Spelling and punctuation

Spelling and punctuation are areas of difficulty for many students.

Here are some useful tips on spelling:

• Practice spelling commonly-used words as they make up most of what we write: for example, when, would, know, they, said. A list of the most commonly-used words can be found via a Google search.
• Use a little address book to keep a personal dictionary of commonly-used words and your frequent errors, and refer to it.
• Use mnemonics or memory prompts. I'll be your friend until the 'end'.
• Pronounce words carefully: fed/er/al rather than fed/ral, escape rather than excape, choc/o/late rather than choc/late.
• Say the word as you write it. Exaggerate the pronunciation in your head: for-get-ful, de-part-ment.
• Try to learn about suffixes and prefixes: appoint, disappoint, disappointed, disappointment, disappointing. This will help prevent errors such as imeasureable and unecessary.
• Look for patterns in words: light, bright, night, fright, sight, tonight.
• Look for words within words: spit in the word 'hospital', to/get/her in together.
• Kinaesthetic learners can remember the 'feel' of the word through typing or cursive writing.
• Practice using a dictionary.
• Learn a few basic spelling rules, for example: 'I' before 'E' except after 'C', or when sounding like 'A' as in neighbour and weigh.
• Use a hand-held spelling tool or use the spell-check on the computer.
• Create a list of words you need to know and practise spelling five of them each week.

Helpful links for spelling and punctuation:

Basic punctuation explained http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/566/01/

Basic punctuation, simply explained http://www.ziskadesigns.co.uk/plainenglish-s7.html

Tips and exercises to improve your grammar, spelling and punctuation http://www.dumblittleman.com/2006/12/40-tips-to-improve-your-grammar-and.html

Online dictionary http://dictionary.reference.com/