Commonly Misspelled Words

Are you quite quiet?

English spelling is difficult. Words are often not spelled the way they sound.
Raccoon sounds like it should have a k but doesnt. Threw sounds like through but
is spelled differently. Though, cough, and through look like rhyming words but
are actually not pronounced at all alike. Given that English has a vocabulary of
over 400,000 words, its a wonder that we spell as well as we do. Some
wordscalled homophonessound exactly alike but have different spellings and
meanings. Other words are not exactly homophones but are similar enough to be
often confused. Study the following examples:
Homophones:

Confusing Words:

Altar (a raised platform in church)

The minister stood at the altar.

Alter (to change)

I can alter your jacket.

Its (a contraction of it is)

Its getting late.
Accept (to receive with consent)
I accept your money.
Advice (a noun)
She asked for advice.

Its (possessive form of the pronoun it)

The rabbit is in its nest.
Except (excluded)
Everybody left except Fred.
Advise (a verb)
We advise you to study.

Homophones and Frequently Confused Words

Learn the meaning and spelling of homophones and frequently confused words. Errors in spelling can drastically
change the meaning of writing. Angel spelled correctly will still confuse your reader if you really meant angle.
English is riddled with many homophones and confusing words. The examples on the following sheets are just
some of the ones you are mostly likely to encounter. When in doubt, use a dictionary to verify that the word you
want to use really is the word that matches the context of your sentence.
Sole only; the bottom of the foot
Soul the spirit
I was the sole member of the team to go.
Music is good for the soul.
The soles of my feet itch.
Whose the possessive form of who
Whos a contraction of who is
I know whose coat that is.
Whos she talking about?
Your the possessive form of you
Youre a contraction of you are
This is your choice.
Youre quite welcome.
Their ownership
There in that place
Theyre a contraction of they
This is their boat.
My car is over there.
are
Theyre friendly people.
To a preposition; part of any
Too also, excessively
Two the whole number
infinitive
First Julie wept; then Meg wept, too.
between one and three
He went to the beach.
Dont eat too much ice cream.
I have two dogs.
Im going to walk the dog.
Two round trip tickets to Paris
cost $1,700.28.
Tip
Possessive pronouns have zero apostrophes (none).
Apostrophes are used with pronouns to form contractions.

Adapted from Writing Talk: Sentence and Short Paragraphs with Readings by Anthony C. Winkler and Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell,
Second Edition, pages 415-418; Writing Talk: Paragraphs and Short Essays with Readings by Anthony C. Winkler and Jo Ray
McCuen-Metherell, Third Edition Edition, pages 527-528; Passages: A Writers Guide by Richard Nordquist, Third Edition, pages 366375; and The Blair Handbook by Toby Fulwiler and Alan R. Hayakawa, Fourth Edition, pages 902-917.

Armstrong Atlantic State University

Writing Center

Commonly Misspelled Words

Frequently Misspelled Words
accidentally
acquaintance
acquire
address
already
all right
answer
anxious
arithmetic
athletics
attendance
awful
awkward
believe
breathe
business
calendar
cemetery
changeable
chief
chosen
conscience
daily
definite
dependent
design
device

disappearance
embarrass
environment
especially
exaggerate
exercise
existence
familiar
fascinate
foreign
forty
fragrant
friend
fulfill
government
grammar
harass
height
hindrance
incredible
independent
interesting
irresistible
judgment
library
literature

maintenance
mathematics
medicine
million
miracle
miscellaneous
mischief
necessary
neighbor
noticeable
nuisance
occasion
occur
occurrence
occurred
offered
parallel
peculiar
politics
possess
practically
proceed
receive
recognize
referred
referring

relieve
relief
resemble
restaurant
reverence
ridiculous
sandwich
seize
separate
several
similar
sincerely
succeed
surprise
temperature
than
thorough
tragedy
truly
unnecessary
until
usually
vegetable
visitor
weird
writing

Frequently Confused Words/Phrases

a, an, and

because of, due to

everyday, every day

accept, except, expect

adapt, adopt
adverse, averse
advice, advise
affect, effect
all ready, already
all right, alright
all together, altogether
allude, elude
allusion, illusion
a lot, much, many
among, between
amount, number
anxious, eager

beside, besides
breath, breathe
but, however, yet
can, may
capital, capitol
censor, censure
choose, chose, chosen
cite, site, sight
clothes, cloths
compare to, compare with
complement, compliment
conscience, conscious
continual, continuous
council, counsel
could have/couldve, must
have/mustve
should have/shouldve, would
have/ wouldve
(not could of, must of, should of,
would of)
device, devise
different from, different than
disinterested, uninterested
especially, specially

everybody, everyone, every one

farther, further
few (fewer), little (less)
formally, formerly
former, latter
good, well
hanged, hung
have, of
healthful, healthy
hear, here
hoping, hopping
imply, infer
in, into
its, its

nausea, nauseated, nauseating,

nauseous
passed, past
perspective, prospective
precede, proceed
principal, principle
quotation, quote
quiet, quit, quite
real, really, very
so, so that
some time, sometime, sometimes
stationary, stationery
supposed to, used to
than, then
their, there, theyre
til, till, until

