For native speakers and learners of English as a second language, spelling is one of the aspects of English that’s hardest to learn. This doesn’t come as a surprise, if you consider the sheer amount of rules, incongruities, and spelling anomalies in English, which is best described as a chaotic pattern of spelling anarchy. Trying to improve spelling is admittedly difficult and time-consuming, especially for ESL learners.
That’s why you should have a plan; being organized is the only way to effectively tackle this mayhem of spelling idiosyncrasies. It’s not difficult to discern emerging patterns as to the most frequent spelling mistakes ESL learners make. Identifying these misspellings will be the first step towards spelling improvement. The second is anticipating them and finding ways to properly deal with them.
Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs
Thanks to the vastness of the English language, homonyms are in abundance. While lovers of language find it entertaining and intriguing that words which are similar in appearance have completely different meanings, for others it’s just painful and confusion.
Everyone must have been at that phase when accept/except, decent/descent, right/write, hear/here and their/there/they’re were interchangeable as words. Such misspellings are so frequent that anyone can easily access lists of these common mistakes through their instructors and of course, online. Studying these words and their meanings will save you from many awkward spelling situations.
Syllable Merging
This is when pronunciation is your absolute, sworn enemy. You’ve heard common words like every, different, vegetable, Wednesday and countless others many times, yet when it comes to writing them down you cringe a little bit. Because magically someone has been gulping down some syllables! Indeed, it might sound ‘intresting going to that new Thai restraunt’ but is it really?
So what can an ESL learner do?
Spelling mistakes are nothing to be ashamed of, especially for ESL learners, who are actually expected to make this type of misspelling at first. This is when spelling software enters the picture. Spelling programs can be of great help for ESL learners, assisting them getting past the thorny issue of spelling, fast and painlessly.
With a high quality spelling software program like Ultimate Spelling, you’ll be able to focus on your spelling limitations and most frequent lapses in a systematic manner, making it easier to improve on them. It requires neither hard work, nor endless practicing hours; with the right tools, it’ll be a piece of cake!
About Ultimate Spelling™
Ultimate Spelling provides a modern and easy to use spelling software that has been designed with one goal in mind – making children WANT to learn.
It is a fast and easy way to master even the most complicated spelling, without the need to write long lists or complete boring tests.
In fact, Ultimate Spelling provides more than just spelling help. It is a complete educational resource that boosts all level of a child’s literacy.ntaining a personal computer tutor, Ultimate Spelling is the most realistic step-by-step guide to flawless spelling ability.
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