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Spelling Problems

This document discusses common spelling problems and provides guidance on how to improve spelling. It covers homonyms, doubled consonants, tricky word endings like -ance and -able, and rules like dropping the silent -e. Specific problem words and groups are defined, like words ending in -sede, -ceed, and -cede, and the rule for using i before e. Memorizing examples and exceptions is advised to overcome spelling challenges.

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Archana Raj
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53 views4 pages

Spelling Problems

This document discusses common spelling problems and provides guidance on how to improve spelling. It covers homonyms, doubled consonants, tricky word endings like -ance and -able, and rules like dropping the silent -e. Specific problem words and groups are defined, like words ending in -sede, -ceed, and -cede, and the rule for using i before e. Memorizing examples and exceptions is advised to overcome spelling challenges.

Uploaded by

Archana Raj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Online Technical Writing: Spelling

Problems

This section covers the most common conventions--or rules--


concerning grammar, usage, and punctuation. It also discusses
how to handle numbers, abbreviations, and symbols in technical
writing. The discussion of the various problems or errors in this
section uses the terminology explained in the section on sentence
structure and patterns. If any terms, such as object complement or
antecedent, are unfamiliar to you, go to that section.

If you have problems with spelling, they may only be a few


specific areas that you can overcome once you identify them and
practice a bit. The sections below review some of the most
common areas of spelling problems.

Homonyms
Doubled Internal Consonants
Internal Syllables or Letters
Words Ending in -ance and -able
Words Ending in -cede, -seed, and -sede
The Silent -e Rule
Words Ending in -ie and -ei
Doubling Consonants
Words Ending in -y

Homonyms
For some writers, their main spelling problem is similar-sounding
words, for example, principle and principal or affect and effect.
Here is a list of these commonly confused homonyms, with
examples of their correct use.

accept, except
The construction form accepted the offer to build the bridge.
Everything has been finished except for the paint job.

advice, advise
The construction firm ignored the engineer's advice.
The engineer advised the firm to use single suspension walkways.

affect, effect
The effect of the increased oil prices has been devastating on
our economy.
The increased oil prices have affected our economy drastically.

cite, site, sight


The consulting engineer cited a paragraph from the building code.
At the construction site, the workers carefully erected the
scaffolding.
The collapse of the walkways was a terrible sight.

complement, compliment
The programmer has received many compliments on her new system.
The colors that have been selected for the room do not
complement each other.

counsel, council, consul


She was appointed consul to the embassy in Beirut.
There was lenthy debate on the tax proposal at city council last
night.
He counselled her to get a degree in technical communications.

its, it's
It's time to go home; it's getting late.
The car has lost one of its headlights.

lose, loose
Your car loses power when it is out of tune.
I have some loose change in my pocket.
Don't let Mamie get loose!

personal, personnel
They plan to take out a personal loan to build the deck.
Send your application to the personnel office.
The CEO wants to have a personal chat with all this company's
personnel.

principal, principle
The principal component of the solar panel is the collector.
Explain to me the principle of convection.

stationary, stationery
Use company stationery for company business purposes only.
The derrick may not remain stationary during the gale-force
winds.

than, then
My utility bill higher this month than it was last month.
The hurricane reached the Texas coast; then it plunged right
into the heart of Houston.
their, there, they're
Their calculus course is much harder than ours.
Over there on the table is your calculus book.
They're not taking calculus this semester.

to, too, two


Are they going to pave the street today?
It is still too rainy to pave the street.
Two hours ago, the sky was clear.

whose, who's
Whose technical writing book is this?
There is the woman whose technical report won top honors.
Do you know who's in charge around here?
He's a man who's not afraid of criticism.

your, you're
Your technical writing book is on the table.
You're going to have review Part 1 before writing that report.

Doubled internal consonants


Many words double internal consonants while others do not: for
example, recommend, accommodate, and committee. Try
memorizing these in contrasting pairs (recommend and
accommodate, for example).

Internal syllables or letters


Many words have short, practically unpronounced internal
syllables that are easily omitted or misspelled: for example,
athletics, category, disastrous, optimistic, privilege, and
desperate. Perhaps the only way to learn these is to repeat them
several times, emphasizing the internal syllable: for example,
ben-EH-fi-cial, bound-AH-ries, cat-EH-go-ry.

Words with endings such as -ance and -able


Another source of spelling difficulties is words with similar-
sounding endings: extravagant, occurrence, compatible,
irresistible, and performance.

Words ending in -sede, -ceed, and -cede


Still another group of confusingly spelled words is that group
ending in -sede, -ceed, and -cede: for example, precede, proceed,
exceed, supersede. Again, the best thing to do is memorize them
or look them up.

The groups of words discussed above are by no means all of the


possibilities. You may have trouble with words ending in -or and
-er or those ending in -ary, -ery, and -ory. Make your own lists of
such word groups that give you problems in spelling.

The silent -e rule


When words end in a silent -e (for example, write), you drop the -
e when adding a suffix (write + ing = writing), except when the
suffix begins with a consonant (excite + ment = excitement).

The rule for -ie and -ei


Use i before e except after c in words in which the sound is a
long e (as in "feet") in words such as piece, receive, and fiend.
There are exceptions to this rule: leisure, either, weird, and seize.

Doubling consonants
When you add a suffix to a word ending in a consonant, make
sure you know whether to double the final consonant: drag
becomes dragged, but equip becomes equipment.

Words ending in -y
When adding a suffix to a word ending in -y, make sure you
whether to change the y to i: enjoy becomes enjoys, but try
becomes tries.

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