vs. Isle All together vs. Altogether Allowed vs. Aloud Allude vs. Elude Allusion vs. Illusion Alternate vs. Alternative Are vs. Our vs. Hour Ascent vs. Assent Assume vs. Presume Balmy vs. Barmy Bated vs. Baited Bath vs. Bathe Bear vs. Bare Been vs. Gone Berry vs. Bury Biannual vs. Biennial Biweekly vs...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is stationery. Stationery comes from the Latin ‘stationarius’ which means ‘tradesman who sells from a station or shop’. The word was first used to describe ‘the articles sold by a stationer’ in 1727. So far we have looked at the words pencil and pen, and today's stationery-themed word is ruler. A ruler is a strip, usually made of wood, metal, or plastic, which is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths. Rulers are marked at varying intervals to indicate units of measurement like inches or centimetres. The word dates to around 1400 and com...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is stationery. Stationery comes from the Latin ‘stationarius’ which means ‘tradesman who sells from a station or shop’. The word was first used to describe ‘the articles sold by a stationer’ in 1727. Last week we looked at the word pencil, and today's stationery-themed word is pen. A pen is writing implement with a point from which ink flows, Although you might expect pen to have the same word root as pencil, it actually comes from the Old French ‘pene’ meaning ‘quill pen’ or ‘feather’, which in turn comes from the L...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for September is stationery. Stationery comes from the Latin ‘stationarius’ which means ‘tradesman who sells from a station or shop’. The word was first used to describe ‘the articles sold by a stationer’ in 1727. Our first stationery-themed word is pencil. A pencil is a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement. The word entered English in the mid-fourteenth century as ‘pencel’ and was used to describe a type of fine brush made of camel hair which was used by artists. ‘Pencel’ comes from the Old French ‘pincel’ which comes from the Latin ‘pencillus&r...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. So far we’ve looked at the words daisy, tulip, and carnation—our final...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. So far we’ve looked at the words daisy and tulip—today’s word is carnation...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. Last week we looked at the word daisy, and today’s word is tulip. A tulip is ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for August is flowers. The word flower entered English around 1200 as ‘flour’ (with spelling variants including ‘flur’, ‘flor’, ‘floer’, ‘flor’, ‘floyer’, and ‘flowre’). It comes from the Old French ‘flor’, from the Latin ‘florem’. The word was used in reference to both blooms and grain until the late fourteenth century, after which the spellings ‘flower’ and ‘flour’ were used to differentiate between the two. For our first flower, we’ve decided to look at the word daisy. A daisy is a common European ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is fruit. The word fruit dates back to the late-twelfth century when it was used to mean ‘any vegetable product useful to humans or animals’. It entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘fructus’ meaning ‘an enjoyment, delight, or satisfaction’ as well as ‘proceeds, produce, fruit, and crops’. The word took on its modern meaning in the early thirteenth century. So far we’ve looked at the words banana, pineapple, plum, and pomegranate —today’s word is cherry. A cherry is a small round fruit with a si...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is fruit. The word fruit dates back to the late-twelfth century when it was used to mean ‘any vegetable product useful to humans or animals’. It entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘fructus’ meaning ‘an enjoyment, delight, or satisfaction’ as well as ‘proceeds, produce, fruit, and crops’. The word took on its modern meaning in the early thirteenth century. So far we’ve looked at the words banana, pineapple, and plum. Today’s word is pomegranate. A pomegranate is a type of fruit known for its juicy red pulp and many tiny ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is fruit. The word fruit dates back to the late-twelfth century when it was used to mean ‘any vegetable product useful to humans or animals’. It entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘fructus’ meaning ‘an enjoyment, delight, or satisfaction’ as well as ‘proceeds, produce, fruit, and crops’. The word took on its modern meaning in the early thirteenth century. So far we’ve looked at the words banana and pineapple, —today’s word is plum. A plum is an oval fruit with smooth skin and a single hard s...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is fruit. The word fruit dates back to the late-twelfth century when it was used to mean ‘any vegetable product useful to humans or animals’. It entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘fructus’ meaning ‘an enjoyment, delight, or satisfaction’ as well as ‘proceeds, produce, fruit, and crops’. The word took on its modern meaning in the early thirteenth century. So far we’ve looked at the word banana, and today’s word is pineapple. A pineapple is a large sweet fleshy tropical fruit with a tuft of stiff pointed leaves. What&rsqu...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for July is fruit. The word fruit dates back to the late-twelfth century when it was used to mean ‘any vegetable product useful to humans or animals’. It entered English via Old French and comes from the Latin ‘fructus’ meaning ‘an enjoyment, delight, or satisfaction’ as well as ‘proceeds, produce, fruit, and crops’. The word took on its modern meaning in the early thirteenth century. Our first fruit-themed word is banana. A banana is a long curved fruit which grows in clusters. It is green when growing and turns yellow as it ripens. The fruit is known for its soft sweet flesh. Ba...
It’s time for our final sports-themed Word for Wednesday article. The Spellzone dictionary defines sport as ‘an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition’. The word dates to the early-fifteenth century when it meant ‘pleasant pastime’. Sport was a shortening of the Anglo-French ‘disport’ meaning ‘activity that offers amusement or reaction’. So far, we’ve looked at the words badminton, tennis, and hockey. Our chosen word today is lacrosse. Lacrosse is based on games played within many North American Indigenous communities and is the oldest organised sport playe...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is sports. The Spellzone dictionary defines sport as ‘an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition’. The word dates to the early-fifteenth century when it meant ‘pleasant pastime’. Sport was a shortening of the Anglo-French ‘disport’ meaning ‘activity that offers amusement or reaction’. So far we’ve looked at the words badminton and tennis and today’s word of the week is hockey. Hockey is a game in which two opposing teams use curved sticks to drive a ball into the opponents’ net. The ...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is sports. The Spellzone dictionary defines sport as ‘an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition’. The word dates to the early-fifteenth century when it meant ‘pleasant pastime’. Sport was a shortening of the Anglo-French ‘disport’ meaning ‘activity that offers amusement or reaction’. Last we looked at the word badminton, and today’s word of the week is tennis. Tennis is a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court. The word tennis entered...
Our Word for Wednesday theme for June is sports. The Spellzone dictionary defines sport as ‘an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition’. The word dates to the early-fifteenth century when it meant ‘pleasant pastime’. Sport was a shortening of the Anglo-French ‘disport’ meaning ‘activity that offers amusement or reaction’. Our first sports-themed word of the month is badminton. Badminton is a court-based game in which players use light long-handled rackets to volley a shuttlecock over a net. While people also play on indoor courts (so that the game is not affected by wind conditions), badminton is ...
For the month of May, we have chosen musical instruments as the theme for our Word for Wednesday posts. The word music entered English in the thirteenth century as ‘musike’ via the Old French ‘musique’ and the Latin ‘musica’ meaning ‘music or poetry’. ‘Musica’ is from the Greek ‘mousikē’ which means ‘art of the muses’. So far in our exploration into where musical instruments get their names from, we’ve looked at the words piano, guitar, and drum. The final musical instrument in our series is the saxophone. A saxophone is a met...
For the month of May, we have chosen musical instruments as the theme for our Word for Wednesday posts. The word music entered English in the thirteenth century as ‘musike’ via the Old French ‘musique’ and the Latin ‘musica’ meaning ‘music or poetry’. ‘Musica’ is from the Greek ‘mousikē’ which means ‘art of the muses’. So far in our exploration into where musical instruments get their names from, we’ve looked at the words piano and guitar. Today’s word is drum. A drum is a percussion instrument which usually consists of a hollow cy...
What does each word mean? A loan is something that is lent to someone with the expectation that it will be paid back with interest. The word can also be used to describe the act of lending. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is loan used in some example sentences: She applied for a student loan. The bank loaned them money for a mortgage. Lone is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is solitary or single. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is lone used in some example sentences: The lone cloud m...
For the month of May, we have chosen musical instruments as the theme for our Word for Wednesday posts. The word music entered English in the thirteenth century as ‘musike’ via the Old French ‘musique’ and the Latin ‘musica’ meaning ‘music or poetry’. ‘Musica’ is from the Greek ‘mousikē’ which means ‘art of the muses’. Last week we looked at the word piano and today we will be looking at the word guitar. A guitar is a stringed instrument with curved sides and a fretted fingerboard. It usually has six or twelve strings which are plucked or strummed (...
For the month of May, we have chosen musical instruments as the theme for our Word for Wednesday posts. The word music entered English in the thirteenth century as ‘musike’ via the Old French ‘musique’ and the Latin ‘musica’ meaning ‘music or poetry’. ‘Musica’ is from the Greek ‘mousikē’ which means ‘art of the muses’. The first instrument we’ve chosen to look at is piano. A piano is the keyboard instrument which is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings in order to make sounds. In music, the word also means soft or quiet. The w...
Our chosen theme for April's Word for Wednesday posts is animals. So far we’ve looked at rhinoceros, ostrich, and python. The word animal has been used in English to describe sentient living creatures since the early fourteenth century, before which the word beast was more common. It comes from the Latin 'animale' meaning ‘being which breathes’, from ‘anima’ which means ‘breath’ or ‘soul’. So far we’ve looked at the word origins of rhinoceros, ostrich, python, and flamingo. For our final animal-themed Word for Wednesday post, our chosen w...
Our chosen theme for April's Word for Wednesday posts is animals. So far we’ve looked at rhinoceros, ostrich, and python. The word animal has been used in English to describe sentient living creatures since the early fourteenth century, before which the word beast was more common. It comes from the Latin 'animale' meaning ‘being which breathes’, from ‘anima’ which means ‘breath’ or ‘soul’. This week we’ve got another bird word for you – flamingo. These iconic wading birds are known for their bright pink or scarlet plumage, long legs, and neck....
Our chosen theme for April's Word for Wednesday posts is animals. The word animal has been used in English to describe sentient living creatures since the early fourteenth century, before which the word beast was more common. It comes from the Latin 'animale' meaning ‘being which breathes’, from ‘anima’ which means ‘breath’ or ‘soul’. So far we’ve looked at the rhinoceros and the ostrich. Today’s animal is the python. A python is a large non-venomous snake known for killing its prey by constriction and asphyxiation. Pythons have flecked skin and long for...
Our chosen theme for April's Word for Wednesday posts is animals. The word animal has been used in English to describe sentient living creatures since the early fourteenth century, before which the word beast was more common. It comes from the Latin 'animale' meaning ‘being which breathes’, from ‘anima’ which means ‘breath’ or ‘soul’. Last week, we explored the origins of the word rhinoceros and this week’s animal is rather different looking. Today, our chosen word is ostrich. Ostriches are the largest living birds, known for their speed, long necks, and two-toed feet. Today, wild ostriches...
