words

D

• daiquiri
  • Don't make yourself another daiquiri until you learn how to spell this funny word-the name of a Cuban village.
• definite (ly)
  • This word definitely sounds as though it ends only on -it, but it carries a silent "e" everywhere it goes.
• discipline
  • A little discipline, spelled with the [s] and the [c] will get you to the correct spelling of this one.
• drunkenness
  • You would be surprised how many sober people omit one of the [n]s in this one.
• dumbbell
  • Even smart people forget one of the [b]s in this one. (So be careful who you call one when you write.)

E

• embarrass (ment)
  • This one won't embarrass you if you remember it is large enough for a double [r] AND a double [s].
• equipment
  • This word is misspelled "equiptment" 22,932 times on the web right now.
• exhilarate
  • Remembering that [h] when you spell this word will lift your spirits and if you remember both [a]s, it will be exhilarating!
• exceed
  • Remember that this one is -ceed, not -cede. (To exceed all expectations, master the spellings of this word, "precede" and "supersede" below.)
• existence
  • No word like this one spelled with an [a] is in existence. This word is a menage a quatre of one [i] with three [e]s.
• experience
  • Don't experience the same problem many have with "existence" above in this word: -ence!

F

• fiery
  • The silent "e" on "fire" is also cowardly: it retreats inside the word rather than face the suffix -y.
• foreign
  • Here is one of several words that violate the i-before-e rule. (See "believe" above.)

G

• gauge
  • You must learn to gauge the positioning of the [a] and [u] in this word. Remember, they are in alphabetical order (though not the [e]).
• grateful
  • You should be grateful to know that keeping "great" out of "grateful" is great.
• guarantee
  • I guarantee you that this word is not spelled like "warranty" even though they are synonyms.

H

• harass
  • This word is too small for two double letters but don't let it harass you, just keep the [r]s down to one.
• height
  • English reaches the height (not heighth!) of absurdity when it spells "height" and "width" so differently.
• hierarchy
  • The i-before-e rule works here, so what is the problem?
• humorous
  • Humor us and spell this word "humorous": the [r] is so weak, it needs an [o] on both sides to hold it up.