lay, lie

to, too, two

lead, led

usage, use

loose, lose
many, much
may be, maybe
moral, morale

were, were, where

which, who, that
whose, whos
your, youre

anyplace, anywhere

as, as if, like

assure, ensure, insure
awful, awfully
awhile, a while
bad, badly

Adapted from Writing Talk: Sentence and Short Paragraphs with Readings by Anthony C. Winkler and Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell,
Second Edition, pages 415-418; Writing Talk: Paragraphs and Short Essays with Readings by Anthony C. Winkler and Jo Ray
McCuen-Metherell, Third Edition Edition, pages 527-528; Passages: A Writers Guide by Richard Nordquist, Third Edition, pages 366375; and The Blair Handbook by Toby Fulwiler and Alan R. Hayakawa, Fourth Edition, pages 902-917.

Armstrong Atlantic State University

Writing Center

The 100 Most

Misspelled Words in
the English
Language
Compiled by
yourdictionary.com.

acceptable
accidentally
accommodate
acquire
allot
amateur
apparent
argument
atheist
believe
bellwether
calendar
cemetery
changeable
collectible
column
committed
conscience
conscientious
conscious
consensus
daiquiri
definite
discipline
drunkenness
dumbbell
embarrass
equipment
exhilarate
exceed
existence

experience
fiery
foreign
gauge
grateful
guarantee
harass
height
hierarchy
humorous
ignorance
immediate
independent
indispensable
inoculate
intelligence
its (possessive
jewelry
judgment
kernel
leisure
liaison
library
license
lightning
maintenance
maneuver
medieval
memento
millennium
miniature
minuscule
mischievous
misspell
neighbor
noticeable
occasionally
occurrence
pastime

perseverance
personnel
playwright
possession
precede
principal head; as a
school principal
principle a rule
privilege
pronunciation
publicly
questionnaire
receive
recommend
refer
relevant
restaurant
rhyme
rhythm
schedule
separate
sergeant
supersede
their
threshold
twelfth
tyranny
until
vacuum
weather
weird

Over 500 of the Most Frequently Misspelled Words in the

English Language
A
absence
academic
accept
access
accompanying
accomplishment
according
accurate
ache
accuse
acquaint
across
activities
actual
adjacent
adolescent
advantageous
advertisement
advice
advise
affect
aggravate
aisle
allot
all right
almost
alphabet
already
alter
alter
all together
altogether
amateur
among
analysis
analyze
answer
antidote
antiseptic
anxiety
apology

apparently
appearance
applied
approach
appropriate
artic
argue
aroused
article
ascend
athletic
attack
attendance
attitude
audience
author
autumn
auxiliary
awkward

B
bachelor
basically
basis
beautiful
becoming
beginning
believing
beneficial
breath
breathe
business

C
cafeteria
calendar
campaign
capital
carrying
celebrate
cemetery

challenge
changeable
characteristic
chauffeur
cheerfulness
choose
chose
chosen
coincidence
column
comfortably
committee
companies
compel
competence
compliment
comprehension
concede
conceive
concern
condemn
congratulations
connoisseur
conscience
conscious
considerable
consistent
contemporary
contempt
continuous
controlled
convenience
correspondence
councilor
counselor
courageous
criticism
curiosity
curriculum
cylinder

Over 500 of the Most Frequently Misspelled Words in the

English Language
D
dangerous
deceive
decidedly
deficient
delinquent
democracy
dependent
descendant
descent
describe
desert
dessert
detriment
devices
difference
dilemma
diminish
dining room
disastrous
disciple
discoveries
discuss
disease
dissatisfied
distinguished
doctor
doesnt
dominant
dormitories
drunkenness

E
ecstasy
edition
effect
efficient
eighth
either
elibible
eloquently
embarrass

(Continued)
emigrate
emphasize
emptiness
enemies
enormous
enough
enthusiasm
environment
equally
equipped
escape
especially
eventually
everybody
exaggerating
exceed
except
excess
exercise
exhausted
exhibit
exhilarate
existence
extravagant

F
facilities
faithfulness
familiar
families
fascinating
feasible
February
fictitious
financially
foreign
foreword
formally
formerly
forward
fourteen
fourth

fulfill
funeral
further

G
gaiety
gauge
genuine
goggles
government
grammar
grandeur
grievous
guarantee

H
handicapped
handkerchief
happening
harass
haughtiness
healthy
heavier
height
helpful
hindrance
hoping
huge
humiliate
hurriedly
hygiene
hypocrite

I
ignorance
imaginary
immediately
immense
important
inadequate
inauguration
increase

Over 500 of the Most Frequently Misspelled Words in the

English Language
incredible
indictment
indispensable
individual
influence
ingenious
initiative
innocence
insistence
instructor
intellectual
intelligent
interest
interpretation
intolerance
introductory
invariable
irrelevant
irresistible
island
its
its

