by erin m
Spell Better by Using These Spelling Strategies
Spelling English words can be challenging. Schools and businesses expect correct spelling. The better your spelling skills are, the more likely you are to do well in communicating your ideas whether you write scholarly papers, articles, or advertisements.
Apply these simple strategies to improve your spelling skills.
<b>Use mnemonics. </b> Mnemonics are rhymes or phrases which make memorization easier. A common spelling mnemonic is “i before e, except after c or when sounded as a as in neighbor and weigh”. You can make up your own mnemonic for any word you find difficult or for remembering other spelling rules.
<b>Say it right. </b> Many of us get a little lazy in our everyday conversations and do not pronounce words properly. For instance, it is fairly common to drop the “g” at the end of the “–ing” suffix. So running becomes “runnin”. While people will understand what you mean, if you spell the word the way you say it, you would be incorrect. Be sure you pronounce a word correctly and you are more likely to get the spelling correct as well.
<b>Play word games. </b> Improve your spelling skills by playing fun word games. Word searches, hangman, crosswords, Scrabble, and other word puzzles reinforce spelling skills. You can buy books which contain collections of word puzzles or search the internet on any of the games mentioned here.
<b>Research. </b> There are two areas you can research which will give you excellent practice material. Search
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