Everyone makes spelling mistakes. Yep, everyone! William Shakespeare, H.P. Lovecraft, Ernest Hemingway, J.K. Rowling, Steven King, and even your high school English teacher have all made spelling mistakes from time to time.
Some spelling mistakes are more common than others. In this guide, you’ll find the most common types of spelling errors and tips on how to avoid them.
Many common spelling mistakes come from words not being spelled how they’re pronounced.
Silent letters (letters that aren’t pronounced) can take credit for many spelling errors. Here are some frequently misspelled words with silent letters:
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Often these words will get mixed up, leading to a word that sounds exactly right when spoken aloud, but is spelled the wrong way.
All the spellings above are correct, but they spell different words.
There are words that sound similar but are different, like:
These spellings are all correct, but the words have different meanings, so it’s no surprise they can cause confusion.
Pro tip: Affect vs. effect is a common spelling sticking point. If you’re struggling to remember which word to use, remember that affect is a verb and effect is a noun.
The letters I and E are major culprits in spelling mistakes. It’s widely known that I comes before E in most words in which the letters appear next to each other.
However, there are exceptions, like the word receive. A good way to get this type of spelling right is to think of the mnemonic I before E, except after C.
Unfortunately, in many cases, you must take time to learn the correct spelling of words to get them right. But – and this is a big but – there are some tricks out there that can help you with your spelling. Here are three of them:
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
Mnemonics are helpful rhymes, songs, and expressions that aid learning and remembering. There are lots of mnemonic tricks to help you remember spellings, such as:
The repetition of the letter G in Goofy Greg reminds us that there are two Gs in exaggerate.
Click here for 5 mnemonics to help you with difficult spellings.
When you notice there are particular words that you’re often misspelling, note them down. Compile a list. Then, spend some time learning them – even if that’s just a few minutes per day before you go to bed.
Sometimes people misspell because they’re writing quickly and not taking the time to think about each sound in the word. When you’re writing a word, say each syllable aloud – make sure it doesn’t have silent letters or other spelling quirks first!
As we said, spelling mistakes happen. That’s why editors exist.
If you need your writing to be perfect, meet us. We’re a proofreading and editing service that gives you access to a pool of top editors to ensure your work is 100% spelling error free.
And it’s not just the spelling that we’ll take care of. Your editors will eliminate punctuation, grammar, formatting, audience, and clarity mistakes.
We can take care of any type of writing, whether that’s an essay, a report, a blog post, a novel, or anything in between.
Hiring us is quick, effective, and affordable. In fact, our editors can proofread a sample of your work for free!
Δ
3-minute read
Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...
2-minute read
If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...
5-minute read
Introduction If you’re involved with ecommerce, you’re likely familiar with the often painstaking process of...
Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...
4-minute read
Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...
Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...