15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language

This post may contain affiliate links.

English is akin to a linguistic maze, with its rules, exceptions to those rules, and exceptions to the exceptions! It’s no wonder that both native speakers and English learners often find themselves tripping over the spelling of seemingly simple words. English’s beauty—and sometimes the frustration—lies in its rich history, absorbing elements from different languages and making for a colorful conquer of spellings that can challenge the best of us.

Here’s a roundup of 15 commonly misspelled words, accompanied by handy tricks to remember the correct spelling.

Accommodate

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: RDNE Stock project

‘Accommodate’ can be pretty unaccommodating when remembering its correct spelling. But here’s the trick: This word is big enough to accommodate both a double ‘c’ and a double ‘m’. Think of it as needing to have room for all those letters.

Extra space is needed when accommodating someone—or, in this scenario, extra letters.

Definitely

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: Sora Shimazaki

“Definitely” is a word that causes eyebrows to wrinkle in concentration. Hold onto the fact that it has the word “finite” tucked inside, symbolizing a definite limit or end, and you’re one step closer to spelling it right.

Embarrass

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by Karolina Kaboompics

Feeling embarrassed about spelling embarrass incorrectly? You’re not alone. Here’s how to never blush with spelling shame again: there’s enough embarrassment for two pairs of ‘r’s and ‘s’s. Just think of those letters doubling up to mirror your cheeks’ redness in an embarrassing situation.

Questionnaire

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: Sora Shimazaki

‘Questionnaire’ is tricky, but it’s all about breaking it into manageable parts. The first syllable, “quest,” is easy enough—like going on a quest to find the correct answer. Then comes “ion,” which sounds like “eye on.”

Finally, there’s “air,” which can be remembered as something fancy or grand (like a millionaire). Put it all together, and you have successfully spelled the questionnaire.

Millennium

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by:Brett Jordan

The word millennium often feels like a thousand years to spell correctly. Here’s a quick guide to traverse the time correctly—there are two ‘l’s and two ‘n’s in this timeframe. Remember, it takes two millennia to make up the millennial generation.

Occurrence

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by Chinmay Singh

An occurrence occurs so frequently that one would think it’d be easier to spell. Yet those pesky double letters trip us up again. Recall that an occurrence is ‘e’ before the ‘n.’ And double up the ‘c’ and ‘r’ for a fuller event!

Receive

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: Angela Roma

When you receive something, it’s important to remember the “i” before the “e” rule. But this case has an exception after “c.” So, to receive any other word with these letters, think of the phrase “I before E, except after C.”

However, it’s better to focus on saying thank you rather than spelling correctly if you’re receiving many gifts.

Recommend

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: William Fortunato

“Recommend” is one of those words that can trip you up because it’s easy to forget the double ‘m’ in the middle.

A helpful tip is to think of it as “commending,” which also has two ‘m’s.’ So, when recommending something, commend it with a double’ m.’

Harass

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by Keira Burton

Often misspelled as “harass” or “harass,” the word “harass” only needs one ‘r’ and two ‘s’s. Think of it as less is more, as harassment requires just one ‘r’ to be correct. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble by getting this right.

Conscientious

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by Andrea Piacquadio

A true beast of a word, “conscientious,” is frequently misspelled as “conscientious” or “conscientous.” It combines “conscience” and “us” in a way that can confuse even the best spellers.

A handy trick is to break it down into “con-science-tious,” which helps to remember its tricky construction.

Entrepreneur

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: PICHA Stock

Often misspelled as “entrepreneur” or “entrepreneur,” “entrepreneur” demands a bit more attention. This word originates from French, which explains its tricky spelling.

Break it into “entre” and “preneur” to remember its correct form. Master this, and you’ll prove you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur in any field!

Liaison

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: Jopwell

Liaison brings together two ‘i’s as it links or connects ideas. Keep both ‘i’s on this French-originated word; you’ll make the proper connection every time.

Miscellaneous

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: Sarah Chai

Miscellaneous is as assorted in its spelling as its meaning. To spell it right, Remember that it starts with “misc,” like “mischief,” which is always miscellaneous trouble. Also, it contains a ‘cell’ in the middle, where many miscellaneous items end up. 

Noticeable

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by Andrea Piacquadio

What’s noticeable about ‘noticeable’? It retains the complete form of ‘notice’ before adding ‘able.’ When you notice things, they become more able to be noticed.

Thoroughly

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: RDNE Stock project

Thorough can be thorough trouble if we’re not careful. It looks similar to ‘through,’ but don’t rush through it. Think of ‘thorough’ as having an ‘ough’ to plow through to demonstrate it being complete and detailed.

English may be tricky, peppered with landmines of silent letters and inexplicable rules. However, it can be mastered with practice and a few mnemonic tricks like any challenge.

Separate

15 Commonly Misspelled Words That Prove English is a Tricky Language
Image provided by: Markus Spiske

The “a” in the middle is often mistakenly replaced with an “e,” resulting in “separate.” After tackling these, give yourself a pat on the back—your English spelling is on its way to impeccable!

24 Phrases Only Southerners Use, And Northerners Would Need a Dictionary To Understand

This guide explores the rich, unique dialect of the Southern United States, delving into the meanings, origins, and usage of Southern sayings and phrases.

24 Phrases Only Southerners Use, And Northerners Would Need a Dictionary To Understand

How Teachers Want To Be Thanked

Teachers want meaningful gifts for Teacher Appreciation Day, not traditional items like apples or “I Love My Teacher” mugs. The day is celebrated on the Tuesday of the first week of May, Teacher Appreciation Week.

How Teachers Want To Be Thanked

15 Easy-to-Use Products That Simplify Everyday Life at Home

Small Closet Organization Ideas
Courtesy Of Pixelshot

Let’s face it—we’re all about that easy life—the kind where you kick back, relax, and let technology do the work. So, let’s delve into the realm of gadgets that play the role of your faithful, modern-day Alfred (sans the posh British accent).

15 Easy-to-Use Products That Simplify Everyday Life at Home

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *