| E |
| embarrass(ment) |
This one won"t embarrass you if you remember it is large enough for a double [r] AND a double [s]. |
| equipment |
This word is misspelled "equiptment" 22,932 times on the web right now. |
| exhilarate |
Remembering that [h] when you spell this word will lift your spirits and if you remember both [a]s, it will be exhilarating! |
| exceed |
Remember that this one is -ceed, not -cede. (To exceed all expectations, master the spellings of this word, "precede" and "supersede" below.) |
| existence |
No word like this one spelled with an [a] is in existence. This word is a menage a quatre of one [i] with three [e]s. |
| experience |
Don"t experience the same problem many have with "existence" above in this word: -ence! |
 |
| F |
| fiery |
The silent "e" on "fire" is also cowardly: it retreats inside the word rather than face the suffix -y. |
| foreign |
Here is one of several words that violate the i-before-e rule. |
|
| G |
| gauge |
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 |
You should be grateful to know that keeping "great" out of "grateful" is great. |
| guarantee |
I guarantee you that this word is not spelled like "warranty" even though they are synonyms. |
|
| H |
| harass |
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 |
English reaches the height (not heighth!) of absurdity when it spells "height" and "width" so differently. |
| hierarchy |
The i-before-e rule works here, so what is the problem? |
| humorous |
Humor us and spell this word "humorous": the [r] is so weak, it needs an [o] on both sides to hold it up. |
|
| I |
| ignorance |
Don"t show your ignorance by spelling this word -ence! |
| immediate |
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 |
Please be independent but not in your spelling of this word. It ends on -ent. |
| indispensable |
Knowing that this word ends on -able is indispensable to good writing. |
| inoculate |
This one sounds like a shot in the eye. One [n] the eye is enough. |
| intelligence |
Using two [l]s in this word and ending it on -ence rather than -ance are marks of . . . you guessed it. |
| its/it"s |
The apostrophe marks a contraction of "it is." Something that belongs to it is "its." |
|
| J |
| jewelry |
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." |
| judgement |
"Judgement" is governed by one of the rare rules of English orthography, so why not enjoy it? After [c] and [g], [e] is retained to indicate the letter is "soft," i.e. pronounced like [s] or [j], respectively. Omitting it indicates it is "hard," i.e. pronounced [k] or [g], as in "fragment," "pigment". If we write "management," "arrangement," we should write "judgement," "acknowledgement," "abridgement." The presence of the [d] is of no significance to English orthography. |
|
| K |
| kernel (colonel) |
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. |
|
| L |
| leisure |
Yet another violator of the i-before-e rule. You can be sure of the spelling of the last syllable but not of the pronunciation. |
| liaison |
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 |
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 |
Where does English get the license to use both its letters for the sound [s] in one word? |
| lightning |
Learning how to omit the [e] in this word should lighten the load of English orthography a little bit. |
|
| M |
| maintenance |
The main tenants of this word are "main" and "tenance" even though it comes from the verb "maintain." English orthography at its most spiteful. |
| maneuver |
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 |
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 |
Why would something to remind of you of a moment be spelled "memento?" Well, it is. |
| millennium |
Here is another big word, large enough to hold two double consonants, double [l] and double [n]. |
| miniature |
Since that [a] is seldom pronounced, it is seldom included in the spelling. This one is a "mini ature;" remember that. |
| minuscule |
Since something minuscule is smaller than a miniature, shouldn"t they be spelled similarly? Less than cool, or "minus cule." |
| mischievous |
This mischievous word holds two traps: [i] before [e] and [o] before [u]. Four of the five vowels in English reside here. |
| misspell |
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 |
No wonder many speaking Black English say "hood" for "neighborhood"梚t avoids the i-before-e rule and the silent "gh". If you use British spelling, it will cost you another [u]: "neighbour." |
| noticeable |
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." |
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