| Type of Error | Example | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Right sound but wrong letters | menshun – mention | Keep lists of similarly spelled words Look at them regularly |
| Didn’t apply a spelling rule | comeing – coming (drop the e) | Get to know which rules you need to learn or which you often forget |
| Missing letters Extra letters |
becase – because everery – every |
Highlight or mark the parts |
| Wrong word | two much work – too | Use memory hooks (mnemonics) to help and learn each word separately |
| Reversed letters | Firday – Friday | Look at the difficult parts of the word and sound them out or underline them |
| Spelled the way you
speak Accent/dialect |
Somefing – something Flim – film |
Keep lists of your typical errors and know your weak spots |
If you want to improve your spelling, your errors are a great resource for you.
Knowing and understanding why you make errors in spelling will help you to:
The spelling pack. (1993). London, England: Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit. Used with permission.