• Amal Augustine
• February 3, 2025

Commonly Misspelled Words and How to Remember Them

 

Spelling in English can be tricky, even for the most proficient writers. Many struggle with commonly misspelled words, which can lead to errors in writing and communication. Some words just seem designed to trip us up! Poor spelling can affect confidence, academic performance, and even professional communication. Mastering commonly misspelled words is essential to improving your writing skills and avoiding embarrassing mistakes. However, learning the correct spelling doesn’t have to be difficult. With a few simple tricks and memory aids, you can overcome these spelling hurdles effortlessly.

This guide highlights ten commonly misspelled words in English and provides clever mnemonics to help you remember them accurately.

1. Necessary

 

Common Mistake: Neccessary, Necesary, Nessasary

Memory Trick: “One Collar, Two Sleeves”
(Remember: One ‘C’ and two ‘S’s.)

2. Embarrass

 

Common Mistake: Embarass, Embarras, Embbaras

Memory Trick: Remember: You’ll be ‘RR’ (really red) and ‘SS’ (super shy) when you embarrass yourself

3. Definitely

 

Common Mistake: Definately, Definatly, Definitley

Memory Trick: Break it down: DE + FINITE + LY. It’s definitely finite, so spell it that way!

4. Separate

 

Common Mistake: Seperate, Seperete, Seperat

Memory Trick: Separate has ‘A RAT’ in it—imagine a rat running between the letters to keep them apart

5. Accommodate

 

Common Mistake: Acommodate, Accomodate, Accommadate

Memory Trick: “Accommodate has room for two C’s and two M’s.”

6. Occasion

 

Common Mistake: Ocassion, Occassion, Ocasian

Memory Trick: “One C, Two S’s – Because one is not enough!”

7. Rhythm

 

Common Mistake: Rythm, Rhithm, Rhytm

Memory Trick: Remember:  “Rhythm Helps Your Two Hips Move!” OR  RHYTHM Has Your Two Hands Moving!

8. Restaurant

 

Common Mistake: Restuarant, Restauraunt, Restorant

Memory Trick: Break it down: REST + AU + RANT. Imagine a tired chef RESTing after a long day at the restaurant!

9. Privilege

 

Common Mistake: Privelege, Priviledge, Previlige

Memory Trick: Break it down: PRIVI + LEGE. Think of it as ‘private legal rights’—a privilege you don’t want to misspell!

10. Conscience

 

Common Mistake: Consience, Conshence, Consciense

Memory Trick: Your conscience is your inner ‘science’ that helps you choose right from wrong.

The Importance of Breaking Down Words

Breaking down words into smaller parts or recognizable patterns makes spelling much easier to grasp. Instead of memorizing entire words, understanding their structure, prefixes, and roots helps you spell them correctly with confidence.

 

This approach also enhances vocabulary retention and improves overall language skills. Whether you’re preparing for a test, writing professionally, or just trying to avoid common mistakes, using memory techniques and breakdown strategies can make a significant difference.

Also, make sure to explore this comprehensive list of frequently misspelled words from one of the most trusted dictionaries https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay

 

RELATED READING: https://spellingbetter.com/commonly-confused-words-made-simple/