Our chosen theme for April's Word for Wednesday posts is animals. The word animal has been used in English to describe sentient living creatures since the early fourteenth century, before which the word beast was more common. It comes from the Latin 'animale' meaning ‘being which breathes’, from ‘anima’ which means ‘breath’ or ‘soul’. Over the next few weeks, we will look at a range of animals and the origins of their names. Starting with…rhinoceros! Native to Africa and southern Asia, the rhinoceros is a large mammal known for the one or two horns on its nose. It is heavily built and has thick fold...
For the month of March, we are theming our Word for Wednesday blog posts around types of punctuation. So far we have looked at the words apostrophe, parenthesis, and comma. This week’s word is hyphen. A hyphen is a short dash which is used to link words together. There are three main situations in which hyphens are used: in compound words, when adding a prefix to another word, and to denote word breaks. A compound word is a word that is made up of two or more other words. Hyphens are often used in compound words either to show that when the included words are together they have a combined meaning, or to show the relationship between ...
For the month of March, we are theming our Word for Wednesday blog posts around types of punctuation. So far we have looked at the word apostrophe and the word parenthesis. This week’s word is comma. Commas have a variety of functions yet many people are uncertain of how to use them. The main purpose of a comma is to clarify meaning by grouping together specific parts of the sentence. Each group within the sentence is separated by a comma which marks a slight break. One tip that teachers often use when teaching students how to read is to pause for one beat when there is a comma and pause for two beats at the end of a sentence. In this blog post, we...
For the month of March, we are theming our Word for Wednesday blog posts around types of punctuation. Last week we chose the word apostrophe, and our word this week is parenthesis. A parenthesis is a word or phrase inserted into a grammatically-complete sentence as an explanation or afterthought. The sentence would still make sense if the parenthesis was removed. There are three main punctuation marks used to mark of a parenthesis: Round brackets Daisy’s parents (Sally and James) are visiting France next month. Spellzone users have access to a variety of word lists (word lists, spelling tests, etc.). 2. Em dashes (...
What does each word mean? Threw is the past tense formation of the word throw, which describes the act of propelling something into the air. Throw is also used figuratively to refer to the act of entering an emotional state (like a tantrum) and the act of planning and hosting a celebration. It is also the verb used to describe the action of creating ceramics on a pottery wheel. Here is threw used in some example sentences: The girls threw the ball back and forth. The child threw a tantrum. The ventriloquist threw her voice and made everyone think the puppet was talking. We threw my dad a party for his seventieth birthday. The first pot I threw was ...
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...
Happy Leap Day! Here’s our February Round-Up: - This month’s pair of Commonly Confused Words were complement and compliment. Not sure the difference? Click here for tips and tricks to help you tell them apart. - With Valentine’s Day falling in the middle of the month, what word could we choose for our 10 Words feature but love? Whether you’re looking to describe romantic love, familial love, or platonic love; we’ve got the word for you. - This month we also returned to our Idioms series with a list of idioms about thought and memory. Can you think of any others? - Does Spring still feel too far away? Get yourself ready with our n...
Last week we looked at the origins of the word language and today we’re going to continue on that theme with the word idiom. Idioms are an expressive way of using language. They are combinations of word which have a figurative meaning that is separate for the actual definitions of the words used. Here are some examples of idioms and what they mean: 1) fly on the wall an unnoticed witness I’d love to be a fly on the wall when she finally tells them the truth. 2) storm in a teacup a small occurrence exaggerated out of proportion All this outrage seems like a storm in a teacu...
There are an estimated 6000 languages spoken around the world and 43% are endangered. In February 2000, the first International Mother Language Day was marked and it has been observed every year since. This year the event takes place on February 21. Here is what the UN writes about the day on their website: ‘Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to 'encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire so...
Tomorrow – February 13 – marks World Radio Day and this year’s theme is diversity. Here is what UNESCO writes about this day on their website: “Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the div...
A salary is a regular payment made by an employer to an employee. Though a salary is usually paid in monthly instalments, it is referred to as an annual sum. Here is salary used in some example sentences: Her first job after university had a salary of £18000. She used a calculator to work out her take-home salary. Her pension contributions came straight out of her salary. She was looking for a salaried role. Salary dates to the late-thirteenth century and entered English via the Old French ‘salaire’. The word comes from the Latin ‘salarium’ which means ‘allowance’ or ‘stipend’ – ...
What does each word mean? A complement is something that is added to another thing in order to complete it or make it perfect. The word can also be used as a verb to describe the act of completing or perfecting one thing by adding something else to it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of complement. Here is complement used in some example sentences: Do you think the colours green and pink complement each other? My new handbag will complement my shoes nicely. This wine is the perfect complement for our dinner. A compliment is a remark or action that expresses praise and admiration. The word can also be used to desc...
How has your first month of 2020 been? Here's what we got up to this month: We began the year by sharing 20 steps you can take to help you improve your spelling this year. If you haven’t thought about your New Year’s resolutions since January 1st (or if you haven’t thought about them at all), it’s not too late. You’ve got eleven months left to achieve. Take your first step today – find part one of our list here and part two here. This month we returned to our Commonly Confused Words series and looked at the words peace and piece. Click here for some brilliant mnemonics to help you remember how to spell each of these words. ...
For today’s Word for Wednesday, we’re going to look at one of the English language’s weird and wonderful discrepancies. The word in question: noon. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, noon refers to twelve o’clock in the middle of the day. Noon comes from the Old English ‘non’ which has been used in English since the mid-twelfth century. But the word ‘non’ – and here’s where it gets strange – comes from the Latin ‘nona hora’ meaning ‘ninth hour’ (in reference to the ninth hour after sunrise). Before the twelfth century, the word was used in reference to middle of the afternoon –&...
Friday January 24th January marks International Day of Education. The word education is used to describe the activities of imparting or acquiring knowledge or skill, usually in a formal setting like school or university. International Day of Education honours ‘education and its centrality to human well-being and sustainable development.’ Education is a human right that offers children ‘a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future’. Despite this, ‘about 265 million children and adolescents around the world do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40%...
What does each word mean? Peace is the absence of stress or freedom from dispute. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is peace used in some example sentences: Mum wanted was to drink her tea in peace. A short period of peace was followed by further battle. The world leaders tried to negotiate peace. A piece a segment or part of an object. The word might also be used to describe an artistic creation, a coin of a specific value, a firearm, or a counter in a boardgame. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is piece used in some example sentences: Would you like a piece of pie?...
Do you know the term ‘star-crossed’? You may have come across it in the opening of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: Chorus: Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. Romeo And Juliet Prologue, 1–8 If you are 'star-crossed' it means you are doomed. In Romeo and Juliet, you find out how the story ends right in the...
New year, new you – a phrase that you hear used a lot at this time of year. Many companies – including us – have shared articles about goal setting. Your friends and family members might be setting resolutions of their own. Perhaps you have one or two ideas about what you want to achieve this year. The word declutter is something else you hear quite a lot during the first part of the year. While it’s usually used around spring cleaning season, many people like to get ahead of the game. Decluttering describes the act of getting rid of unnecessary items from a (usually messy or overcrowded) space. Last year, on National Clean Off Your Desk Day, we...
Cava? Prosecco? Champagne? Or maybe just a cup of tea? What did you ring in the new year with? Champagne is a white sparkling wine that is exclusively produced in the French region with the same name. The word dates to the 1660s and is short for ‘vin de Champagne’ which translates to ‘wine made in Champagne’. While officially only wine from this region can be labelled Champagne, people have been using the word to refer to all sparkling wines since the late eighteenth century. Prosecco is a sparkling white wine made in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy, and cava refers to sparking wines made in Spain. Champagne literally means ‘open co...
Merry Christmas to all our course subscribers and blog readers! Whatever you are doing, we hope you are having a lovely day. Here is a list of the Christmassy Words for Wednesday we’ve shared over the years: December 'Decem' is Latin for 'ten', so why is it the twelfth month of the year that’s called December? Advent Is advent a period of anticipation or a period of reflection? Pudding Christmas puddings may be delicious, but the origins of this word are less appealing... Reindeer How long have these creatures been a part of Christmas mythology? Trim Trim is a Janus word, which me...
'On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree!' Although this bird takes centre stage in the famous Twelve Days of Christmas song, partridge is not a word you hear very often during the rest of the year. The twelve days in the song begin on Christmas Day and end on Twelfth Night (the evening of the fifth of January and the eve of Epiphany). While the song’s origins are unknown, the E...
Have you noticed a Christmas theme in our Word for Wednesday posts? Last week we looked at the word trim, and today’s word is something you might use when trimming your tree: tinsel. Tinsel is a type of Christmas decoration made up of strips of shiny metal foil attached to a thread. Used during the Christmas season to adorn everything from trees, to picture frames, to ponytails; tinsel is often a divisive subject. While some love it, others deem it gaudy. In fact, the word is sometimes used figuratively to describe something that is superficially glamorous but ultimately cheap. Here is the word used in some example sentences: Every Christmas th...
Do you celebrate Christmas? Have you trimmed your Christmas tree yet? Today’s Word for Wednesday is a Janus word (also known as a contranym or auto antonym). This means it has two contradictory meanings. The term is named for the god of beginnings Janus, whose image – usually depicted with two heads, one looking back into the past and the other looking forward into the future – is often found carved over doorways and gates. In the context of Christmas, trim means ‘to decorate’ or ‘to adorn’. For example: Each year the family gathers to trim the Christmas tree. For Christmas dinner, we had turkey with all the trimmi...
Commonly Confused Words: Waist vs. Waste Since we didn’t fit one in in October, we started November by adding to our Commonly Confusing Words series. This month’s words were waist and waste. One of these words refers to rubbish while the other one is a a part of the body – do you know which? Click here for tips and tricks to help you tell them apart. 25 Idioms about Earth In November, we finally finished our collection of blog posts on idioms about the four elements. In this article we look idioms about both the planet earth and the earth on the ground. Click here to learn the meanings of expressions like ‘down to earth’, ‘salt of t...
Thanksgiving and similarly-named festivals are celebrated in various countries to give thanks for the harvest and the blessings of the previous year. The date of the celebration changes from country to country and from year to year, and tomorrow – as the fourth Thursday of November – marks the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States of America. In America, Thanksgiving celebrations are the beginning of the festive period leading up to Christmas. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated by sharing a large turkey dinner with friends or family, with each person reflecting in turn on what they are thankful for. There are often parades in large cities. The phrase thank y...
Although the Spellzone course was written in the UK, it covers both British English and American English spellings. The different spellings of a words are highlighted throughout the course, and you can choose whether you would prefer to take a British English or an American English version of a test. Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spellings, and here for more detailed information. It’s not just spellings you need to watch out for though! Some words have different meanings depending on whether they are used in an American English or a British English context. The word ‘pants’ in American English, for exa...
Nice. It’s probably one of the most-used words in the English language. Chances are you’ve been advised not to use it by a teacher. I wouldn’t be surprised if we feature it for one of our 10 Words blog posts in the future. If something is nice, it is ‘pleasant’. You can read the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word here. Here is nice used in some example sentences: The weather is supposed be nice this weekend. He wasn’t very nice to his parents. Last week we looked at the word 'kind', which originally meant ‘treating someone like family’, and it's quite easy to im...