(Continued)
liveliest
loneliness
loyalty
luxuries

January
jealousy
jewelry

magnificent
maintenance
maneuver
manufacturing
marriage
mathematics
meant
mechanics
medicine
metropolitan
miniature
miscellaneous
mischief
misspelled
monotonous
moral
morale
mosquitoes
multiplication
muscle
mysterious

kindergarten
knowledge

naturally
necessary
Negro
Negroes
neighbor
neither
niece
ninth
noticeable
noticing
numerous

L
labeled
laboratory
language
leisurely
lengthening
license
lieutenant
lightening
lightning

O
obstacle
occasion
occurrence
oclock
omit
omitted
opinion
opportunities
oppose
optimistic
origin
overwhelming

P
pamphlet
pandemonium
pantomime
parallel
paralyze
particularly
passed
past
peace
peculiarities
perceive
permanent
permit
persistent
personal
personnel
perspiration
persuade
phase
phenomenon
philosophy
physical
picnicking
piece
planned
playwright
politician

Over 500 of the Most Frequently Misspelled Words in the

English Language
portrayed
possessions
possible
practically
prairie
precedent
prefer
preferred
prejudice
prepare
prescription
presence
previous
primitive
principal
principle
privilege
probably
procedure
proceed
pronounce
proprietor
psychology
punctuation

Q
qualities
quarter
questionnaire
quiet

R
realize
really
receive
recognize
recommend
reference
referred
regrettable
relieve
religion

(Continued)
reminisce
renowned
repetition
representative
research
resources
restaurant
reverend
rhythm
ridiculous
righteous
rivalry

S
safety
sandwich
satisfaction
saucer
scarcity
scene
schedule
scheme
scholarship
scientific
secretary
seize
sentence
separate
several
shepherd
shining
shoulder
shriek
siege
significance
similar
sophomore
sorrowful
sovereignty
specifically
specimen
sponsor

stationary
stationery
stenographer
stopping
straighten
strength
strenuous
stubborn
studying
substantiate
subtle
succeeding
successful
suddenness
sufficient
summary
supersede
supervisor
suppose
surprise
susceptible
suspense
suspicious
syllable
symmetrical
synonymous

T
technical
technique
temperature
temporarily
tenant
tenement
theories
therefore
thirtieth
thoroughly
thought
together
tomorrow
tragedy

Over 500 of the Most Frequently Misspelled Words in the

English Language
(Continued)
transferred
tremendous
trespass
twelfth
typical
tyranny

U
unbelievable
unconscious
undesirable
undoubtedly
uneasiness
unforgettable
unmanageable
unnecessary
until
useful
usual

V
vacuum
valleys
valuable
varieties
vaudeville
vegetable
vengeance
ventilate
veteran
vicinity
victim
view
village
villain
vinegar
visible
vitamin
volume

W
wiave
wave
wealthiest
weather
wednesday
weird
whenever
wherever
whether
whole
wholly
whose
witnessed
wonderful
wrench
writing

Y
yacht
yield
yours
youre

Z
zenith
zigzag
zinc

102 Frequently Misspelled Words

from www.spelling-words-well.com
absence

excellent

pneumonia

accidentally

excitement

possess

accommodate

experience

practically

achieve

familiar

preferred

acquaintance

fascinate

privilege

against

favorite

probably

a lot

February

raspberry

already

finally

realize

argument

foreign

receive

attendance

friend

recommend

because

government

remember

beginning

grammar

restaurant

believe

guarantee

rhythm

business

height

ridiculous

calendar

immediately

schedule

cemetery

independent

scissors

chief

instead

separate

committee

interrupt

similar

conscience

judgment

sincerely

convenience

leisure

straight

courageous

library

strengthen

criticize

lightning

studying

decision

lonely

summarize

definitely

lying

surprise

desperately

millionaire

thorough

dictionary

mischievous

tomorrow

different

necessary

truly

disease

niece

until

doesn't

noticeable

vacuum

embarrass

occasion

vegetable

enough

occurred

Wednesday

environment

opposite

weight

especially

particular

weird

exaggerate

physical

yacht

2010 www.spelling-words-well.com

absence
absorption
acceptable
accessible
accidentally
accommodate
accompanied
accomplish
accordion
accuracy
accustomed
ache
achievement
acquaintance
acquire
acreage
across
actually
address
admission
adolescent
advice
advised
affected
affectionately
affidavit
again
aggravate
aggression
aisles
alcohol
all right
ally
a lot
already
always
amateur
among
analysis
ancestry
angel
angle
annihilate
announcement
annual
answer
anywhere
apiece
apology
apparent
appearance
appetite
appoint
appreciate
approximately
arctic

arguing
argument
arrest
article
ascent
aspirin
assassination
associate
atheist
athletics
attached
attacked
attendance
authentic
average
awkward
barbarous
bargain
beautiful
beggar
beginning
belief
believed
beneficial
bicycle
benefited
biggest
birthday
boundary
breath
breathe
bulletin
bureaucracy
business
burglar
cafeteria
calculator
calendar
carrying
category
ceiling
cemetery
census
certain
challenge
changeable
changing
channel
characteristic
chauffeur
chief
children
chocolate
chosen
Christianity
coarsely

