50 Most Commonly Misspelled Words

Commonly Misspelled Words

Spelling mistakes can act like a heavy anchor on a child’s writing, limiting the words they feel confident using and sometimes even holding back their creativity and self-esteem in class. 

Young learners who struggle with spelling often limit their vocabulary and simplify their sentence structures to avoid words they find difficult to spell, which can make it harder for others to see the full range of their abilities. Over time, this lack of confidence in their written expression can spill over into other areas of learning and personal development, making it essential for parents and teachers to address spelling challenges early and supportively.

Table of Contents ▼

    In this guide, we have organised the 50 most commonly misspelled words into simple, easy-to-follow categories, included helpful memory tricks and expert-recommended tools, and provided a quick-reference table, all aimed at making spelling less intimidating.

    1. Double Letters

    Words with repeated consonants are often trimmed down by mistake.

    • Accommodate (often “Acomodate”): remember two Cs and two Ms—think “A Ccot Mattress.”
    • Embarrass (“Embaras”): double the rr and ss—“Em-ba-rr-ss.”
    • Occurrence (“Ocurrence”): two c’s and two r’s.
    • Millennium (“Milenium”): two l’s and two n’s.
    • Recommend (“Reccommend”): only two c’s.
    • Occasion (“Ocassion”): two c’s, one s.
    • Vacuum (“Vacum”): two u’s.

    2. Silent Letters

    These letters are written but not pronounced.

    • Wednesday (silent d—“Wed-nes-day”).
    • February (silent first r—“Feb-ru-ary”).
    • Restaurant (silent au—“Rest-au-rant”).
    • Liaison (silent middle i—“Li-ai-son”).

    3. Vowel Order

    Swapping “ie” vs. “ei,” or misplacing other vowels.

    • Weird (“Wierd”): breaks “i before e.”
    • Receive (“Recieve”): rule is “e i after c.”
    • Separate (“Seperate”): remember “a rat in the middle.”
    • Definitely (“Definately”): ends in -ite, not -ate.
    • Calendar (“Calender”): ends -ar.
    • Gauge (“Guage”): au order, not ua.

    4. Suffix Confusion

    Choosing the right ending (-ance vs. -ence, etc.).

    • Necessary (“Necassary”): one c, two s’s.
    • Judgment (US: no e, UK: “Judgement” both acceptable).
    • Maintenance (“Maintainance”): ends -ance.
    • Privilege (“Priviledge”): no d after “g.”

    5. Foreign Origins

    Imported words that retain odd spellings.

    • Rhythm (“Rythm”): Greek rhythmos.
    • Questionnaire (“Questionaire”): double n.
    • Colonel (“Kernel”): pronounced “kernel.”
    • Maneuver (US) / Manoeuvre (UK).

    6. Tricky Consonants

    Clusters that catch learners out.

    • Dilemma (“Dilemna”): two m’s.
    • Conscience (“Conscious”): sci in the middle.
    • Consensus (“Consenus”): ends -sus.
    • Jewellery (UK) / Jewelry (US): “zzel-ry.”
    • Threshold (“Threhold”): silent h after t.
    • Twelfth (“Twelth”): remember “twelf-th.”

    7. Homophones

    Same sound, different spellings & meanings.

    Word A
    Word B
    Tip
    Principal
    Principle
    School head vs. rule
    Their
    There
    Ownership vs. place
    Stationery
    Stationary
    Paper vs. still
    Compliment
    Complement
    Praise vs. complete

    8. Pronunciation Traps

    Spellings that don’t match how they sound.

    • Surprise (“Suprise”).
    • Debt (silent b).
    • Yacht (silent ch).
    • Height (ends -ght).

    9. Apostrophe Errors

    Contractions that get mispunctuated.

    • It’s (“Its” is possessive).
    • You’re vs. Your.
    • Who’s vs. Whose.
    • Don’t (do not).

    10. Confusing Pairs

    Frequently swapped words.

    • Affect (verb) vs. Effect (noun).
    • Loose (not tight) vs. Lose (misplace).
    • Weather vs. Whether.
    • Advice (noun) vs. Advise (verb).

    Bonus: 3 Extra Pitfalls

    1. Exaggerate (“Egzagerate”): double g.
    2. Argument (“Arguement”): no e after u.
    3. Immediately (“Immediatly”): ends -ely.

    Quick-Reference Table

    Category
    Example
    Correct Spelling
    Common Error
    Double Letters
    Accommodate
    Accommodate
    Acomodate
    Silent Letters
    Wednesday
    Wednesday
    Wednesay
    Vowel Order
    Definitely
    Definitely
    Definately
    Suffix Confusion
    Maintenance
    Maintenance
    Maintainance
    Foreign Origins
    Questionnaire
    Questionnaire
    Questionaire
    Tricky Consonants
    Threshold
    Threshold
    Threhold
    Homophones
    Their vs There
    Their / There
    Their / There
    Pronunciation Traps
    Yacht
    Yacht
    Yatch
    Apostrophe Errors
    It’s vs Its
    It’s vs Its
    Its / It’s
    Confusing Pairs
    Loose vs Lose
    Loose vs Lose
    Loose / Lose

    Pro Tips to Avoid Errors

    1. Break It Down: Syllabify tricky words—“Feb-ru-ary,” “Wed-nes-day.”
    2. Write & Repeat: Use new words in sentences or flashcards.
    3. Tech Tools: Employ Grammarly or Hemingway Editor for instant feedback.
    4. Self-Tests: Quiz with “definitely” vs. “definately” to cement correct forms.

    Final Note: Bookmark this guide and revisit regularly. Spelling mastery is a lifelong skill, but with structured practice, your students (and you!) will see rapid progress.

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