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...
What does each word mean? Your waist is where your body narrows slightly between your ribs and hips. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is waist used in some example sentences: He loved the jeans but they were the wrong waist size. She tied a belt around her waist. Waste refers to an activity that is useless or profitless, the careless use of goods, or materials that are unused or worthless. The word is used as a verb to describe becoming physically weaker or using something inappropriately. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is waste used in ...
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...
20 Idioms About Air Autumnal October, with its crisp chilly air, seemed like the perfect season to continue with our series of idioms about the four elements. From castles in the air, to airing your dirty laundry, to walking on air, this article translates a variety of idioms about air into plain English. If you’re interested in other idioms about the four elements, click here for idioms about fire and here for idioms about water. And – of course – keep your eyes for the final instalment: idioms about earth. 10 Word for…ANGRY In September we continued with our 10 Words blog feature by sharing alternatives to the word 'angry'. In these...
With one more day until Halloween, how could we resist choosing a scary Word for Wednesday? Today the word aghast might be used to describe someone who is struck with fear or dread. Here is the word used in some example sentences: He was aghast when he heard the news. The public were aghast to read about the horrific treatment of prisoners in the journalist’s exposé. Around 1300, the word 'agast’, meaning 'terrified' or 'suddenly filled with frightened amazement' started being used in English. It came from the Old English ‘gæsten’ meani...
What does the word genuine have in common with your knee? More than you might think! The Spellzone dictionary defines genuine as ‘sincerely felt or expressed’ or ‘not fake or counterfeit’. Here is the word used in some example sentences: It is vital to check that your news sources are genuine. She felt genuine affection towards her new puppy. He wanted to know if the belt was made of genuine leather. The word has been used in English since the 1590s and comes from the Latin ‘genuinus’ meaning ‘native, natural, innate’. Those who know the word ‘genuflect’ may be able to guess at...
Some of the words we look at in our Word for Wednesday feature are hundreds of years old, while others began appearing in the English language much more recently. One newer word that’s been cropping up on the news and in conversations a lot this year is vape. Vape is a verb used to describe the act of inhaling and exhaling vapour from an electronic cigarette. The word can also be used as a noun in reference to the electronic cigarette itself, similarly to how a ‘cigarette’ is sometimes called a ‘smoke’. Other terms for these types of devices include ‘e-cigarette’ and ‘e-cig’. There are nearly three million people vaping ...
The recent bad weather in England has got us thinking about the word flood. A flood is when water overflows and submerges land that is normally dry. While the word is normally used in reference to the weather, it can also be used to describe an overwhelming amount of something fluid or intangible (for example, memories, information, or tears). Flood comes from the Old English ‘flōd’ which in turn comes from the Proto-Germanic ‘floduz’ meaning ‘flowing water or deluge’. The word has been used metaphorically to mean ‘sudden abundance’ since the mid-fourteenth century. From floods of tears, to being flooded with memories, to o...
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...
Back to School Whether you’re a teacher, student, or parent, we hope you had a restful summer and are now enjoying the new school term. If you’re looking to change up your lesson plans or get to grips with spelling this year, Spellzone is the course for you. Spellzone is an online English spelling resource used by students aged seven to adult. It unlocks the mystery of English spelling and is adaptable for all abilities including students learning English as a foreign language and those with dyslexia. Want to find out more about how to integrate the course into your studies? This month we shared some of our favourite back-to-school blog posts from the ar...
Depending on the type of English you speak, you may not have heard of this word. Even if you have come across it written down, you may be wondering how on earth it’s pronounced. Queue is the British English word for a line of people or vehicles and is pronounced like the letter ‘q’. In American English, you would describe someone or something as ‘waiting in line’ instead. You can find the Spellzone dictionary definition of the word the word queue plus a recording of how to pronounce it here. In the sixteenth century the word was a heraldic term for the ‘tail of a beast’. The word was also a Middle English metaphor for a ‘line of dan...
What does each word mean? If you allude to something, it means you are making a disguised reference to it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is allude used in some example sentences: She alluded to who she was talking about without mentioning a name. The novel alludes to current politics. If you elude something, you avoid, evade, or escape from it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is elude used in some example sentences: She managed to elude capture. Sleep had eluded him for some nights now. Where does each word come from? Both of t...
Ahoy, me hearties! As you may know, tomorrow is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. The celebration was founded over twenty years ago in 1995 and is a fun way to raise money for charities by dressing up and talking like pirates. While participants are certainly not advised to take part in any of the gruesome aspects of piracy (no pillaging or plundering, please!), toy sword fights and elaborate costumes are widely encouraged. As well as, of course, showing off your best pirate lingo. While historically, there have been many different pirate dialects, children’s’ stories and franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean have promoted certain words and stereotypes – ...
How strange that, in all our years of writing Word for Wednesday posts, we’ve never featured the word spelling. A few years ago, we discovered that the word grammar has links to magic – and of course the word spelling does too (magic spell, anyone?). The word dates to the 1660s when it meant ‘manner of forming words with letters’ and came from the Old English spell- and the suffix -ing. The word evolved to mean 'the way a word has been spelled' by the 1730s. In Old English, spell meant ‘story’ and came from the Proto Germanic ‘spellam’. Around 1200 the word spell took on the meaning ‘utterance’ and late...
For some reason, even though it’s been many years since I finished school, I still associate September with fresh starts. There’s something about the evenings falling slightly earlier each day and the tiniest chill to the summer air that makes me want to knuckle down and achieve my goals before the end of the year. Those of you who speak French, may have noticed that ‘sept’ is the French word for ‘seven’ – a little strange perhaps given that September is the ninth month of the year. This is because until around 700 BC, when the second King of Rome Numa Pompilius added January and February, the Roman calendar was made up of ten ‘officia...
A New Blog Feature Welcome to our new 10 Words blog feature designed to help you expand your vocabulary. In each article we’ll choose a word and give you 10 other words you might be able to use in its place. Maybe you’re learning English, or maybe you’re just bored of using the same words over and over again – either way this series is sure to help. You may also be interested in our three tips for expanding your vocabulary. To kick off the series, we’ve chose the word happy. Click here for more. Commonly Confused Words This month, for our Commonly Confused Words post, we looked at the words enquire and inquire. Though ...
August is drawing to a close and to get you prepared for the start of the academic year in just a few day’s time, we’ve chosen a school-related word for this week’s Word for Wednesday. The word pupil has two meanings. It can be used to describe a school student and the dark circle at the centre of the iris in an eye. Although not all homonyms have the same origin, both versions of the word pupil derive from the Latin ‘pupilla’ meaning ‘doll’. While it’s not too difficult to see how the meaning of pupil might have evolved from doll, to child, to schoolchild, to student; you might be wondering where the eye-related meaning comes into the...
As we enter the last couple of weeks of the summer holidays, some of you will be practising getting back into your routines before school starts. After all you want to be ready to learn (or teach) – and not groggy – on that first morning back in the classroom. The word groggy is used to describe someone who is stunned, dazed, or unsteady usually from lack of sleep, illness, injury, or intoxication. Coined from grog and the suffix -y, and first used around 1770, groggy referred to someone in a state of drunkenness that caused them to stagger or stumble. Grog was rum diluted with water and rumoured to be named for Admiral Edward Vernon who ordered it to be served to his sa...
What does each word mean? Historically, the distinction between the verbs enquire and inquire is that enquire is used to mean ‘ask’ in the wider sense, while inquire is reserved for formal investigations. In modern usage, however, enquire (and the noun enquiry) are more commonly found in British English and inquire (and the noun inquiry) are more commonly found in in American English. Click here to see the Spellzone dictionary definition of enquire and here for the vocabulary lists related to the word. Click here to see the Spellzone dictionary definition of inquire and here for the vocabulary lists related to the word. Here are both words used in some exa...
It doesn’t seem like such a stretch to assume the word nightmare is related to the English word mare which means 'female horse'. With ghost stories like that of the headless horseman, it doesn’t seem implausible that among the many weird connections and quirks in the English language there might be one about horses and sleeping. The mare in nightmare actually comes from the Proto-Germanic ‘maron’ meaning ‘goblin’. In German folklore a mare was an evil female spirit or goblin-like creature who suffocated men in their sleep. Another archaic word for nightmare is incubus which is also the name of a mythological male demon who was believ...
Trivia is a word used to describe information that is of little importance or consequence. You may have heard the term used in reference to quiz games. What’s interesting about the word trivia is that, compared to most of the words we look at in our Word for Wednesday feature, it isn’t that old. Trivialities, bits of information of little consequence was a book first published in 1902 and made popular when it was rereleased in 1918. A follow-up More Trivia was released in 1921 and by 1932 the word trivia was widely used in the English language. Both books were published as a collected edition in 1933. Later, in the 1960s, college students began informally quizzi...
British English or American English? The internet means choosing whether to use American spelling or English spelling no longer just depends on what country you live in. More and more people work with colleagues from all over the world and different institutes, organisations, and publications have different style guides. This means it is likely that you will have to change between American and British spelling every now and then. In this article, to celebrate American Independence Day, we shared three of our favourite articles on American English from the archive. Commonly Confused Words July took us back to our Commonly Confused Words series. For vs. Fore vs. Four ...
Yesterday marked International Day of Friendship and to celebrate we’ve picked companion for this week’s Word for Wednesday. Friendship days are marked all over the world. Loved ones are honoured with gifts, cards, and friendship bracelets. In 2011, the UN General Assembly declared July 30 as International Day of Friendship with ‘the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.’ So why have we chosen the word companion and not friend as this week’s word? Honestly – because we think it has a more interesting origin. The word dates back to aroun...
In a rush? Not sure what to have for lunch? You probably can’t go too wrong with a sandwich. We get the word for this convenient lunchtime staple from John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Said to be a keen gambler, the Earl of Sandwich supposedly ate slices of cold meat between bread at the gaming table instead of full meals. It's speculated that this was so that he didn’t have to stop to eat and so that that he didn’t get his playing cards dirty from the greasy meat. His friends then began ordering ‘the same as sandwich’ and from there the story of the sandwich as we know it now evolved. The word date backs to 1762 and the account ...
What does each word mean? Bath is a noun used to describe the process of washing by immersing oneself in hot water, as well as the vessel used to contain the water. In British English the word may also be used to refer to a building that contains public swimming or spa facilities, while in American English the word is sometimes used as a shorthand for a bathroom. In British English, the word is also used as a verb to describe the act of washing oneself or someone else by immersion in a tub of water. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is bath used in some example sentences: He preferred baths to showers. The bat...