colonel
column
coming
commercial
commitment
committee
competent
competition
completely
conceited
conceive
concentrate
condemn
confident
conscience
conscientious
consensus
consistent
continuous
contradict
control
controlled
controversy
controversial
convenient
convertible
coolly
counterfeit
courses
courteous
criticism
criticize
crowd
cruelty
curiosity
curious
dealt
deceive
decision
decorate
definitely
delicate
descend
description
desirable
despair
desperate
despicable
despise
destroy
develop
different
disagree
disappoint
disastrous
discipline

discussion
disease
dispel
distinct
disturb
divide
divine
doctor
dormitory
easily
ecstasy
effect
efficient
eighth
elaborately
embarrass
eminent
empty
endeavor
enemy
enough
entirely
envelope
environment
equipment
equipped
escape
especially
everything
evidently
exaggerate
exceed
excellent
except
exercise
exhaust
existence
expedition
existence
expense
experience
experiment
explanation
extraordinary
extremely
familiar
family
fascinate
fasten
favorite
February
finally
financially
fluorine
foreign
foresee

foretell
forfeit
forty
forward
friend
fulfill
gauge
generally
genius
government
governor
grammar
gratified
group
gruesome
guaranteed
guard
guarantee
guerrilla
guess
guidance
hangar
happened
happily
harass
heard
height
heinous
here
heroes
hindrance
history
hoarse
holiday
hoping
hour
human
humane
humorous
hundred
hungry
hurriedly
hypocrite
ideally
idiosyncrasy
ignorant
illiterate
illogical
imaginary
imagine
imitate
immediately
immensely
incalculable
incidentally
incredible

indictment
independent
indispensable
individually
influential
initiative
innocent
innocuous
instead
insurance
intelligent
interest
interfere
integrate
interrupt
introduce
involve
irrelevant
irresistible
irritated
jealously
jewelry
knowledge
laboratory
laid
led
legitimate
leisure
length
lenient
liable
library
license
lightning
likelihood
listening
literature
liveliest
lose
luxury
lying
magazine
magnificent
maintenance
manageable
management
maneuver
manual
marriage
material
mathematics
meanness
meant
medal
medicine
mere

millionaire
miniature
minor
minutes
mirror
mischievous
missile
morale
morals
mortgage
morning
muscle
mysterious
narrative
naturally
necessary
neighbor
nevertheless
nickel
niece
night
nineteen
ninety
ninth
noticeable
noticing
nowadays
nuclear
nuisance
numerous
occasion
occasionally
occurred
occurrence
occurring
off
official
often
omission
omit
omitted
omitting
opponent
opportunity
opposite
oppression
optimistic
ordinarily
origin
originally
pageant
paid
pamphlet
parallel
paralleled
parole

particle
particularly
past
pastime
parliament
peaceable
peculiar
penetrate
perceive
performance
perhaps
permanent
permissible
perseverance
persuade
pertain
phase
physical
picnicking
pigeon
pitiful
planned
pleasant
pneumonia
poison
politician
pollute
possession
possessive
possibly
practical
practically
prairie
precede
predominant
preferred
prejudice
prepare
preparation
pretty
prevail
prevalent
principal
principle
prisoner
privilege
probably
procedure
proceed
processes
professor
prominent
pronunciation
propaganda
prophecy
prophesy

psychology
publicly
pumpkin
purpose
pursue
pursuing
pursuit
quandary
quantity
questionnaire
quiet
quite
quizzes
raise
rarity
reality
realize
really
rebel
receipt
receive
recession
recipe
recognize
recommend
referred
regular
regulate
rehearsal
reign
relief
relieve
religious
remember
remembrance
reminisce
repeat
repetition
representative
reproduce
resemblance
rescind
resistance
reservoir
resources
restaurant
review
rheumatism
rhyme
rhythm
ridiculous
roommate
sacrifice
safety
sandwich
satellite

Saturday
saxophone
scarcity
scenery
schedule
secede
secretary
seize
semester
senseless
sentence
separate
sergeant
several
sheriff
shining
shoulder
shrubbery
siege
significant
similar
simply
since
sincerely
skein
ski
skiing
sophomore
source
souvenir
speak
speeches
specimen
sponsor
stationery
statistics
stayed
stepped
stopped
straight
strategy
strength
strenuous
stretch
strictly
stubbornness
studies
studying
suburban
succeed
succession
sufficient
sugar
suicide
summary
superintendent

supersede
suppose
suppress
surely
surgeon
surprise
surround
suspicious
susceptible
swimming
symbol
sympathize
technical
technique
temperature
temporary
tendency
than
their
theirs
themselves
therefore
thorough
though
thought
till
tobacco
together
tomorrow
tragedy
transferred
tremendous
trouble
truly
twelfth
typical
tyranny
unanimous
unconscious
undoubtedly
until
usage
using
usually
vacuum
valuable
vegetable
vengeance
vice
view
villain
violence
visible
vitamins
warrant
warring

wear
weather
Wednesday
week
weird
where
wherever
whether
which
whichever
wholly
whose
without
whole
woman
women
won't
would
writer
writing
written
wrote
yacht
yield

Writing for Results

100 Most Often Mispelled Misspelled Words in English

A
acceptable
o Several words made the list because of the suffix pronounced -bl but sometimes
spelled -ible, sometimes -able. Just remember to accept any table offered to you
and you will spell this word OK.
accidentally
o It is no accident that the test for adverbs on -ly is whether they come from an
adjective on -al ("accidental" in this case). If so, the -al has to be in the spelling.
No publical, thenpublicly.
accommodate
o Remember, this word is large enough to accommodate both a double "c" AND a
double "m".
acquire
o Try to acquire the knowledge that this word and the next began with the prefix adbut the [d] converts to [c] before [q].
acquit
o See the previous discussion.
a lot
o Two words! Hopefully, you won't have to allot a lot of time to this problem.
amateur
o Amateurs need not be mature: this word ends on the French suffix -eur (the
equivalent of English -er).
apparent
o A parent need not be apparent but "apparent" must pay the rent, so remember this
word always has the rent.
argument
o Let's not argue about the loss of this verb's silent [e] before the suffix -ment.
atheist
o This word comprises the prefix a- "not" + the "god" (also in the-ology) + -ist "one
who believes."
B
believe
o

[i] before [e] except after [c]

bellwether
o Often misspelled "bellweather." A wether is a gelded ram, chosen to lead the
herd (thus his bell) due to the greater likelihood that he will remain at all times
ahead of the ewes.
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Writing for Results

C
calendar
o This word has an [e] between two [a]s. The last vowel is [a].
category
o This word is not in a category with "catastrophe" even if it sounds like it: the
middle letter is [e].
cemetery
o Don't let this one bury you: it ends on -erynary an -ary in it. You already know
it starts on [c], of course.
changeable
o The verb "change" keeps its [e] here to indicate that the [g] is soft, not hard. (That
is also why "judgement" is the correct spelling of this word, no matter what
anyone says.)
collectible
o Another -ible word. You just have to remember.
column
o Silent final [e] is commonplace in English but a silent final [n] is not uncommon,
especially after [m].
committed
o If you are committed to correct spelling, you will remember that this word
doubles its final [t] from "commit" to "committed."
conscience
o Don't let misspelling this word weigh on your conscience: [ch] spelled "sc" is
unusual but legitimate.
conscientious
o Work on your spelling conscientiously and remember this word with [ch] spelled
two different ways: "sc" and "ti".
conscious
o Try to be conscious of the "sc" [ch] sound and all the vowels in this word's ending
and i-o-u a note of congratulations.
consensus
o The census does not require a consensus, since they are not related.

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AUX HO Misspelled words list 2

Writing for Results

D
daiquiri
o Don't make yourself another daiquiri until you learn how to spell this funny wordthe name of a Cuban village.
definite (ly)
o This word definitely sounds as though it ends only on -it, but it carries a silent "e"
everywhere it goes.
discipline
o A little discipline, spelled with the [s] and the [c] will get you to the correct
spelling of this one.
drunkenness
o You would be surprised how many sober people omit one of the [n]s in this one.
dumbbell
o Even smart people forget one of the [b]s in this one. (So be careful who you call
one when you write.)
E
embarrass (ment)
o This one won't embarrass you if you remember it is large enough for a double [r]
AND a double [s].
equipment
o This word is misspelled "equiptment" 22,932 times on the web right now.
exhilarate
o Remembering that [h] when you spell this word will lift your spirits and if you
remember both [a]s, it will be exhilarating!
exceed
o Remember that this one is -ceed, not -cede. (To exceed all expectations, master
the spellings of this word, "precede" and "supersede" below.)
existence
o No word like this one spelled with an [a] is in existence. This word is a mnage a
quatre of one [i] with three [e]s.
experience
o Don't experience the same problem many have with "existence" above in this
word: -ence!

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AUX HO Misspelled words list 3

Writing for Results

F
fiery
o

The silent "e" on "fire" is also cowardly: it retreats inside the word rather than
face the suffix -y.
foreign
o Here is one of several words that violate the i-before-e rule.
G
gauge
o

You must learn to gauge the positioning of the [a] and [u] in this word.
Remember, they are in alphabetical order (though not the [e]).
grateful
o You should be grateful to know that keeping "great" out of "grateful" is great.
guarantee
o I guarantee you that this word is not spelled like "warranty" even though they are
synonyms.
H
harass
o

This word is too small for two double letters but don't let it harass you, just keep
the [r]s down to one.

height
o

English reaches the height (not heighth!) of absurdity when it spells "height" and
"width" so differently.
hierarchy
o The i-before-e rule works here, so what is the problem?
humorous
o Humor us and spell this word "humorous": the [r] is so weak, it needs an [o] on
both sides to hold it up.

