| Spelling English words can be challenging. Schools | | | | <b>Research. </b> There are two |
| and businesses expect correct spelling. The | | | | areas you can research which will give you |
| better your spelling skills are, the more likely you | | | | excellent practice material. Search the internet |
| are to do well in communicating your ideas | | | | for “spelling lists”. Download those that |
| whether you write scholarly papers, articles, or | | | | interest you and use them to learn how to spell |
| advertisements. | | | | new words. The other area to search is for |
| Apply these simple strategies to improve your | | | | Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes. |
| spelling skills. | | | | More words in the English language are based on |
| <b>Use mnemonics. </b> Mnemonics | | | | these two languages than are based on Old |
| are rhymes or phrases which make memorization | | | | English! Learning the Latin and Greek roots and |
| easier. A common spelling mnemonic is “i | | | | affixes (prefixes and suffixes) will increase your |
| before e, except after c or when sounded as a | | | | spelling skills tremendously. |
| as in neighbor and weigh”. You can make up | | | | <b>Know which word you are spelling. < |
| your own mnemonic for any word you find | | | | b> Many “spelling” errors are actually |
| difficult or for remembering other spelling rules. | | | | problems with selecting the correct word. |
| <b>Say it right. </b> Many of us get | | | | Homonyms are often the culprits. Homonyms |
| a little lazy in our everyday conversations and do | | | | are words that are spelled differently but sound |
| not pronounce words properly. For instance, it is | | | | the same (homophones) or words which are |
| fairly common to drop the “g” at the end | | | | spelled the same but have different meanings and |
| of the “–ing” suffix. So running | | | | different pronunciations (homographs). One of |
| becomes “runnin”. While people will | | | | the most commonly confused group of |
| understand what you mean, if you spell the word | | | | homonyms is their, they’re, and there. |
| the way you say it, you would be incorrect. Be | | | | Spend time reviewing the <a rel="nofollow" |
| sure you pronounce a word correctly and you are | | | | onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(' |
| more likely to get the spelling correct as well. | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=" commonly |
| | | | misused words</a>. Make sure you clearly |
| <b>Play word games. </b> Improve | | | | understand when to use each word and what its |
| your spelling skills by playing fun word games. | | | | meaning is. |
| Word searches, hangman, crosswords, Scrabble, | | | | You can be a better speller. Faithfully practice |
| and other word puzzles reinforce spelling skills. | | | | every day using one or more of the spelling |
| You can buy books which contain collections of | | | | strategies presented here. You will very quickly |
| word puzzles or search the internet on any of the | | | | see your spelling is improving. |
| games mentioned here. | | | | |