All over the internet, people are celebrating World Emoji Day – so what better choice could there be for our Word for Wednesday? World Emoji Day was launched by Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge in 2014, though people sometimes posted the calendar emoji on July 17 before then. This is because July 17 is the date shown on most calendar emojis – though Facebook shows May 14, founder Mark Zuckerberg’s birthday instead. Emojipedia is searched over 25 million times a month and the team there work on updating emoji definitions, tracking the changes to emoji definitions, and keeping up with the latest emoji definitions. Click here to find out some interesting stastics. ...
Although this week's pair of words have slightly different meanings, many people use them interchangebly. Scroll down to find out more. What does each word mean? If you assume something, you suppose it to be true without having proof or you take control of it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is assume used in some example sentences: He’d always assumed her hair was naturally blonde. You shouldn’t assume you will enjoy a book just because you like the cover. The supply teacher assumed responsibility of the classroom. Here are all the Spellzone study lists related to the word assume....
It would be interesting to ask different people what their first association with the word stream is. For me, the first thing that comes to mind is Netflix. Others, I’m sure, will think of small narrow rivers, or associate the word with the flow of people or air or smoke. Literary friends might think of stream of consciousness. In Old English, stream referred to a ‘course of water’ and in the twelfth century, the word started being used to describe ‘anything issuing from a source and flowing continuously’. Stream isn’t the only water-related word that has been borrowed in reference to technology – in the early days of the internet, ...
What does each word mean? For is a preposition used to describe one thing in relation to another thing. It means ‘in support of’, ‘with regard to’, ‘on behalf of’, ‘with benefit to’ and more. Here is for used in some example sentences: She voted for the Green Party. After the way the teacher dealt with the bullying at school, the parents and children found they had a renewed sense of respect for her. She was a delivery driver for the new pizza joint in town. The Spellzone course is a powerful tool for leaning. He was grateful to his family for their continued support. We leave for Spain to...
The Spellzone dictionary defines the word clue as 'evidence that helps solve a problem'. Indeed, your first association with the word is possibly in the context of playing games. Here is clue used in some example sentences: He begged the quizmaster for a clue. The detective hoped to find a clue that would unlock the case. She hoped a genetic test would give her a clue about her ancestry. Clue is a spelling variant of the word ‘clew’ which also means ‘a ball of thread’. If you’re wondering what a ball of string has in common with a hint, here’s a clue: the answer lies in Greek...
Fifty Idioms to Describe People We began this month by sharing part two of our list of 50 idioms used to describe people. You can read part one here. 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 so we hope our regular idiom lists help our second-language students make sense of some confusing translations. You can find more of our idiom lists on our blog archive. Make the Most Out of Your Spellzone Subscription The Spellzone website is full of great resources – from the courses themselves, to our spelling games, to our ...
The Spellzone dictionary defines ‘coward’ as ‘a person who shows fear or timidity’. Here is the word ‘coward’ used in some example sentences: Instead of defending what was right, the politician behaved in a cowardly manner. She accused her friend of being a coward for not wanting to ride on the rollercoaster. In the mid-thirteenth century, the accusation was saved for those with an unwillingness to face peril or injury. It comes from the Anglo-French ‘couard’, from the Old French ‘coart’. The word is probably a metaphorical reflection of an animal – ‘coart’ comes from the Italia...
1) Sign up for a free trial The best way to find out if Spellzone is right for your school is by signing up for a free 30-day trial. The free trial will give you access to all our resources. Find out more here. 2) Talk to your colleagues If your school is subscribed to Spellzone, it’s a great idea to get as many of your colleagues involved as possible. We offer site licenses covering up to 1200 learners and the more students you sign up, the cheaper the course is per head. Learn more about developing a whole-school spelling policy here. 3) Sign up for a free online demo Once you’ve got yo...
I am not a cricket person, but my family are a cricket family. This means that for the duration of the World Cup my family group chat will read more like a sports commentary. Since I was Googling the rules of the game anyway, I thought I might as well investigate the origins of the word too. Cricket is a homonym – it has multiple meanings. In one context it describes a grasshopper-like insect, and in another it refers to the ball game my family are so obsessed with. The word is also sometimes used to describe a type of footstool. In reference to the insect, cricket dates back to around 1500 and comes from the Old French ‘criquer’ meaning ‘to creak , rattle, crac...
Although it may be June, here in England it doesn’t feel like summer. With flood and thunderstorm warnings, and disruption on our roads and railways, this rain is more of a downpour than a shower. Still, it got us thinking about the word shower itself. While most of us probably associate showers with bathing before we do with rain, the word didn’t take on this meaning until 1859 (when it was first used as an abbreviation for shower-bath – a word attested from 1803). Shower comes from the Old English ‘scur’ meaning ‘a short fall of rain, storm, tempest; fall of missiles or blows; struggle, commotion; breeze’. It has been used metaphoricall...
When in doubt – consult a dictionary! Whether you end up with a physical book, a dictionary website, or an app that you can use without drawing too much attention to yourself, we believe that finding the right dictionary for your lifestyle is an essential part of good spelling practice. The word for this type of alphabetical reference book dates back to the 1520s and comes from the Medieval Latin dictionarium which means ‘collection of words and phrases’ and is probably a shortening of dictionarius which means ‘of words’. The PIE root of this word is deik which means ‘to show’ or ‘pronounce solemnly’. ...
The word election describes a formal vote that takes place in order to select someone for a political office or other position. From tomorrow until May 26th, all 28 Member States of the European Union will be holding elections to the European Parliament. You can find the full Spellzone dictionary definition of election here. Election is one of many examples that demonstrates how connected English is to other languages from Europe and the rest of the world. It first appeared in English around 1300 from the Anglo-French ‘eleccioun’, which in turn came from the Old French ‘elecion’ meaning ‘choice’ or ‘selection’. ‘Elecion&rsq...
What does each word mean? Biweekly means both ‘every two weeks’ and ‘twice a week’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is biweekly used in some example sentences: The club meets biweekly on Mondays and Thursdays. The paper is distributed biweekly, usually in the second and fourth week of the month. Fortnightly is a British English word meaning ‘every two weeks’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is fortnightly used in an example sentence: The paper is distributed fortnightly, usually in the second and fourth week ...
On Monday it was announced that Hollywood legend Doris Day passed away aged 97. As we were reminiscing about her incredible career, we found ourselves wondering about the term Hollywood. Where does it come from? When did it start being used in reference to the film industry? Hollywood, a region near Los Angeles, gets its name from a ranch that once stood on its site. The ranch was named by Deida Wilcox who moved there with her husband Horace H. Wilcox in 1886. They began selling building lots in 1891 and by 1910 barns were being turned into studios. In 1926, three years after the now-iconic Hollywood sign was put up (originally reading ‘Hollywoodland’), the name started ...
This week’s pair of words often cause confusion in the world of business. Read on to find out what each word means and to learn tricks to help you tell them apart. What does each word mean? The adjective biannual describes something that occurs or is payable twice each year. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is biannual used in some example sentences: The theatre company performs a biannual show in the community garden which is free for members of the public to attend. The payment will be due biannually at the discussed rate. The senior staff members met biannually to discuss progress and make plans f...
What does each word mean? If you are discreet it means you are prudent or unobtrusive with your speech and actions in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is discreet used in some example sentences: He tried to cough discreetly so that he didn’t disturb other library users. The actor tried to be discreet about her personal life. His mother always embarrassed him with her inability to be discreet. If something is discrete it means it is separate or distinct. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is discrete...
What does each word mean? A click is a short sharp sound, usually made by operating a switch or pushing a button. As a verb, the word is used to describe the act of making a short sharp sound. Occasionally, click is also used to describe the act of instantly getting on with someone. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is click used in some example sentences: He clicked the mouse twice to open the menu. She clicked on the link to access her spelling list. - The door clicked shut. The couple clicked on their first date. A clique is a small and exclusive group of people. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of...
Earlier this year we celebrated National Pie Day by looking at expressions about pie in the English language. March 14th marks National Pi Day – a very different celebration indeed! Pi Day is a celebration of the mathematical constant Π (pronounced pi). Click here to learn more. Here are Spellzone, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to look at idioms featuring mathematics and numbers. How many can you think of? a million miles away – distracted, lost in thought, daydreaming a stitch in time saves nine – completing a task or solving a problem immediately may save extra work in the future as easy as one-two-three – as easy as counting at sixes a...
March 4th marks National Grammar Day in the United States and to celebrate we're compiling some of our grammar articles from over the years. What exactly is grammar? When we talk about grammar, we are referring to the whole system and structure of a language, the way words are put together to form sentences. Learn more about the history of grammar here. Grammar is often confused with punctuation which is the written marks used to separate sentences in order to clarify meaning. Click here for Spellzone's guide to punctuation. Here are some of our top grammar articles: Clauses A clause is a group of words containing a verb that can either stand alone as a complete...
Last week well looked at two easy-to-confuse words beginning with the letter P - this week, we're looking at two more: perspective and prospective. What does each word mean? Perspective refers to the appearance of things in relation to each other, depending on how far they are from the viewer. The word also describes a person's particular way of looking at a situation. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is perspective used in some example sentences: Although she was only seven years old, her drawings showed that she had an excellent understanding of perspective. The novel was written from the villain's perspective. ...
Commonly Confused Words: Precede vs. Proceed What does each word mean? Precede is a verb that means 'to come before'. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is precede used in some example sentences: Each film will be preceded with an introduction by the filmmaker. She let her friend precede her through the door. The dinner was preceded by canapès on the lawn. Proceed is a verb that means 'to begin or follow a certain course'. The word proceed is also sometimes used to refer to the income or profits from an endeavour. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is pr...
Not to be confused with National Pi Day (which falls on March 14th), January 23rd marks National Pie Day, which has been an annual celebration of pies since the 1970s. The celebration was started in Boulder, Colorado, by nuclear engineer, brewer, and teacher Charlie Papazian who decided his birthday would be called National Pie Day. A pie is a dish baked in a pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top. Common pie fillings include meat and vegetables in a savoury sauce or fruit. You may also have heard Americans refer to pizza as pie ñ this is because pizza is the Italian word for pie. Click here to see the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word and here for the Spellzone...
Have you ever thought about how the space you work in might affect your productivity? While some people thrive in chaos, others find mess or clutter distracting. Tidying can sometimes become a form of procrastination. The second Monday of January marks National Clean Off Your Desk Day in America and this year it falls on January 14th. Wherever in the world you live, here are our three top tips for making sure your workspace is utilised for productivity! Work in the Same Space Every Day While we don't expect you to add an extra study room to your home, you might find it productive to work in the same place every day. Whether that's at a desk, at the dining table, or on the ...
Here at Spellzone, it’s looking even more like Christmas and we’re finding ourselves using certain words that only come out at this time of year! Last week we looked at 5 Christmas-themed words and their origins – here are 5 more: Eggnog Eggnog is a drink made from alcohol (usually rum or brandy) mixed with beaten egg, milk, and sugar. The word ‘nog’ refers to strong ale. It dates to the 1690s when it described an ‘old, strong type of beer brewed in Norfolk’. Merry Like the word ‘tidings’ in last week’s article, the word ‘merry’ pops ups in Christmas songs but seems to hide away for the rest of th...
