How to Learn the Spelling of Words Quickly

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English spelling is a mess compared to most other languages. The sound often doesn't match the spelling, so we must memorize the spelling on its own. There are many tricks that help with this. Different approaches work for different people, so feel free to pick and choose among the ones listed below.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Learning Spelling from Parts of Words

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  1. When you think of a word you don't know how to spell, don't panic. Step back and break the word into parts, either in your head or with pen and paper. Even when the spelling doesn't match the sound, this method will teach you to recognize common spelling patterns. [1]
    • Example: Break "constraint" into "con — strain — t." The second and third part are spelled how they sound. The vowel in "con" might not be obvious from the sound, but if you keep breaking down words you'll notice that the spelling "con" appears many times.
  2. Many English words are formed from two or more parts. When possible, break words down into a "root word," a "prefix" at the beginning, and/or a "suffix" at the end. Each prefix or suffix appears on many words, and almost always has the same meaning and spelling each time. [2]
    • Example: Break "independence" into "in — depend — ence":
      1."In" is a prefix that means "not"
      2. "Depend" is the root word
      3. The suffix "ence" is probably the hardest to spell, but you only need to learn it once and you'll recognize it at the end of many words.
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  3. When you have no idea how to spell part of a word, write down other words that include a similar sound. Chances are good that the mystery word is spelled the same way. This isn't foolproof, but it's much better than choosing a spelling at random.
    • Example: "Independence" might sound like it ends with an "s" at first — but "fence" has a much closer sound than "pens." This makes the "ence" spelling more likely to be correct (which it is).
  4. Some words have such weird spellings that they are difficult to remember even after breaking them into parts. Try ignoring the real pronunciation and instead pronouncing each syllable as it's written.
    • Example: The military rank "colonel" is pronounced "kernel," which doesn't sound anything like the spelling. To help you memorize the spelling, chant the word as it looks: "col – o - nel."
    • Example 2: This trick is especially useful for long words. Say the word "congratulation" as "con-grat-u-la-ti-on." Once you're 100% sure about the "tion" ending, you can shorten this to "con-grat-u-la-shun."
    • Exaggerate the vowel sounds to make sure they sound different from each other. E, I, and A are easily confused if you're not careful.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Making Mental Connections

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  1. People are much better at remembering images than spelling. If you keep making a spelling mistake, come up with a simple visual idea that connects the difficult word with an easy word that has a similar spelling.
    • Example: The word "gherkin" (meaning pickle) has the same "gh" start as the word "ghost." Think of a ghost holding a gherkin, and you'll train your brain to think "gherkin → ghost → they both start with 'gh'."
    • Making connections to an unrelated idea is often helpful when you're trying to memorize any information. This technique is called a "donkey bridge." [3]
  2. If you can't think of a word to connect it to, there's another way to create a visual idea, although it can take some creativity. Write the difficult word in large letters on a piece of paper. Focus on the letter or letters you have trouble with, and draw (or imagine) a picture that looks like those letters. It may help to include the meaning of the word in your image.
    • Example: If you keep spelling "citadel" (meaning castle) with two "L"s, picture a citadel with a single, tall tree to the right of it. This may remind you that there's only one "l" at the end of the word.
  3. A mnemonic is a silly phrase that's easy to remember and tells you something about the word. One easy way to make a mnemonic is to write a sentence by turning each letter into a full word. Silly but simple sentences are best. [4]
    • Example: To remember the spelling of "because," think of "Big Elephants Can't Always Use Small Exits."
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Other Ways to Study

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  1. You're much more likely to remember a word if you're comfortable with its definition. This doesn't just mean memorizing the vocab list. Try to use it in a sentence, or search online for examples of how people use the word in writing.
  2. Whenever you have a spare five minutes, quiz yourself with them . [5]
  3. Stick a spelling on every wall of your room, item on your desk, and anywhere else you run into them. Include the meaning of the word on the sticky note.
    • If you're studying words in a foreign language, stick the notes to the objects they describe. For spelling in your native language, just stick them anywhere.
  4. Think of Bart Simpson at the chalkboard. Writing out a word that many times gets boring fast, but sometimes it's the only way to make it stick in your head.
  5. The sense of smell is closely linked to memory. [6] If you sniff the same scent while you study and when you take the test, it may boost your ability to remember what you learned. Dried flowers or scented soap are a couple examples of strong-smelling objects you can bring to school.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Improving Your Overall Spelling Ability

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  1. [7] Reading will improve your spelling without you even realizing it. Each word you read is another reminder of how that word is spelled. And as the exercises above showed, even knowing how to spell simple words can help you spell words you've never seen before. [8]
    • When you find a word you don't know, spell it out loud. Write down the word a few times.
  2. When you find a useful or interesting word while reading, in conversation, or in class, write it down. Every day, write down each word on your list three times and spell it out loud. Literally one minute of this "studying" each day will teach you the spelling quite quickly. Remove words from the list once you're confident you know the spelling. Add new words to replace them. [9]
  3. If your phone or computer correct your spelling for you, you're missing a chance to reinforce the correct spellings. Turn off this feature so you don't reinforce bad habits by entering the wrong spelling repeatedly. [10]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What are tricks or tips to learn something quickly?
    Ted Dorsey, MA
    Academic Tutor
    Ted Dorsey is a Test Prep Tutor, author, and founder of Tutor Ted, an SAT and ACT tutoring service based in Southern California. Ted earned a perfect score on the SAT (1600) and PSAT (240) in high school. Since then, he has earned perfect scores on the ACT (36), SAT Subject Test in Literature (800), and SAT Subject Test in Math Level 2 (800). He has a BA in English from Princeton University and a MA in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.
    Ted Dorsey, MA
    Academic Tutor
    Expert Answer
    Mnemonic devices work so long as you have them actively in your mind, which means that you probably can't manage that many of them at one time. The more you practice with them, the more second nature they become. Also, personalize it. Find a way to make it apply to you. Tell a story problem in terms of yourself, your friends, your world, or your existence. The more that it makes you laugh, the more likely it is going to stick.
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      Tips

      • Younger kids can learn using the "look cover write check" method:
        • Look at the word.
        • Cover the word with your hand.
        • Write the word how you think it's spelled.
        • Check to see if you are right.
        • Repeat until you get it right.
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      • English spelling is very difficult. Sometimes learning a "rule" of spelling can help, but there will always be exceptions you have to memorize.
        Thanks
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      References

      1. ↑ https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grow-your-vocabulary-by-learning-root-words/4113426.html
      2. ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/article/root-words-roots-and-affixes
      3. ↑ http://www.ratanddragon.com/a-donkeys-bridge-to-remembering-language/
      4. ↑ https://www.k5learning.com/blog/spelling-mnemonics-list
      5. ↑ https://usm.maine.edu/agile/using-flashcards
      6. ↑ https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/02/how-scent-emotion-and-memory-are-intertwined-and-exploited/
      7. ↑ https://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/study-and-training/help-with-study/how-to-study-better/top-10-study-tips
      8. ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/spelling-and-word-lists/improve-spelling.html
      9. ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/article/five-guidelines-learning-spelling-and-six-ways-practicing-spelling
      1. ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/revising/spelling/

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