Hard To Spell Words

The hard to spell words on this page are just some of the most common words that are often misspelt in the English language. Here they are listed alphabetically.

If there is an American spelling which is different, I have mentioned it.

Also take a look at mnemonics and how they can be used to help you with the spelling of tricky words relevant for you.

• accommodation
  Remember the double ‘c’ followed by ‘o’; double ‘m’ followed by ‘o’
• appreciate
  note the double ‘p’
• appropriate
  double ‘p’ before the single ‘p’
• argument
  note that argue has the ‘e’ and argument has not
• assistant
  double ‘s’ followed by a single ‘s’
• bachelor
  ‘ch’ not ‘tch’ as it may sound
• begin/beginner/beginning
  note the double ‘n’ when an ending is added
• Buddha/Buddhism
  double ‘d’ followed by ‘h’
• Caribbean
  single ‘r’ followed by double ‘b’
• commemorate
  double ‘m’ followed by single ‘m’
• committee
  double ‘m’, double ‘t’, double ‘e’
• connoisseur
  double ‘n’ followed by double ‘s’ as well as tricky vowel combinations
• diaphragm
  note the ‘gm’ at the end
• diarrhoea (diarrhea in American English)
  double ‘r’ followed by ‘hoe’ and finally ‘a’!
• embarrass
  double ‘r’ followed by double ‘s’
• exaggerate
  only the ‘g’ is doubled
• February
  note the silent ‘r’ in the middle
• guarantee
  the ‘u’ comes directly after the ‘g’
• harass
  one ‘r’ and double ‘s’
• independent
  Apart the first vowel, notice all the other vowels are e’s
• Mediterranean
  double ‘r’ with ‘ea’ later
• mortgage
  note the ‘t’ in the middle
• necessary
  one ‘c’ and double ‘s’
• noticeable
  the ‘e’ after ‘notice’ is kept in spite of adding ‘able’ at the end
• obscene
  note ‘sc’ in the middle
• occasional
  double ‘c’ and one ‘s’
• parallel
  single ‘r’ and double ‘l’
• privilege
  note there is no ‘d’ near the end
• profession
  one ‘f’ and double ‘s’
• pronunciation
  the verb is ‘pronounce’ but the noun is ‘pronunciation’
• questionnaire
  note the double ‘n’
• receipt
  ‘ei’ and ‘pt’
• recommend
  one ‘c’ and double ‘m’
• rhyme and rhythm
  ‘h’ straight after the ‘r’
• schedule
  ‘ch’ after the ‘s’
• separate
  note the ‘para’in the middle
• sergeant
  ‘e’ at the beginning and ‘ea’ in the middle
• spontaneous
  note the ‘eous’ at the end