Punctuation marks have a variety of functions which help make writing as clear as possible. Among other things they are used to indicate when sentences begin and end, when the reader should pause, and what part of the sentence is the most important. While you might feel like using some punctuation marks comes instinctively, others may feel a mystery. In this article we'll look at the correct punctuation to use in specific situations. Abbreviations Should you capitalise an abbreviation? Does it need an apostrophe? What about full stop after it? The appropriate punctuation mark will change depending on the type of abbreviation ñ click here to learn more. Apostrophe Apos...
There are two types of brackets: round brackets and square brackets. Round brackets are used for parenthesis while square brackets are used for clarification. This week, we’ll look at how to use both types of brackets as well as other ways to offset a parenthesis. Parenthesis A parenthesis is a word or phrase inserted into a grammatically-complete sentence as an explanation or afterthought. The sentence would still make sense if the parenthesis was removed. There are three main ways to mark off a parenthesis: Click here to make sure you don’t confuse em dashes with hyphens. Round brackets Daisy’s parents (Sally and James) are visiting France next mo...
What does each word mean? The verb infer refers to the act of correctly guessing or deducing something. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is infer used in some example sentences: She inferred from her friend’s tone that he wasn’t having fun. While it might be tempting infer from tabloid stories that crime is on the rise, it would be better to look at the statistics on the subject before jumping to any conclusions. Imply refers to the act of suggesting or expressing something indirectly and inviting someone to deduce what you mean. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is imply...
Welcome to a new school year! Here are our top tips on how to use Spellzone for lesson plan success: Set the Spelling Ability Test Even if your students are seasoned Spellzone users and you have their activity and results from previous years, it’s still worth setting the Spelling Ability Test to confirm they are at the level you expect. The site will provide a tailored version of the course for each student depending on their results and the gaps in their knowledge. A baseline spelling score will also help to document the student’s progress and achievements. Find out more about how the test works here. Which course is best for your students? Spellzone ...
What does each word mean? Among other things the word capital can refer to a city or town that functions as the seat of government and administrative centre of a country or region, one of the types of alphabetic letters, wealth in the form of money or property, or a centre associated with some activity or product. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is capital used in some example sentences: Spain’s capital city is Madrid. Sentences should begin with a capital letter. The return on invested capital was high. New York boasts a reputation for being the fashion capital of the United States of America. Click here to find the ...
What does each word mean? A hoard is a secret store of valuables or money. As a verb, the word refers to the act of gathering or saving supplies for future use. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is hoard used in some example sentences: While cleaning out his late mother’s house, he found a hoard of old coins. Some animals hoard food for the winter. Click here to find the Spellzone study lists related to the word hoard. The word horde refers to a large group of moving people like a crowd or a nomadic community. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is horde used in an example sent...
July 4th marks Independence Day in America. You can read more about why this day is celebrated here. The internet means choosing whether to use American spelling or English spelling no longer just depends on what country you live in. More and more people work with colleagues from all over the world and different institutes, organisations, and publications have different style guides. This means it is likely that you will have to change between American and British spelling every now and then. While there are some one-offs that are best to learn as you go along (read more about these in Unit 36 of Spellzone), here are six general spelling rules to help you learn the key differences betw...
What does each word mean? By is a preposition that is used to identify who or what performed an action, the means by which something was achieved, the amount or size of a margin, a deadline or the end of a particular time period, the period in which something happens, or the location in relation to what is beside it. As an adverb it means ‘to go past a certain point’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is by used in some example sentences: The damage was caused by a tornado. The house was cleaned by my brother. He got full marks on his spelling test by practising every day. Coursework must be submitted by the end of the...
Last week we looked at the difference between the words ‘heir’ and ‘air’. Here are two very similar words that people also often mix up. What does each word mean? Hairs are thin strands that grow from human and animal skin. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is hair used in some example sentences: Goldilocks is famous for her golden hair. Rapunzel is famous for her extremely long hair. Medusa is famous for having snakes instead of hair. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word hair. A hare is a fast, long-eared mammal similar to but larger than a rabbit. The word is also...
Although we don’t know the exact date of William Shakespeare’s birthday, he was baptised on April 26th 1564. Scholars believe he was probably born on April 23rd, and so every year, on this date, people in the United Kingdom celebrate Shakespeare Day. At Spellzone we’re huge fans of William Shakespeare – so much so that we’ve written about him many times over the years. Indeed, the Bard is a difficult subject to avoid because so many English words, idioms, and expressions were made popular by their appearance in his work. Here are some of our favourite articles and resources on William Shakespeare and his plays: Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare is famo...
What does each word mean? The word balmy is an adjective used to describe mild and pleasant weather. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is balmy used in an example sentence: The weather was unexpectedly balmy. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list using the word balmy. Barmy means mad, crazy, or foolish. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is barmy used in an example sentence: It drives my sister barmy when I leave the television on standby instead of turning it off properly. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list using the word barmy. Where does each word co...
Expose yourself to as many new words as possible If you want to expand your vocabulary, it is important to actively expose yourself to unfamiliar words. One way of doing this is by reading as much as possible. As long as you focus on building your vocabulary, you don’t necessarily have to read books. From food packets, to road signs, to Buzzfeed, we each read a huge variety of words as we go about our day to day lives. We also expose ourselves to words by watching television and online videos, by listening to the radio or podcasts, and in conversations. Try to be conscious of the information you are processing. When you come across a new word, see if you can work out its mea...
What does each word mean? If something is moot, it is open to argument or debate. Moot can also be used to describe something that is insignificant or irrelevant.Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is moot used in an example sentence: It was a moot point. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list using the word moot. The verb mute describes the act of muffling or silencing a noise. As a noun, mute is used to refer to both someone who is unable to speak and something used to soften the sound of an instrument. As an adjective, the word describes someone who is unable to speak. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary defin...
What does each word mean? The word bow describes a number of different things: a curved piece of wood with taut strands that is used to play stringed instruments a weapon for shooting arrows the front of a ship a type of knot formed with loops the act of bending the head, body, or knee either in reverence or at the end of a performance the act of yielding to someone else’s wishes. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is this bow used in some example sentences: The violinist had a lucky bow. She was known for her skill with a bow and arrow. The bow of a ship is designed to reduce the resistance of the hull cutting...
What does each word mean? Alternate means ‘every other or every second’. As a verb, it describes the act of ‘taking turns’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word and here for Spellzone vocabulary lists related to it. Here is alternate used in some example sentences: We Skype on alternate weekends. They alternated between driving and giving directions. In American English, alternate is also used to describe something that is presented as ‘another option’. For example: Would it be possible to schedule our meeting at an alternate time? In British English, however, this use of alternate is consider...
Should I use everyday or every day? If you want to describe something that is ‘common’ or ‘ordinary’, use everyday. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is this adjective used in some example sentences: He was responsible for the everyday household chores like vacuuming and washing up while she took care of the garden. Everyone else was dressed up and I stood out in my everyday jeans and jumper. You can buy everyday items like milk and bread at the corner shop. Click here to find Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word everyday. Every day means ‘daily’. Here is every day used in some ex...
What does each word mean? A conscience is one’s moral sense of right and wrong and is used to guide the way one chooses to conduct themselves. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is conscience used in some example sentences: She wanted to skip her spelling lesson, but her conscience knew this was wrong. He couldn’t let go of his guilty conscience and eventually decided to own up to his crime. Click here to find Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word conscience. The adjective conscious describes the act of being aware of and responding to one’s surroundings. The word can also describe the act of knowing abou...
What does each word mean? If something is bated, it means it is diminished or moderated. The word is rarely used outside of the expression ‘bated breath’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is bated used in some example sentences: He waited with bated breath to see what she would say next. The audience watched with bated breath as the chase scene unfolded. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list including the word bated. If you bait something, it means you are lure, entice, or trap it. If you bait someone, it means you taunt or harass them. If something is bait, it means it is the thing being used to lure or...
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 ...
What does each word mean? If you hear something, it means you are perceiving a sound with your ear. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is hear used in some example sentences: She heard the rumble of the approaching train. Did you hear what happened at the party? She didn’t want to hear what they were saying about her. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word hear. The word here is used by a speaker or writer to refer to the place or position they are currently in. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is here used in some example sentences: We&r...
Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at subject and object and subjective and objective pronouns. In most cases we know whether to use a subjective pronoun or an objective pronoun instinctively, but there are two pairs of pronouns that people often confuse: I vs. me and who vs. whom. This week we’re going to look at when to use who and when to use whom. To learn about when to use I and when to use me, click here. When should you use the word ‘who’? You should use who when the word you are referring to the subject of a sentence. Learn more about subjects and verbs here. Here is who used in some example sentences: The two women, who have known each ot...
What does each word mean? The word curb is a verb used to describe the act of restraining or restricting something. As a noun, the word can also describe the restraint or restriction itself. In American English, curb also refers to the edge between a sidewalk (pavement) and a road. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is curb used in some example sentences: He needs to learn how to curb his temper. In England, there are curbs on watching television without a license. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list including the word curb. In British English, the word kerb describes the raised edge that separates a road from the p...
Happy New Year! Whether you are a regular user of our site or someone who’s just signed up, we hope 2017 will be a great year for improving your spelling. If you’re feeling daunted, perhaps some of these spelling-related New Year’s resolutions might help. In 2016, we launched a new spelling ability test to help users determine the best point to start our spelling course from. Here are some of our other favourite blog posts from over the year: As always we looked pairs and groups of words which are easy to mix up, and we shared tips and tricks to help you remember when to use which word. This year we looked at: aisle vs. isle , affect vs. effect, coarse vs. cours...
One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult to learn is because often the same sound is spelled in a variety of ways. In past blog posts we’ve looked at how to spell the long /a/ sound, the long /e/ sound, and the long /o/ sound. Today, we will look at six ways of spelling the long /i/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent. Just the Letter I Some words spell the long /i/ sound with just the letter i. These words are usually more than one syllable long with the long /i/ sound is in the first syllable. Here are some examples: item idea iron irate crisis final pilot...
One of the reasons why English spelling is so difficult to learn is because often the same sound is spelled in a variety of ways. Click here to read about the different ways to spell the long /e/ sound and here to read about the long /o/ sound. Today, we will look at six ways of spelling the long /a/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent. 1) Just the Letter A Some words spell the long /a/ sound with just the letter a. Here are some examples: acorn apron alien agent basic basin data fatal 2) A – E Words Sometimes, to spell the long /a/ sound, you use an a in the middle of th...
A few weeks ago we looked at seven common ways of spelling the long /e/ sound. Scroll down to read about six ways of spelling the long /o/ sound. Please note the pronunciation of some of the example words may vary depending on accent. Just the Letter O In some cases, the long /o/ sound is spelled with just the letter o. These are often but not always words that are more than one syllable long. Here are some examples of long /o/ words spelled with just the letter o: oval hotel program total yoga no ago gecko O – E Words A very common way of spelling the long /o/ sound is with an o in the middle of the word and an e at t...
