>> Some basic spelling rules
Now that you've spent so much time thinking about your argument and style, don't let it down with bad spelling. Here are a few spelling rules for you to bear in mind.
Rule 1
‘I’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’
When the ‘I’ and the ‘e’ make the sound double
‘e’
ceiling
achievement
deceitful
siege
receipt
This rule always works except for the few exceptions which you have to
learn:
weir
weird
protein
seize
Rule 2
When you add an 's' to a word that ends in 'y' the 'y' changes to 'ie' - unless there is a vowel before the 'y'.
try – tries
annoy – annoys
fly – flies
horrify – horrifies
Rule 3
In a compund word formed by adding a prefix like dis- or un-, it is often helpful to think about how the word was originally spelt.
Dis + appear – disappear
Dis + appoint – disappoint
Dis + satisfied – dissatisfies
Un + necessary – unnecessary
Un + inspiring - uninspiring
And finally...
Words commonly mis-spelt in essays by English students
caricature
definite
definitely
humour
humorous
practise (verb) also advise
practice (noun) also advice
separate
simile
soliloquy
who’s (as an abbreviation from ‘who is’)
whose (belonging to whom)
Be careful of abbreviations. It is not really appropriate to use ‘e.g.’
and ‘i.e.’ in an essay; ‘etc.’ and ‘and
so on’ are also better avoided.
