Spelling tips
Source: https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/writing-fundamentals/spelling-tips/ Parent: https://learninglab.rmit.edu.au/
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There are many ways people can improve their spelling. However, knowing a few simple spelling rules can help to improve your spelling.
Accurate spelling helps effective communication. To develop a professional level of communication, both for your studies and professional life after graduation, it is important to address spelling at the proofreading stage of assignment writing.
Incorrect spelling can distract the reader from the point you are trying to make. With spell-check facilities on your computer and easy access to on-line dictionaries, you can take steps to eliminate spelling errors. There are also strategies you can use to improve your spelling more generally.
Preferred spelling
Most lecturers expect that you will use standard Australian English spelling. As you research widely, you are likely to come across other forms of spelling, including American English spelling. While some lecturers accept American spelling, others require standard Australian spelling. Both these group agree, however, that it is important to be consistent with your spelling throughout your assignment. To assist with this, set the language option on your computer to English (Australian).
The difference between standard Australian and American spellings is minimal and usually does not affect the reader’s ability to understand what you have written. N.B. Some organisation names use the American style, e.g. World Health Organization.
Dictionaries
To improve your spelling and expand your academic vocabulary, you should access the largest and best dictionaries you can; a pocket dictionary may be cheaper and easy to carry around but is unlike to have the range of words you need. Choose a dictionary that suits your needs.
Subject specific dictionary: contains specialised words related to the area you’re studying that are not available in a standard dictionary.\ Standard English dictionary: RMIT prefers the Macquarie Dictionary.\ English learner’s dictionary: If English is not your first language, it can be worth investing in a specialised learner’s dictionary.\ Dictionaries are also available in the reference section of the library and many can also be accessed for free online, with some versions also providing audio to help with pronouncing specialist terminology.
Strategies
- It may help to see the word rather than just to spell it aloud.
- Develop a mental picture of the word.
- Use the Look, Think, Cover, Write, Check method.
- Think of any spelling rules that apply. Learn other words that use the same rule.
- Look for patterns or word groups (haematology, haemoglobin, haemostasis).
- Link the word to similar words you know [practise (verb), practice (noun): is (verb), ice (noun)].
- Keep track. Make a list of words that are causing you problems, for easy reference.
Look, think, cover, write, check
Look carefully at the word, its shape and parts.
Think about :
- the parts of the words which might cause problems, such as silent letters and vowels that are not pronounced as you would expect
- any spelling rules.
Cover the word and see it in your mind's eye.
Write the word down without looking back.
Check to see if you are correct. Repeat.
Break words into syllables
- In-ter-net
- be-cause
- tech-nol-o-gy
then look for words with the:
- same chunks
- same spelling of the chunks.
Rules
Here are some helpful rules to apply to your spelling.
Plurals
These spelling examples demonstrate the English rules for making words plural. To make most words plurals you simply add an 's' to the end of the word.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| dog | dogs |
| cat | cats |
| car | cars |
When words end in 'ch', 'sh', 'x', and 'ss', add 'es'
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| box | boxes |
| boss | bosses |
| punch | punches |
| push | pushes |
When words end in 'f' or 'fe', remove the 'f' and add 'ves'
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| hoof | hooves |
| thief | thieves |
| life | lives |
| knife | knives |
Common spelling patterns
Common spelling patterns for English word structures
Words with a silent 'e'
If a word ends with a silent 'e', drop the 'e' before adding an ending that begins with a vowel. Common endings that begin with a vowel are 'ed', 'er', 'en', 'ing' and 'ous'.
Examples
ripe + en = ripen\ tape + ed = taped\ take + ing = taking
If a word ends in 'ce' or 'ge', you keep the 'e' when you add 'ous' or 'able'.
Examples
marriage + able = marriageable\ service + able = serviceable\ outrage + ous = outrageous
Doubling the last consonant
In single syllable words ending in a consonant that follows a vowel, you double the consonant when adding 'ed', 'er', 'est' and 'ing'.
Examples
tap + p + ing = tapping\ rub + b + ing = rubbing
If there are double vowels before by a consonant', just add the ending 'ed', 'er', 'est' or 'ing'.
Examples
feel + ing = feeling\ meet + ing = meeting
Homophones
Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelt differently and mean different things. Learning to spell these words helps avoid mistakes in your writing. If you are unsure about the spelling, use a dictionary or spell checker.
Examples
there, their, they're\ know, no\ weather, whether\ right, write\ here, hear\ sauce, source\ bean, been
Words with 'ie' and 'ei'
'I' comes before 'e' except after 'c'.
Examples of 'ie' words
wield, field, yield
Examples of 'ei' words
deceive, receive, receipt
Some exceptions to this rule
leisure, height, weight, their
Prefixes and suffixes
Prefixes are letters added to the beginning of a word to make a new word, suffixes are letters added to the end of a word to make a new word. It is helpful to know the meanings of prefixes and suffixes to improve your English language skills.
Prefixes
Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word to make a new word, e.g. mis+take. Some common prefixes are 'mis', 'dis', 're', 'for', 'anti', 'ante', 'sub', 'un' and 'in'. New words are made by placing a prefix in front of a word. It is helpful to know the meanings of prefixes.
Prefix 're' means again,therefore reappear means to appear again.
Common prefix meanings
pre - before\ mis - bad(ly)\ sub - under\ inter - between\ semi - half
The following prefixes of 'im', 'ir', 'il', 'in' and 'un' can be added to the beginning of words to make them into a negative.
Examples
im + possible = impossible\ ir + responsible = irresponsible\ il + legal = illegal\ in + active = inactive\ un + happy = unhappy
Suffixes
Letters added to the end of a main word are called suffixes. Common suffixes are: 'ed', 'ful', 'ly', 'ing', 'able', 'ance', 'ence', 'ness'.
Example
harm + less = harmless
When 'full' is added to a word you drop the final 'l'. If you add 'ly' to any word ending with 'ful' you keep the existing 'l'.
Examples
hand + full = handful\ rest + full = restful\ restful + ly = restfully
English capitalisation rules
Follow these conventions for using capital letters in academic writing.
The first word of a sentence or quoted speech
My first essay is due tomorrow.\ The minister said, "That compromise is not justified".
The pronoun ‘I’
James and I are in the same group.
Abbreviations and acronyms
RMIT, ANZ, USB, DVD
Proper nouns (names)
- Names of people and their titles\ Example: Jenny, Brian, Professor Margaret Gardiner, Mr Nathan Buckley
- Names of specific groups of people, languages, and religions\ Example: Australian, Muslim, Asian\ Note: Aboriginal and Indigenous are used to refer to Australia’s first peoples.
- Names of specific places on a map\ Example: Cardigan Street, Sydney Road, New York City, Federation Square
- Names of courses and school subjects with numbers\ Example: MATH2123 Mathematics and Statistics, Chemistry Unit 3, HUSO2162 Social History of Ideas
- Titles: the first, last, and all important words in titles (including books, newspapers, magazines, newspapers, plays, films, stories, songs, art works, television programs)\ Example: A Tale of Two Cities, The Age, Mona Lisa, Introduction to Academic Writing
- Names of specific geographic areas\ Example: South-East Asia, Southern Ocean, East Gippsland, Middle East
- Time indicators: names of days, months, special religious days and public events, historical and cultural periods, but NOT the name of seasons.\ Example: Monday, November, Mother’s Day, summer, winter, autumn
- Names of specific structures\ Example: The Great Wall of China, Parliament House, Myer
- Names of organisations\ Example: Curtin University, Red Cross, Northcote Primary School
Keywords
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