What does each word mean? To heal means to recover and become healthy again. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is heal used in some example sentences: He was known for healing mild illnesses with herbal remedies. It took six weeks for her ankle to heal enough for her to go running again. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word heal. A heel the back part of a foot below the ankle. The word is also used to describe the bottom back part of a shoe or sock. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is heel used in some example sentences: These shoes give me bl...
What does each word mean? Draw describes the act of marking paper with pens and pencils and the act of pulling or dragging something. As a noun, draw can mean randomly selecting something, something that attracts people to an event, or an even score at the end of a game. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is draw used in some example sentences: Our teacher has asked us to draw self-portraits for Art. The townspeople draw their water from a well. Let’s draw names out of a hat to decide who will go first. The library is one of the city’s biggest draws. The football match ended in a draw. Click here to find the Spell...
What does each word mean? If something is coarse it is rough or vulgar. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is coarse used in some example sentences: She rubbed coarse sandpaper on the chair before painting it. My aunt has a coarse sense of humour. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists related to the word coarse. A course is the route or direction of something or the way in which something develops. The word is also used to describe each of the successive part of a meal. As a verb, course describes the movement of something in a particular direction. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of t...
What does each word mean? Broach is a verb that means ‘to bring up a topic of discussion’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is broach used in an example sentence: It was a difficult subject to broach, but she finally worked up the courage to ask for a raise. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists featuring the word broach. Brooch, on the other hand, is a noun. The word is used to describe a type of ornament which is pinned onto clothing. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is brooch used in some example sentences: This brooch was passed down to me from my g...
What does each word mean? Cereal is a type of grass which is used to produce edible grains. Examples of cereal grains are rice, corn, and oats. The word is also used to refer to a type of breakfast food prepared from these grains. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is cereal used in some example sentences: Each year the farmers must decide on which cereals to plant. My favourite cereal is Corn Flakes. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists featuring the word cereal. Serial is used to describe something that happens in a series. As a noun, serial refers to a set of programmes that appear at scheduled times. Click he...
What does each word mean? Dual is an adjective used to describe something that has two parts. In British English, it is also occasionally used as a verb to describe the act of converting a road into a dual carriageway. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is dual used in some example sentences: My driving instructor’s car has dual controls. We use dual-language textbooks in our Spanish class. There are plans to dual the road. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists featuring the word dual. A duel is a fight with deadly weapons arranged in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honour. Today, it is mostly used ...
When should I use ‘who’s’ and when should I use ‘whose’? The word who’s is a contraction of who is or who has. 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. Here is who’s used in some example sentences: Do you know who’s coming to the party? Who’s finished their maths homework? Emma, who’s really good at spelling, will be teaching the class today. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists featuring the word who’s. The word whose is used to ask or indicate which person s...
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...
The key to remembering how to spell words with silent letters is, unfortunately, the same as that for remembering all spellings: practise, practise, practise! Here are Spellzone, we know that the ‘Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check’ method of learning and testing spelling provides results, and here are some of our other top spelling tips. Some silent letters were pronounced hundred years ago, but over the years, because the words were difficult to say, some of the sounds died out. Get into the habit of pronouncing silent letters in your head whenever you think of the word. When taking a Spellzone Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check test, click on the loudspeaker icon to hear...
If you have logged into Spellzone recently, you may have noticed a link to the Spelling Ability Test – a new resource we’ve added to make Spellzone even easier to use. What is the Spelling Ability Test? After many requests from both teachers and students, we have a developed the Spelling Ability Test to help students ascertain the best point for them to begin the Spellzone course. The site will provide a tailored version of the course for each student depending on their results and the gaps in their knowledge. A starting spelling score will also help to document the student’s progress and achievements. Who can use the Spelling Ability Test? The Spelling Abi...
Can you believe 2015 is almost over? This year we attended our first awards ceremony, launched a Starter Course, curated a collection of curriculum-based word lists, began offering free online demos, and, of course, shared a variety of tips, tricks, and interesting facts over on the blog. Here are some of our favourite blog posts from over the year: This year we continued looking at pairs and groups of words which are easy to mix up, and we shared tips and tricks to help you remember when to use which word. We looked at: lie vs. lay, a vs. an, stationary vs. stationery, prescribe vs. proscribe, quiet vs. quite, ensure vs. insure, may vs. might, can vs. may, and borrow vs.lend. We al...
Here are our favourite Christmas posts from over the years: Three Popular Christmas Characters In this article we look at how and when the characters Rudolph, Scrooge, and the Grinch entered popular culture. Both ‘Scrooge’ and ‘Grinch’ are now used as words to describe people who share the same qualities as the famous characters, and you can read about other words that derive from the names of people or characters here. What the Dickens? Christmas isn’t Christmas without a little Charles Dickens. If our Christmas Characters post wasn’t detailed enough for your taste, in this article we take a look at words and expressions from Dickens’s ...
We like to make sure you’re getting the most out of our website, so over the years we’ve shared various tips for using Spellzone on the blog (find the full list at the end of this article). However, we understand how busy teaching can get – and that you may not have time to sit down and work your way through all of the resources. This is why we’re introducing our new free online demos. What is a free online demo? Our free online demo gives you the opportunity to learn about Spellzone face-to-face (or screen-to-screen!). During a pre-arranged 45 minute session, we will run through all of Spellzone’s features and answer any questions you and your colleagues ...
Hutton Grammar School in Preston, UK recently became our 500th Twitter follower and to celebrate we gave the school a free one year subscription to Spellzone. Mrs C Gore, Assistant Subject Leader for English and Literacy Coordinator said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been gifted this subscription. This is a wonderful chance for students of all abilities to gain some extra support with the spelling - something that is now ever more important throughout both Key Stage 3 and GCSE levels." "We are looking forward to giving our students the opportunity to use Spellzone both in school and at home and we know that parents will be impressed with the resource just as m...
A semicolon is used to denote a break that has more emphasis than a comma but is less final than a full stop. There are two common circumstances in which it is appropriate to use a semicolon. Use a semicolon between two complete clauses that are not joined by a conjunction. A complete clause is a group of words which contains a verb – i.e. if everything else in the sentence was cut away, the clause would still make sense. In each of the below examples, both clauses would make sense on their own. A semicolon is useful when two complete clauses feel too closely linked to separate into two different sentences. It’s half past twelve; we’re going ...
What does each word mean? The Spellzone dictionary defines ‘prescribe’ as to ‘issue commands or orders for’. Here is prescribe used in some example sentences: The doctor prescribed antibiotics to his patient. My mother prescribes a cup of tea whenever I’m feeling sad. The headteacher is in charge of prescribing the appropriate punishments for misbehaving children. The Spellzone dictionary defines ‘proscribe’ as to ‘command against’. Here is proscribe used in some example sentences: The university administration decided against proscribing the hockey team’s weekly...
Now you’ve seen our exam tips and learned how to create and use word lists, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can test yourself to see how much your spelling has improved. Spellzone offers three testing methods which you can access straight from your word lists. Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check Test This method is a classic when it comes to learning spelling – and with good reason! At Spellzone we believe that learning while using as many senses as possible really helps to fix the spelling of a word into your memory, and the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check method does just this. We encourage our students to really look a word; to notice the shapes of t...
Its been well over two years since we started blogging here at Spellzone, and hopefully our weekly posts have helped to grow your vocabulary and appreciation of words; leading us nicely to this week’s Word for Wednesday: lexicon. A lexicon is a wordbook, a dictionary containing the words of a particular language and in linguistics; a lexicon is the ‘total inventory of morphemes in a given language’. But to me, the beauty of the word lexicon is found in its personal application – we each have our very own lexicon: our vocabulary. The wonderful thing about language is how it constantly changes and expands, allowing us to grow and adapt our personal lexicon every d...
Last November, with four years of blogging under our belt, we decided to enter the UK Blog Awards and asked you all to spend a second or two voting for us. We spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, as well as over here on the blog, and you really came through for us. In December, we received an email telling us that we’d been selected as one of the ten blogs on the education company shortlist. Thank you! The award ceremony took place last Friday. We dressed up in our fanciest clothes and headed to the Montcalm Hotel in London to await our fate. The event was Alice and Wonderland themed, and upon arrival we were led down the rabbit hole and into a Wonderland-ballroom with teapots, ...
As the UK election campaign heats up all of the main political parties have launched their election manifestos. It is now the turn of the smaller parties including The Pirate Party who according to their leader Loz Kaye, have the "first crowd-sourced manifesto" in Britain. Meanwhile The Official Monster Raving Loony Party have launched their refreshing 'Manicfesto'. The first recorded use of the word manifesto in English was in 1620. It is of Italian origin derived from the Latin manifestum, meaning 'clear or conspicuous'. Many commentators would argue that the policies outlined in the recent political publications are anything but. Here at Spellzone we love t...
Last Friday was the first day of spring. All over the country, leaves are turning green, blossom is blooming, and flowers are pushing their way up out of the ground – it’s no wonder nature has inspired many an English expression! Here are twenty idioms about plants, flowers, and trees: “Oops-a-daisy!” – an expression of encouragement said to a child who has fallen/has 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 needle in a haystack – something that is difficult/impossible to find because...
January always feels like the perfect time of year to make some lifestyle changes – last week we even looked at five New Year’s resolutions to help you improve your spelling. Here are twenty idioms for new beginnings: a change is as good as a rest – a change of occupation can be as relaxing as a break. at the crossroads – at the point where you must make the choice between two courses of action with diverging consequences. early bird catches the worm – the person who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will have an advantage over other people. a breath of fresh air – a refreshing or invigorating change. &...
Happy New Year everyone! Who else is terrible at keeping their New Year’s resolutions? Over the years we’ve found that smaller, more specific goals are easier to achieve than broader or vaguer ones. Here are five goals you could set yourself instead of a more general “In 2015, I will improve my spelling”. “In 2015, I will start a spelling log.” You can keep a spelling log anywhere – in a specific notebook, on the back of an old receipt, or even in a memo or note app on your phone. Don’t forget that different people find different words more difficult to spell, so it is important to take note of which words you find particularly hard. Whenever you come across a word that you don’t...
As people around the globe welcome in 2015 with bubbly and fireworks, the word for today is 'fizz'. Originating in the mid 17th century 'fizz' is an onomatopoeic word, reproducing the natural sound it describes. So wherever you may be, we would like to wish you a very happy and healthy New Year! ...
2014 has been an exciting year for all of us here at Spellzone – we reached over 400 likes on our Facebook page; have been shortlisted for the UK Blog Awards (thank you to all of you who voted for us!); and even connected with a school in Montserrat! Here are some of our favourite articles from over the year: This year we began looking at pairs and groups of words which are easy to mix up, and we shared tips and tricks to help you remember when to use which word. The pairs and groups of words we looked at include: accept vs. except, lose vs. loose, bought vs. brought, break vs. brake, to vs. too vs. two, desert vs. dessert, allowed vs. aloud, less vs. fewer, uninterested vs. d...
