Spelling Rules & Exercises
Rules, lists, poems, and exercises to help you improve your spelling in English.
Spelling rules are a bit like weather forecasts: we may use them, but we really can't depend on them to be right 100% of the time. Nevertheless, many writers find that certain rules help them to remember how to spell particular types of words, especially those formed by adding suffixes (or endings). Here we'll look at the four spelling rules that should be most helpful.
In each of the following pairs, only one is a word; the other is a common misspelling of that word. See if you can identify the correctly spelled word in each set.
We set the record straight on that well-traveled poem about spell checkers--"Candidate for a Pullet Surprise." The poem endures as a cautionary tale for all those who place too much trust in spell checkers.
English spelling is complicated, inconsistent, and often downright ornery. But don't take our word for it. Consider what some well-known writers have had to say about English orthography.
A list of 200 of the most commonly misspelled words.
Part Two of our list of 200 commonly misspelled words.
The final part of our list of 200 commonly misspelled words.
Practice your spelling skills by completing the following exercises.
Composed by Dr. Gerard Nolst Trenité (1870-1946), "The Chaos" illustrates many of the irregularities of English spelling (orthography) and pronunciation.
