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| 100 MOST OFTEN | |
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Dr. Language has provided a one-stop cure for all your spelling ills. Here are the 100 words most often misspelled ("misspell" is one of them). Each word has a mnemonic pill with it and, if you swallow it, it will help you to remember how to spell the word. Master the orthography of the words on this page and reduce the time you spend searching dictionaries by 50%. | |
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| A | |
| acceptable | Several words made the list because of the suffix pronounced -阞l but sometimes spelled -ible, sometimes -able. Just remember to accept any table offered to you and you will spell this word OK. |
| accidentally | 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, then publicly. |
| accommodate | Remember, this word is large enough to accommodate both a double "c" AND a double "m". |
| acquire | Try to acquire the knowledge that this word and the next began with the prefix ad- but the [d] converts to [c] before [q]. |
| acquit | See the previous discussion. |
| a lot | Two words! Hopefully, you won"t have to allot a lot of time to this problem. |
| amateur | Amateurs need not be mature: this word ends on the French suffix -eur (the equivalent of English -er). |
| apparent | A parent need not be apparent but "apparent" must pay the rent, so remember this word always has the rent. |
| argument | Let"s not argue about the loss of this verb"s silent [e] before the suffix -ment. |
| atheist | Lord help you remember that this word comprises the prefix a- "not" + the "god" (also in the-ology) + -ist "one who believes." |
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| B | |
| believe | You must believe that [i] usually comes before [e] except after [c] or when it is pronounced like "a" as "neighbor" and "weigh" or "e" as in "their" and "heir." Also take a look at "foreign" below. (The "i-before-e" rule has more exceptions than words it applies to.) |
| bellwether | 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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| C | |
| calendar | This word has an [e] between two [a]s. The last vowel is [a]. |
| category | This word is not in a category with "catastrophe" even if it sounds like it: the middle letter is [e]. |
| cemetery | Don"t let this one bury you: it ends on -ery梟ary an -ary in it. You already know it starts on [c], of course. |
| changeable | 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 | Another -ible word. You just have to remember. |
| column | Silent final [e] is commonplace in English but a silent final [n] is not uncommon, especially after [m]. |
| committed | If you are committed to correct spelling, you will remember that this word doubles its final [t] from "commit" to "committed." |
| conscience | Don"t let misspelling this word weigh on your conscience: [ch] spelled "sc" is unusual but legitimate. |
| conscientious | Work on your spelling conscientiously and remember this word with [ch] spelled two different ways: "sc" and "ti". |
| conscious | 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 | The census does not require a consensus, since they are not related. |
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| D | |
| daiquiri | Don"t make yourself another daiquiri until you learn how to spell this funny word—the name of a Cuban village. |
| definite(ly) | This word definitely sounds as though it ends only on -it, but it carries a silent "e" everywhere it goes. |
| discipline | A little discipline, spelled with the [s] and the [c] will get you to the correct spelling of this one. |
| drunkenness | You would be surprised how many sober people omit one of the [n]s in this one. |
| dumbbell | Even smart people forget one of the [b]s in this one. (So be careful who you call one when you write |
