Overview

Misspelled words distract your reader from your ideas and lessen your ability to communicate authoritatively. Therefore, you should learn basic spelling rules and patterns and memorize those words that you find especially difficult or confusing to spell.

When adding prefixes or suffixes, forming compound words, and forming plurals, you can rely on established rules to help you spell. However, there are exceptions that you need to memorize. When you notice an unfamiliar word or a word that is familiar but difficult to spell, say the word out loud to remember the sound pattern. Then look away from the word and visualize it spelled correctly. Write the word to practice spelling it and check your spelling, using an authoritative source—a dictionary, for example. Keep applying this process until your spelling skills improve.

You can use a dictionary to find the correct spelling of a word that you do not know how to spell. You may be able to spell enough of the beginning of the word to find it. If you don't find the word in the first place you look, keep trying probable spellings, based on sound patterns you know, until you locate the word. By building your vocabulary and improving your spelling skills, you will become more able to effectively communicate your ideas.