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SPELLINGTips to help you become

a better speller

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Introduction

Spelling can be complex. For example, there are eleven different ways of representing the sh sound: shoe, sugar, ocean, issue, nation, schist, suspicion, conscious, nauseous, mansion, and fuchsia.

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Remember that the regularity in spelling relates not only to sound-letter connections but also to our stored visual memory of related words.

We know that president is not spelled « presadent, » because we recognize its relation to the word preside.

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Paying attention to guidelines of spelling can help you avoid spelling errors.

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20 Most Commonly Misspelled Words

A study revealed the following twenty words as being the most common misspelled words. Compare them to words you have trouble spelling correctly.

1. their/there/they’re 2. too/to 3. a lot 4. noticeable 5. receive/d/s 6. lose 7. you’re/your 8. an/and 9. develop/s 10. definitely11. than/then 12. believe/d/s13. occurred 14. affect/s15. cannot 16. separate17. success 18. through19. until 20. where

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Recognizing HomonymsDefinition: Words that sound alike but have

different spelling and meaning.

their (possessive form of they) there (in that place) they’re ( contraction of they are)

to (in the direction of) too (in addition; excessive) two (number between one and three)

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Homonyns (continued)your (possessive form of you)you’re (contraction of you are)

affect (to have an influence)effect (noun: result, verb: to cause to happen)

accept (to take or receive)except (to leave out)

who’s (contraction of who is or who has)whose (possessive form of who)

its (possessive form of it)it’s (contraction of it is or it has)

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Spelling Rulesi before e except after c or when pronounced « ay » as in neighbor or weighor in weird exceptions like either

i BEFORE e

achieve experience piecebelieve friend relievebrief field thiefchief

EXCEPT AFTER c

ceiling deceive perceiveconceive receive

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OR WHEN PRONOUNCED « AY »

neighbor weigh eighthfreight reign sleigh

OR IN WEIRD EXCEPTIONS

weird leisure heighteither seize caffeineneither foreign protein

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Adding Prefixes

Prefixes-letters placed at the beginning of words to add to or qualify their meaning. The prefix re-, for example, adds repetition to the meaning of a word: reappear means« appear again. » Prefixes do not change the spelling of the words they are added to, even when the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the word it is added to are the same. In such cases, keep both letters. Example next page . . .

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dis + service = disservice over + rate = overrate

*Some prefixes require the use of hyphens. When in doubt, check the dictionary..

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Adding Suffixes

Suffixes – letters placed at the end of words in

to form related words. For example, we can build on

basic word short to get the following words:

shortage shorten shorter

shortly shortness

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Dropping the final e

For words ending in an unpronounced e (receive, lose, definite), you must decide whether or not to drop the e when adding a suffix. In general, if the suffix starts with a vowel, drop the e.

explore + -ation=exploration future + -ism futurism

imagine + -able=imaginable exercise + ing= exercising

continue + -ous=continuous productive + ity productivity

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Exceptions

•To distinguish homonyms or potentially confusing words

dye + -ing = dyeing (not dying)singe + -ing = singeing (not

singing)•To clarify pronunciation

be + -ing = being (not bing)shoe + -ing = shoeing (not shoing)

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More exceptions . . .To keep the sound of C or G soft

notice + -able = noticeable

marriage + -able = marriageable

salvage + -able = salvagable

courage + -ous = courageous

peace + -able = peaceable

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Keeping the final e If the suffix starts starts with a consonant, keep

the e. force + -ful = forceful excite + -ment = excitement state + -ly = stately same + - ness = sameness

Exceptions argue + -ment = argument true + -ly = truly whole + -ly – wholly

nine + -th = ninth

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Exercise

Combine each of the following words and suffixes, dropping the unpronounced e when necessary.

1. future + -ism 2. hope + -ful

3. lone + -ly 4. malice + -ous

5. outrage + -ous 6. exercise + -ing

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Using –allyUsing –ally

Use –ally if the base word ends in ic. Examples:

drastic + -ally = drastically basic + -ally = basically, characteristic + -ally = characteristically, dramatic + -ally = dramatically

**Exception: public + -ly = publicly

Using –ly

Use –ly if the base word does not end in ic. Examples:

apparent + -ly = apparently certain + -ly = certainly conscious + -ly = consciously quick + -ly = quickly supposed + -ly = supposedly

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Doubling the final consonant

When a word ends in a consonant, the consonant is sometimes doubled when a suffix is added. If the

word ends in consonant-vowel-consonant, the suffix

beginswith a vowel, and the word contains only one

syllable orends in an accented syllable, double the final

consonant.

stop + -ing = stopping slap + -ed = slappedhot + -est = hottest run + -er = runnerbegin + -ing = beginning refer + -ing =

referringoccur + -ence = occurence

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EXCEPTION

Double the final l even in words that do not end in an

accented syllable.

counsel + -or = counsellor travel + -ed = travelledlabel + -ing = labelling

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DO NOT DOUBLE THE CONSONANT

If it is preceded by more than one vowel or by another consonantbait + -ing = baiting sleep + -ing = sleepingfight + -er = fighter start + -ed = started

If the suffix begins with a consonantship + -ment = shipment fit + -ness = fitness

If the word is not accented on the last syllablebenefit + -ing = benefiting fasten + -er = fastener

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If the accent shifts from the last to the first syllable when the suffix is added.

infer + -ence = inference prefer + -ence = preference

**If the last letter of the word and the first letter

of the suffix are the same, keep both letters:

mortal+ -ly = mortally room + -mate =roommate

rotten + -ness = rottenness usual + -ly = usually