Before you tuck in to your Christmas dinner tomorrow, let's look at the not-so-appetizing origins of the word ‘pudding’. It’s worth noting first the difference in meanings between the American English and British English word ‘pudding’. In the US, ‘pudding’ now almost exclusively refers to a sweet, soft milk-based dessert usually eaten cold. In the UK, you can usually take the word ‘pudding’ to mean ‘dessert’ unless referring to a specific savoury dish such as ‘black-pudding’ or ‘Yorkshire pudding’… The beginnings of the word arose at the turn of the 14th century and the word &lsq...
In this week’s Word for Wednesday we’ll be looking into Steven Hawking’s bleak warning of a future governed by artificial intelligence or AI. A popular theme that has been explored in science fiction from the very beginnings of the genre is a future in which humans superseded by another race – be it robots, aliens or even… apes (please, no more sequels!) The possibility of this eventuality actually arising is closer than ever, according to Steven Hawking. He warns that the rapid development of AI (or Artificial Intelligence) should be approached with caution, as a computer that could ‘think’ for itself would not be “limited by ...
For our final Commonly Confused Words post of the year, we’re going to take a look at the words cite, site, and sight. Scroll down to find out when to use which word! What does each word mean? If you cite something, it means you are making reference to it. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is cite used in some example sentences: When writing an essay, make sure to cite the sources you use. He often cited passages from the Bible to encourage and inspire is his congregation. A site is the piece of land on which something is located. The word can also be used to refer to a page on the inte...
Although the Spellzone course was written in the UK, it covers both British English and American English spellings. The different spellings of a words are highlighted throughout the course, and you can choose whether you would prefer to take a British English or an American English version of a test. Click here to read an overview of the main differences between American English and British English spellings, and here for more detailed information. It’s not just spellings you need to watch out for though! Some words have different meanings depending on whether they are used in an American English or a British English context. The word ‘pants’ in American English, for exa...
Welcome to Spellzone St. Augustine Catholic Primary School in Montserrat. Spellzone has active users in 50 countries and Montserrat in the Caribbean is one of the smallest with a population less than 6000. The school plan to use Spellzone to prepare for the island’s annual Spelling Bee competition. Best of luck from us all at Spellzone! ...
On the 12th November, after 10 years and 6.4 billion kilometers, landing robot Philae touched down on the surface of Comet 67P which is headed towards the sun at an astonishing 135,185 km per hour! Although the robot is now in hibernation, Philae managed to complete over 80% of its planned scientific tasks on the comet. It is possible that as the comet grows nearer the sun, Philae’s solar panels will absorb enough energy to ‘wake him up’. What does any of this have to do with spelling? The mission is named ‘Rosetta’ after the Rosetta Stone; a slab of volcanic rock found in 1799. The inscribed with a decree written in three different scripts dated to 196 BC...
It’s been a while since we’ve looked at a pair of commonly confused words, but today we’re back with the words ‘passed’ and ‘past’. Because these words sound so similar, people often think they’re interchangeable – but be warned: they’re not! Scroll down to make sure you’re using each word in the correct context! What does each word mean? The word passed is the past tense form of the verb pass. The Spellzone dictionary defines the word pass as ‘to go across or through’, but the word can also be used in other contexts such as ‘to pass laws’ (i.e. to create laws) or ‘to pass exams’ (i...
What is Dyslexia Awareness Week? In Britain, the week between the 3rd and 9th of November marks Dyslexia Awareness Week and this year’s theme is “Dyslexia Matters”. The event aims to raise awareness about how to create a dyslexia-friendly environment in school and the work place. If you think you are in the position to help make your school or workplace more dyslexia-friendly, the British Dyslexia Association have a selection of resources you might find useful. You can find them here. What resources does Spellzone have to support someone with dyslexia? While Spellzone does not claim to be a complete cure all for dyslexics, our spelling course is suitable for dys...
Here at Spellzone, we love Halloween. Many words and phrases in the English language have gruesome origins, and October 31st seems like the perfect time to explore them! Last year we looked at three everyday-seeming idioms which have terrifying origin myths – ever wondered where the phrases ‘saved by the bell’, ‘rule of thumb’ or ‘bless you’ might have come from? You can find out here! This year, we’ve been looking at idioms and their definitions. Scroll down for figurative phrases about cats, witches, and ghosts…as well as a number of different ways of expressing just how scared you are! a Jekyll and Hyde – someone who...
Have you ever felt out of touch when diachronic change means that words you thought you knew take on a new, antonymous meaning? Words like this come in and out of popularity every year, but their altered meanings can remain for a long time and sometimes deciding which meaning is intended can be confusing. For example, the word ‘wicked’, historically meaning cruel or evil has adopted a new usage in popular culture and is often used to describe something that is cool or excellent. The same can be said of the words: ‘sick’, ‘nasty’, ‘dirty’ amongst others. Informal English has changed so much over time that even the word ‘bad’ ca...
It’s midweek again and most of us will be yearning for that elusive weekend lie-in tucked cozily between our bed sheets, and with the colder months fast approaching that luxury will be ever more tempting. I think it’s a safe bet that we all use the word ‘bed’ every day without fail. Even if we simply mean ‘to go to sleep’ rather than to retire to a comfortable mattress; we’ll most likely use the word ‘bed’ when sleep is beckoning. The word ‘bed’ originates from the Proto-Germanic: ‘badja’ meaning a ‘sleeping place dug in the ground’ – sounds very macabre, but the word originally referred to a garden-plot: a place for plants to ‘sleep’. Now if that doesn’t make you grateful of your comfo...
Last week we looked at ten common mistakes which are quite easy to avoid once you know to watch out for them. One of these mistakes was mixing up the words ‘then’ and ‘than’, and this week we’re going to look in more detail at how to correctly use these two words. What does each word mean? The word ‘then’ is used to indicate a specific time, moment, case, or consequence. It is also used to indicate something that is to happen subsequently or soon after. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of ‘then’. Here is ‘then’ used in some example sentences: - We were friends from then on. ...
Depending on your accent, you might find yourself confused between two of these words, or all three of them. What does each word mean? The word are is the present tense second person singular (as in ‘you are’) and the present tense first, second, and third person plural (as in ‘we are’, ’you are’, ‘they are’) of the verb ‘to be’. Here is are used in some example sentences: You are very good at spelling. We are very good at spelling. You are both very good at spelling. They are very good at spelling. TOP TIP: remember that ‘you are’ can also be shortened to ‘you’re’. The word...
One of the biggest sporting events in the world, The Tour de France, is due to pass the Yorkshire home of Spellzone at the weekend so the word 'cycle' comes to mind. 'Cycle' orginates from the Late Latin 'cyclus', and the Greek 'kuklos' meaning 'circle, ring, wheel, any circular body, circular motion, cycle of events'. 'Bicycle' as in "to ride a bicycle" dates from around 1883, and is formed from two words. The English 'bi' meaning 'two' and 'kyklos' mentioned above. Fortunately for today's racers, the bicycle superseded a bizarre contraption know as the velocipede, a French invention nicknamed 'T...
Many people struggle with spelling these thirty words, and because they are so often spelt wrong, it is likely that examiners will be watching out for them while marking papers. Over the next two blog posts, we’re going to take a look at these words and share tips and tricks to help you remember how to spell them. Read on for the first fifteen words! accommodation Imagine two people with the initials CC and MM sharing accommodation to help you remember that this word is spelt with two Cs and two Ms. Here at Spellzone we imagine Cheerful Charlie and Mad Mick, but it’s useful to come up with your own characters to make them easier for you to remember. beautifu...
Despite its relatively recent invention, the internet has introduced hundreds of new words and phrases into the English language, and a notable few (the likes of ‘Google’ and ‘LOL’) have even made it into the dictionary! But in the last year or so, an unforeseen fancy for self-portraiture has afforded us a new word which has spread like a virus: ‘selfie’. Immediately the 21st century question of social-media-inspired vanity comes to mind, but it is worth remembering that the concept of a ‘selfie’ itself has been with us for thousands of years through self-portraiture and many would argue the case that the ‘selfie’ is an instan...
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’...
Here at Spellzone we’ve been taking a look at various idioms and telling you exactly what they mean. Back in March, we shared a list of animal-related idioms and last week we started a list of idioms which use the atmosphere and weather as metaphors to describe something else. In case you haven’t been following along, 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 and their existence is one of the reasons we believe English is so difficult to learn. Some users have even told us that knowing the meaning of certain idioms has saved them from an a...
Recently a Spellzone user got in touch with us to ask for information on the words device and devise. Naturally we thought these words would make a great subject for our Commonly Confused Words series. In British English, when two words look similar but one is spelt with a ‘c’ and the other is spelt with an ‘s’, it is often the case that the former is a noun and the latter is a verb. For example, when spelt with a ‘c’, the word ‘practice’ refers to application of an idea or the carrying out of a profession: He tried to put his new maths skills into practice, but still needed a calculator to work out the final sum. Dr Smi...
We have a confession to make, here in the Spellzone office we’ve been addicted to Scrabble for the last few months. The intensely addictive blend of chance and skill combined with our love for words has led to plenty of office rivalry. Scrabble is one of the best selling board games ever with a whopping 150 million units sold worldwide. If word games really are that popular perhaps we’re in the right business! Playing Scrabble is a great way to discover new words, recall words readily, and learn or reinforce spellings. In fact we were surprised at the amount of new words we discovered purely by fooling around with our tiles including the terribly lazy (but high scoring!) ab...
Recently a friend asked if I would write a blog post on the difference in meaning between the words ‘uninterested’ and ‘disinterested’. She said that she kept hearing the words used interchangeably and that she was beginning to doubt that she was using the words correctly herself. Let’s take a look at this confusing pair of words… Is there actually a difference between ‘uninterested’ and ‘disinterested’? The beautiful (and annoying!) thing about the English language is its inconsistency – as with anything else, certain words and certain meanings (and sometimes even certain spellings!) go in and out of fashion. Language ...
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...
Just yesterday, I was introduced to a piece of music so beautiful and mysterious that I couldn’t stop listening. It was set to a poem written by Richard Dehmel, whose work has been a fruitful source of inspiration for many composers in the last century. The piece is Schoenberg’s ‘VerklärteNacht’ or ‘Transfigured Night’. Composed in only three weeks in 1899. I don’t often listen to Schoenberg, and he has a name for his radical, serialism and atonality but certainly do take the time to listen to this darkly ethereal exploration of Dehmel’s poem. The piece is a single movement, but contains five sections, presumably pertaining to each of the poem’s five stanzas. In the first few seconds ...