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AUX HO Misspelled words list 4

Writing for Results

I
ignorance
o Don't show your ignorance by spelling this word -ence!
immediate
o The immediate thing to remember is that this word has a prefix, in- "not" which
becomes [m] before [m] (or [b] or [p]). "Not mediate" means direct which is
why "immediately" means "directly."
independent
o Please be independent but not in your spelling of this word. It ends on -ent.
indispensable
o Knowing that this word ends on -able is indispensable to good writing.
inoculate
o This one sounds like a shot in the eye. One [n] the eye is enough.
intelligence
o Using two [l]s in this word and ending it on -ence rather than -ance are marks of .
. . you guessed it.
J
jewelry
o Sure, sure, it is made by a jeweler but the last [e] in this case flees the scene like a
jewel thief. However, if you prefer British spelling, remember to double the [l]:
"jeweller," "jewellery."
judgment
o Traditionally, the word has been spelled judgment in all forms of the English
language. However, the spelling judgement (with e added) largely replaced
judgment in the United Kingdom in a non-legal context. In the context of the law,
however, judgment is preferred. In the US, judgment is still preferred and
judgement is considered incorrect by many American style guides.
K
kernel (colonel)
o There is more than a kernel of truth in the claim that all the vowels in this word
are [e]s. So why is the military rank (colonel) pronounced identically? English
spelling can be chaotic.

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Writing for Results

L
leisure
Yet another violator of the i-before-e rule.
liaison
o Another French word throwing us an orthographical curve: a spare [i], just in
case. That's an [s], too, that sounds like a [z].
library
o It may be as enjoyable as a berry patch but that isn't the way it is spelled. That
first [r] should be pronounced, too.
license
o Where does English get the license to use both its letters for the sound [s] in one
word?
lightning
o Learning how to omit the [e] in this word should lighten the load of English
orthography a little bit.
M
maintenance
o The main tenants of this word are "main" and "tenance" even though it comes
from the verb "maintain."
maneuver
o Man, the price you pay for borrowing from French is high. This one goes back to
French main + oeuvre "hand-work," a spelling better retained in the British
spelling, "manoeuvre."
medieval
o The medieval orthography of English even lays traps for you: everything about
the MIDdle Ages is MEDieval or, as the British would write, mediaeval.
memento
o Why would something to remind of you a moment be spelled "memento?" Well,
it is.
millennium
o Here is another big word, large enough to hold two double consonants, double [l]
and double [n].
miniature
o Since that [a] is seldom pronounced, it is seldom included in the spelling. This
one is a "mini ature". Remember that.
minuscule
o Since something minuscule is smaller than a miniature, shouldn't they be spelled
similarly? Less than cool, or "minus cule."
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Writing for Results

mischievous
o This mischievous word holds two traps: [i] before [e] and [o] before [u]. Four of
the five vowels in English reside here.
misspell
o What is more embarrassing than to misspell the name of the problem? Just
remember that it is mis + spell and that will spell you the worry about spelling
"spell."
N
neighbor
o The word "neighbor" breaks the i-before-e rule and invokes the silent "gh". This
is fraught with error potential. If you use British spelling, it will cost you another
[u]: "neighbour."
noticeable
o The [e] is noticeably retained in this word to indicate the [c] is "soft," pronounced
like [s]. Without the [e], it would be pronounced "hard," like [k], as in
"applicable."
O
occasionally
o Writers occasionally tire of doubling so many consonants and omit one, usually
one of the [l]s.
occurrence
o Remember not only the occurrence of double double consonants in this word, but
that the suffix is -ence, not -ance.
P
pastime
o Since a pastime is something you do to pass the time, you would expect a double
[s] here. Well, there is only one. The second [s] was slipped through the cracks
in English orthography long ago.
perseverance
o All it takes is perseverance and you, too, can be a (near-)perfect speller. The
suffix is -ance for no reason at all.
personnel
o Funny Story (passed along by Bill Rudersdorf): The assistant Vice-President of
Personnel notices that his superior, the VP himself, upon arriving at his desk in
the morning opens a small, locked box, smiles, and locks it back again. Some
years later when he advanced to that position (inheriting the key), he came to
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AUX HO Misspelled words list 7

Writing for Results

work early one morning to be assured of privacy. Expectantly, he opened the

box. In it was a single piece of paper which said: "Two Ns, one L."
playwright
o Those who play right are right-players, not playwrights. Well, since they write
plays, they should be "play-writes," wright right? Rong Wrong. Remember that a
play writer in Old English was called a "play worker" and "wright" is from an old
form of "work" (wrought iron, etc.)
possession
o Possession possesses more [s]s than a snake.
precede
o What follows, succeeds, so what goes before should, what? No, no, no, you are
using logic. Nothing confuses English spelling more than common sense.
"Succeed" but "precede." (Wait until you see "supersede.")
principal/principle
o The spelling principle to remember here is that the school principal is a prince and
a pal (despite appearances)--and the same applies to anything of foremost
importance, such as a principal principle. A "principle" is a rule.
privilege
o According to the pronunciation (not "pronounciation"!) of this word, that middle
vowel could be anything. Remember: two [i]s + two [e]s in that order.
pronunciation
o The best way to remember this one is to think of the word enunciation. To
enunciate, one must pronounce correctly.
publicly
o Let me publicly declare the rule (again): if the adverb comes from an adjective
ending on -al, you include that ending in the adverb; if not, as here, you don't.
Q
questionnaire
o The French doing it to us again. Double up on the [n]s in this word and don't
forget the silent [e].

