Ever sent an important email just to realize later you misspelled a common word? We’ve all been there. Recently, I sent a pitch with “definately” instead of “definitely.” I triple-checked it, and yet, there it was—a glaring mistake.
These small spelling mishaps can sneak past us, especially when we’re typing quickly or relying too much on autocorrect. From my time as a financial analyst, I noticed even the sharpest minds trip up over certain words. When you master these tricky spellings, your writing looks polished and professional.
Here are ten words that often trip up even the brightest of us. If you can spell these right, you’re already ahead!
Accommodate
This word often confuses people. It has two C’s and two M’s—like making double the room for someone. I often saw it misspelled in reports, like “acommodate.” Spell check can miss these errors because they look close enough.Occurred
The correct spelling includes a double R: occurred. A good rule to remember is: if a word ends with a single vowel followed by a single consonant and the stress is on the last syllable, double the final consonant.Embarrass
Here’s another doubling issue. It has two R’s and two S’s. To remember, think of how embarrassed you feel—red and stressed.Conscience
Don’t confuse this with conscious. Conscience is about your moral judgement and ends in -ence. Think of “science of right and wrong” to help you remember.Privilege
This word breaks the “i before e” rule that many learned in school. The correct spelling is privilege. You can remember it as having a private edge.Separate
People frequently write “seperate.” The correct form is separate, with an A in the middle. A professor once told me to relate it to putting things apart—you separate them.Definitely
This is perhaps the most miswritten word. It’s definitely—not “definately” or “defiantly.” Remember, definite has “finite” in it, which can help.Necessary
One C or two? It’s one C and two S’s. An old spelling trick says a shirt has one collar (C) and two sleeves (S).Maintenance
People often misspell this as “maintainance,” thinking of the word maintain. The proper spelling drops the second I. English has its quirks, after all.Supersede
Unlike other words that end in -cede, supersede stands alone with -sede. You can remember that it’s “super” and therefore special.
Statistics show that around 20% of adults can spell these tricky words correctly without assistance. Awareness is key. Now that you’re mindful of these words, you’ll be less likely to repeat mistakes.
The real sign of intelligence isn’t about never making mistakes. It’s having the desire to learn and improve. Recognizing and fixing errors in your writing enhances your communication skills.
If you’re looking to really hammer these spellings home, try writing each word five times by hand. Writing can help lock them into memory better than typing.
These details in writing matter. Mastering these ten words elevates your writing, making it more recognizable and professional. Next time before hitting send, glance at this list. You’ll appreciate the clarity in your communications.