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 - and many of them feature animals! dropping like flies - dying or collapsing in large numbers / giving up on or pulling out of an endeavour in large numbers fly on the wall - an unnoticed witness fly in the ointment - a small problem which nonetheless spoils the whole plan ants in your pants / antsy - agitated or restless due to nervousness or excitement to make a beeline - to move swiftly and directly t...
Think back to your childhood… Does anything immediately spring to mind? Perhaps hanging out with your best friends, those aureate summer vacations that seemed suspended in time, the scent of freshly mown grass or the pages of your favourite bedtime story. Perhaps it conjures once again that childlike sense of adventure that now lies dormant except on rare occasions. These memories reside in a precious realm in one’s mind, one that can evoke one of the most powerful twinges of the human psyche: a feeling known as nostalgia. Nostalgia is frequently described as a kind of sentimentality for the past, a momentary longing for the pleasures of the past often manifesting in a desire to relive,...
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...
Oxymora or oxymorons are words or phrases in which two or more seemingly contradictory terms are used together. An often given example of an oxymoron is ‘And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true’. Whilst most oxymorons seem nonsensical, they can actually be useful in descriptions and lend themselves to poetry and creative language to great effect. Here are some of the bizarre oxymorons used in our language, which somehow manage to make sense: Old news Beyond Infinity Free credit Antimissile missile Loud whisper A nice mess (often misquoted as ‘Another fine mess’) Silent noise Dark light Love hate Ice burn Sweet sorrow (Shakespeare) ...
What does each word mean? The word desert has two meanings. It is defined by the Spellzone dictionary as either a noun which describes ‘arid land with little or no vegetation’, or a verb which describes the act of leaving someone ‘who needs or counts on you’ ‘in the lurch’ or ‘behind’. Here is desert used in some example sentences: The famous saguaro cactus only grows in the wild in the Sonoran desert. My friends and I are banned from going into the deserted old house at the edge of town. He deserted his wife and children. Dessert refers to ‘a dish served as the last course of a meal’. Here is dessert used in...
Whether you love Valentine’s Day or think the day is a complete waste of time, there’s no denying that notions of love and heartbreak have inspired writers and artists for thousands of years. There are countless idioms associated with love: “…from the bottom of my heart”, “I have a crush on you”, “I’m head over heels in love”, and even “broken heart” – but today we’re going to look at the expression “apple of my eye”. In case you’ve forgotten, an idiom is a figure of speech which is used to describe something other than its literal meaning – so in this case, the expression isn’t...
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 ...
In today’s Commonly Confused Words post, we’re going to take a look at our first set of homophones: break and brake. To learn more about homophones click here, and to read the other posts in our Commonly Confused Words series, click on the following links: accept vs. except, bought vs. brought, and lose vs. loose. What does each word mean? The word break is usually used as a verb to describe the act of separating something into pieces (usually as the result of a blow, jolt, or shock of some kind), or as a noun to describe a pause or interval from usual ongoing activities. For the full Spellzone definition of the word, click here. Here is the word used in some example ...
What does each word mean? Bought is the past and past participle of buy. Click here to see the full Spellzone dictionary entry for the word buy Here is the word bought used in some example sentences: His train ticket was very expensive because he bought it at the last minute. I lied to my mum about my exam results, but don’t worry – she bought every word. Cick here for the Spellzone word lists containing the word bought. Brought is the past and past participle of bring. Click here to see the full Spellzone dictionary entry for the word bring. Here is the word brought used in some example sentences: She brought some wine to the party. He brought th...
We all have had them at some stage, occasionally we miss one. Missing a deadline may have serious consequences for your exam result or project at work. However in the past, the word 'deadline' was often associated with death of many unfortunate prisoners. During the American Civil War prison camps were constructed by both sides to accommodate the huge numbers of soldiers captured during the fighting. Many of these camp became notorious for being in-humane. One camp in particular, the Andersonville prison camp, was renowned for its cramped and filthy conditions. To keep control of the prisoners a line about twenty feet (6.5m) from the perimeter wall, sometimes imaginary, sometimes marked...
What does each word mean? The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines ‘lose’ as to ‘be deprived of’ or to ‘cease to have or retain’ something. The past tense and past participle of the verb ‘lose’ is ‘lost’. Here is the word used in some example sentences: I think we’re going to lose the game. I have a special compartment in my handbag to make sure I don’t lose my car keys. I’ll need to lose weight if I want to wear that dress. The OED defines ‘loose’ as an adjective which describes something that is ‘not firmly or tightly fixed in place, detached or able to be detached’...
Happy New Year, everyone! To help those of you with spelling-related New Year’s resolutions, we’re going to start the year with a series of posts on commonly confused words. Here at Spellzone we believe that looking at the origins of a word can be really beneficial when trying to get your head around its spelling and meaning – and today we’ll start by taking a look at the words ‘accept’ and ‘except’. Make sure you check out our blog archive for previous posts on other commonly confused words. What does each word mean? The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines the word ‘accept’ as: ‘consent to receive or undertake (s...
Happy New Year! We hope you’ve all had a fantastic winter holiday and have had chance to rest and can head into 2014 with renewed energy and motivation. It’s been an exciting 2013 for us here at Spellzone. With the arrival of the new-look site and lots of new features for you to check out, there’s plenty of reason to be getting excited about what the New Year might have in store. Since New Year’s has fallen on a Wednesday this year I thought I’d take the chance to blog about what will probably be a very widely used word today: Resolution. The word’s oldest ancestor seems to be the Latin 'resoluti', which has a delightful definition, app...
Hello everyone! Are you ready for 2014? For us at Spellzone it feels like December has whizzed by – here’s a round-up of this month’s posts: I started off December by sharing ten mnemonics for remembering how to spell tricky words. Do you always forget how to spell ‘rhythm’, or ‘laugh’, or ‘separate’? This post’s for you! This month, I found myself looking into the origins of the famous magical spells: Open Sesame, Hocus Pocus, and Abracadabra. If you’re into magic, click here for our article on grottos, caverns, killing curses. And if you enjoy this post, you may also be interested in our previous article on made-up wor...
As it is Christmas this week, we’ve decided to share our top five word games with you – whether you have a houseful of guests to entertain, or are looking to while away a few hours between opening presents and Christmas dinner, these games are sure to keep you busy! Hangman It doesn’t seem right to put together a list of word games, without mentioning Hangman. Despite being almost every supply teacher’s go to lesson plan, this game is actually quite fun, and a good way of reusing scraps of wrapping paper once all the presents have been opened. If you’d like to play by yourself, we have our own online version of the game, Which Witch! Word Association ...
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...
Have you ever wondered where the months got their names from? In the Western world, the most widely used calendar is the Gregorian calendar, but some of the names of the months come from the calendars used by the ancient Romans. The calendar of Romulus had ten months, beginning with the spring equinox in March and ending in December. After many calendar reforms since Romulus’s calendar, the following mnemonic rhyme sums up the features of the calendar we use today: “Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting February alone, And that has twenty-eight days clear, And twenty-nine in each leap year.” We love a go...
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...
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...
As you may have discerned from our last few posts, Spellzone’s adaptable features make it the perfect spelling resource for a wide range of users from a variety of different fields. If you are a homeschooler, this blog post is for you! Have you thought about incorporating Spellzone into your schooling routine? Today we are going to share some ideas for how you can make the most of Spellzone at home. Spellzone can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, depending for whatever your IT resources you may be. The course units, as well as the games, word lists, and blog, can be viewed on a conventional computer, as well as on a laptop, or mobile device. The ...
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve looked at ways to use Spellzone in both classroom and workplace scenarios. Spellzone is also suitable for second-language English speakers. Perhaps you are a student on your way to study in an English-speaking university, or a company looking to expand internationally – today we’ll look at how Spellzone may be able to help you. The Spellzone course uses a series of visual prompts to help users remember words. If you do not recognise a word, chances are there will be a picture alongside it which will help you to identify what it means. Take a look at this free unit for some examples. If you still can’t work out what a word m...
Why is good spelling important in the workplace? Spelling mistakes can end up losing companies millions in revenue, both through reprinting costs and lost sales. Making a good impression is vital and Spellzone is the perfect course for catching up on the things you may have missed or forgotten from school. If you think poor spelling may be affecting your business, you can purchase a site license for your company, which will allow all of your staff members to access our resources. Here is what Rebecca Healy, the Learning Centre Coordinator at John Lewis Partners, has to say about Spellzone: “I believe this is a fantastic resource for Partners. Whether you found spelling ha...
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...
July 31st marks the birthday of possibly the most famous children’s book character of the last twenty years: Harry Potter. The birth date is also shared by his creator, J. K. Rowling, who was the first person in the world to become a billionaire from writing books. As it happens, I have spent the last few weeks rereading the Harry Potter books, and it is J.K Rowling’s invented words that, for me, really make her world of wizards come alive. It makes sense that wizards would have their own language to refer to things that we non-magical folk have no idea about. Let’s take a look at a few of these words: Apparate – One of the perks of being a wizard is the abili...
In another week the word ‘heir’ might lead one to recall the television series Downton Abbey, or perhaps socialites such as Paris and Nicky Hilton - this week, though, everyone seems to be talking about same thing: the birth of a baby. The new Prince of Cambridge, whose name is yet to be revealed, is the first grandson of Prince Charles of Wales, Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of Great Britain. This means that the baby is third in line to the throne and is likely to one day be King. Within an hour of the birth announcement, thousands of tourists had gathered at Buckingham Palace to be part of the historic occasion. Here at Spellzone, we thought we’d take a look at...
Last week, to celebrate Independence Day, we had a look at American English. Spellzone devotes a unit to the differences between British and American spellings, but there’s more to it than that. There are also cases where the two types of English use different terms to describe the same thing. With this in mind, today we’re going to take a look at four American words that might confuse us over here in Britain. Eggplant This word might make you imagine a plant that grows eggs – and you wouldn’t actually be too far off. Eggplants are a type of vegetable which, when grown in North America and Europe, are usually oval-shaped with a dark purple skin. In Britain they...
Do you remember our competition to look or clever devices to help remember how to spell the word ‘mnemonic’? The winner would receive a free annual subscription to Spellzone. We had a go amongst ourselves, but not with very much success. Here is one of our attempts: Must Neither Eat Mouldy Oranges Nor Infested Cheese Or how about: Mum’s Nice Eggs Make Omelettes Not Including Cheese? We seem to have a theme to our mnemonics… Anyway – that’s enough from us. Without further ado, we are pleased to present our winning entry: Using a mnemonic Means Never Ever Missing Odd Naughty & Incredible Chances to spell words correctly. ...
Today marks the birthday of a hugely important figure in history: Anne Frank. Her diary, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ offered us a terrifying insight into the experience of hiding with her family during the German occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War. When Anne’s father returned to the concealed rooms in which they were hiding, the diary remained. Since then, the Diary has been translated into many different languages, offering an intensely personal perspective of Jewish life and the horrors of the war. You’ve guessed it. Today’s Word for Wednesday is diary. Research suggests the word appeared in the late 16th century, derived from the Lati...
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