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Writing for Results

R
receive/receipt
o I hope you have received the message by now: [i] before [e] except after . . . .
recommend
o I would recommend you think of this word as the equivalent of commending all
over again: re+commend. That would be recommendable.
referred
o Final consonants are often doubled before suffixes (remit: remitted, remitting).
However, this rule applies only to accented syllables ending on [l] and [r], e.g.
"rebelled," "referred" but "traveled," "buffered" and not containing a diphthong,
e.g. "prevailed," "coiled."
reference
o Refer to the last mentioned word and remember to add -ence to the end for the
noun.
relevant
o The relevant factor here is that the word is not "revelant," "revelent," or even
"relevent." [l] before [v] and the suffix -ant.
restaurant
o 'Ey, you! Remember, these two sounds when you spell "restaurant." They are in
the middle of it.
rhyme
o Actually, "rime" was the correct spelling until 1650. After that, egg-heads began
spelling it like "rhythm." Why? No rhyme nor reason other than to make it look
like "rhythm."
rhythm
o This one was borrowed from Greek (and conveniently never returned) so it is
spelled the way we spell words borrowed from Greek and didnt return.
Roommate
o You room with this mate. You are like one.

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Writing for Results

S
schedule
o If perfecting your spelling is on your schedule, remember the [sk] is spelled as in
"school."
separate
o How do you separate the [e]s from the [a]s in this word? Simple: the [e]s
surround the [a]s.
sergeant
o The [a] needed in both syllables of this word has been pushed to the back of the
line. Remember that, and the fact that [e] is used in both syllables, and you can
write your sergeant without fear of misspelling his rank.
supersede
o This word supersedes all others in perversity. As if we don't have enough to
worry about, keeping words on -ceed and -cede ("succeed," "precede," etc.)
straight in our minds, this one has to be different from all the rest. The good news
is: this is the only English word based on this stem spelled -sede.
T
threshold
o This one can push you over the threshold. It looks like a compound "thresh +
hold" but it isn't. Two [h]s are enough.
twelfth
o Even if you omit the [f] in your pronunciation of this word (which you shouldn't
do), it is retained in the spelling.
tyranny
o The guy is a "tyrant" and his problem is "tyranny." Don't forget to double up on
the [n]s, too.
U
until
o

I will never stop harping on this till this word is spelled with an extra [l]!

V
vacuum
o If your head is not a vacuum, remember that the silent [e] on this one married the
[u] and joined him inside the word where they are living happily ever since.
Well, the evidence is suggestive, but not conclusive. Anyway, spell this word
with two [u]s and not like "volume."
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Writing for Results

WXYZ
weather
o Whether you like the weather or not, you have to write the [a] after the [e] when
you spell it.
weird
o It is weird having to repeat this rule so many times: [i] before [e] except after...?
(It isn't [w]!)

Adapted from Love To Know, Corp. (2009). 100 most often mispelled misspelled words in English. Retrieved March 10, 2009,
from http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html
West Virginia Division of Personnel
Organization and Human Resource Development

AUX HO Misspelled words list 11

Words Most Frequently Misspelled by High School Students

A study published in The English Journal in October 1971 showed that 1.5% of the words used by
students in grades 912 accounted for 28% of the misspellings. Just 6% of the words accounted for 51%
of the misspellings! The 388 words which accounted for over half of the misspellings are listed below,
in order of frequency of misspelling.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.

their
too
receive
there
all right
separate
believe
until
coming
whether
interest(ing)
writing
tried(s)
privilege
decide(d)
finally
beginning
character
surprise
humor(ous)
business
grammar
definite
disappoint
description(ive)
studying
friend
college
quiet
occasion
to
truly
does
stopped(ing)
recommend
embarrass
lose
necessary
woman
different(ce)
probably
than
where
its
clothes

46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.

convenient(ce)
occurred(ing)
similar
tragedy
acquaint
among
experience
pleasant
thought
conscious
government
always
describe
immediately
rhythm
athletic
disappear
sophomore
sincerely
piece
because
across
appearance
its
restaurant
success
principal
then
course
planned(ing)
possess(ed, ion,
ive)
usual
which
sense
together
criticism
minute(s)
whose
paid
fascinate
forty
opportunity
writer
accept

90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
101.
102.
103.
104.
105.
106.
107.
108.
109.
110.
111.
112.
113.
114.
115.
116.
117.
118.
119.
120.
121.
122.
123.
124.
125.
126.
127.
128.
129.
130.
131.
132.
133.
134.

appreciate(ion)
especially
recognize
shining
speech
existence
during
excellent(ce)
really
village
opinion
accidentally
quite
youre
certain
imagine
mischievous
realize
secretary
villain
cemetery
succeed
thorough(ly)
through
weather
were
article
environment
literature
stories
captain
author
foreign
soldier
suppose
exaggerate
excitement
perform
since
laboratory
meant
escape
remember
argument
profession

135.
136.
137.
138.
139.
140.
141.
142.
143.
144.
145.
146.
147.
148.
149.
150.
151.
152.
153.
154.
155.
156.
157.
158.
159.
160.
161.
162.
163.
164.

165.
166.
167.
168.
169.
170.
171.
172.
173.
174.

professor
scene(s)
beauty
before
library
suspense
independent(ence)
prejudice
accommodate
benefit
niece
parliament
chose(n)
know
written
and
dropped(ing)
enough
two
doctor
everybody (day,
one, thing, where)
equipment
magazine
ninety (teen)
against
commit
February
safety(ly)
equipped
forearm (cast,
fathers, going, head,
man, most, noon,
saw, see, seen,
shadow, sight, tell)
hungry
jealous
marriage
prison
sentence
carrying
first
prairie
descend(t)
familiar

175.
176.
177.
178.
179.
180.
181.
182.
183.
184.
185.
186.
187.
188.
189.
190.
191.
193.
194.
195.
196.
197.
198.
199.
200.
201.
202.
203.
204.
205.
206.
207.
208.
209.
210.
211.
212.
213.
214.
215.
216.
217.
218.
219.
220.
221.
222.
223.
224.
225.
226.
227.
228.

governor
laid
parallel
possible
already
intelligent(ce)
leisure
principle
usually
almost
amateur
disease
knew
chief(s)
diner(ing)
month(s)
they
happier(est, ly,
ness)
proceed
servant
theyre
athlete
deceit(ve, ved)
grateful
guard
occur(s)
weird
career
decision
group
misspell
no
occurrence
off
pastime
acquire
affect
approach
easily(er, est)
height
later
quantity
squirrel
summary(ize)
incident
narrative(ion)
particular
pilot
schedule(s)
excited(ing)
family
referred(ing)
religion(ous)

229.
230.
231.
232.
233.
234.
235.
236.
237.
238.
239.
240.
241.
242.
243.
244.
245.
246.
247.
248.
249.
250.
251.
252.
253.
254.
255.
256.
257.
258.
259.
260.
261.
262.
263.
264.
265.
266.
267.
268.
269.
270.
271.
272.
273.
274.
275.
276.
277.
278.
279.
280.
281.
282.

went
children
didnt
effect
hoping
passed
seize
straight
apology
appear(ed)
lonely
very
Britain
conscience
immediate
lightning
peculiar
practically
running
trouble
afraid
control
criticize
fourth
innocent
prophecy
repetition
search
committee
completely
courageous
field
hospital
knowledge
mountain
pronunciation
wonder
women
challenge
cried(s)
discuss(ed, ion)
families
fictitious
forest
grabbed
modern
precede
shepherd
stretch
buy
choose
courteous
curiosity
enemy

283.
284.
285.
286.
287.
288.
289.
290.
291.
292.
293.
294.
295.
296.
297.
298.
299.
300.
301.
302.
303.
304.
305.
306.
307.
308.
309.
310.
311.
312.
313.
314.
315.
316.
317.
318.
319.
320.
321.
322.
323.
324.
325.
326.
327.
328.
329.
330.
331.
332.
333.
334.
335.
336.

led
sponsor
swimming
tomorrow
wreck
again
bicycle
calendar
conscientious
extremely
guarantee
identify(ty)
loose(n, r)
many
maybe
out
relief(ve)
sergeant
something
brilliant(ce)
Christian
definitely
etc.
front
hear
medicine(s)
noticeable
procedure
reference
studied(s)
those
beautiful
complete
countries
favorite
further
getting
heroes
receipt
speak
stepped(ing)
think
around
awful
climb(ed, ing)
discipline
Henry
instead
interpret
opposite
pamphlet
poison
pretty
answer

337.
338.
339.
340.
341.
342.
343.
344.
345.
346.
347.
348.
349.
350.
351.
352.
353.
354.
355.
356.
357.
358.
359.
360.
361.
362.
363.
364.
365.
366.
367.
368.
369.
370.
371.
372.
373.
374.
375.
376.
377.
378.
379.
380.
381.
382.
383.
384.
385.
386.
387.
388.

break
corner
happen
interrupt
motor
relative
strengthen
themselves
wonderful
accuse(d)
achieve
arctic
associate
concentrate
dissatisfy
entertain
experiment
horse
night
omitted
persuade
physical
preparation
psychology(ical,
ist)
secret
wait
address
aggression(ive,
or)
attendant(ce)
attitude
continuous
destroy
difficult
formerly
hurrying
immensely
miniature
model
neighbor
nervous
now
obstacle
other
parents
period
permanent
poem(s)
pursue(it)
suspicion
temperament
thief
write