Misspelled Words

1. This presentation is
brought to you by
Grammar Bytes!,
©2023 by Robin L.
Simmons.

2. Spelling
I before E? Or is it E
before I?

3. This presentation
covers commonly
misspelled
words and
knowledge of
spelling rules—
all of which,
unfortunately, have
exceptions!

4. Spelling items on an
objective test might look
like these ...

5. Sample Item 1
Because we were hungary, we could not
concentrate on the lecture. We will definitely
consult Wanda since she was fueling her brain
with a fruit smoothie.
A. hungry
B. definately
C. feuling
D. No change is necessary.
Because we were hungary, we could not
A
concentrate on the lecture. We will definitely
B
consult Wanda since she was fueling her brain
C
with a fruit smoothie.
A. hungry
B. definately
C. feuling
D. No change is necessary.
Because we were hungry, we could not
A
concentrate on the lecture. We will definitely
B
consult Wanda since she was fueling her brain
C
with a fruit smoothie.
A. hungry
B. definately
C. feuling
D. No change is necessary.
Is hungary,
definitely, or
fueling
misspelled?
Hungry is
definitely
misspelled, but
choice A
corrects it!

6. Sample Item 2
At the flea market, Harold bought fresh tomatoes,
a pair of used jeans, and a stuffed deer head with
a broken antler. He considered the shopping trip
successfull.
A. succesful
B. successful
C. sucessful
D. No change is necessary.
At the flea market, Harold bought fresh tomatoes,
a pair of used jeans, and a stuffed deer head with
a broken antler. He considered the shopping trip
successfull.
A. succesful
B. successful
C. sucessful
D. No change is necessary.
Is successfull
misspelled? If so,
which choice
corrects it?
Choice B does
the job—two cs,
two ss, but only
one l.

7. At many objective exams,
you cannot use a dictionar y!
X

8. When in doubt, rely on
“gut” feelings.
Your eyes have seen in print—and your
brain has registered—all of the possible
words that you will encounter for this skill. If
you don’t recognize the right answer, go
with the one that feels right.
Hey, I know
that word!

9. Plurals, Part 1
To finish his algebra problem, Chad needed to
find his glass.
• Most words become plural by adding s:
chickenchickens, bookbooks, kitekites
• Use es for words ending in s, sh, x, z, or “soft”
ch: beachbeaches, fixfixes, quizquizzes
To finish his algebra problems, Chad needed to
find his glasses.
Do you like my
funky lenses?

10. Plurals, Part 2
Our ears were glued to the radio as we listened to
news about the tornado.
• Words ending in a vowel + o become plural by
adding s: rodeorodeos, duoduos
• Words ending in a consonant + o become plural
by adding es: tomatotomatoes, heroheroes
Take
cover!
Our ears were glued to the radios as we listened to
news about the tornadoes.

11. Plurals, Part 3
Our life would improve if the giraffs quit eating the
leafs off our shrubs.
• Many words that end in f or fe become plural
with ves: leafleaves, lifelives,
knifeknives
• Words that end in ff or ffe become plural with
just an s: knockoffknockoffs, giraffegiraffes
Our lives would improve if the giraffes quit
eating the leaves off our shrubs.
Stop
that!

12. Final Y Words
Chad tryed to save his money, but the flea market
had too many good buy.
• If you have consonant + final y, change the y
to i when you add any suffix except one beginning
with i: easyeasily, fiftyfiftieth, skyskies
• If you have vowel + final y, keep the y when you
add a suffix: monkeymonkeys, toytoys
Chad tried to save his money, but the flea market
had too many good buys.
I’m a sucker
for “Buy 3, Get
1 Free”!

13. Final E Words
Climbing to the top of the mountain was too
challengeing, so we gave up and wallowed in
discouragment.
• If a suffix begins with a vowel, you will usually
remove the final e: hopehoping,
loveloving, participateparticipating
• If a suffix begins with a consonant, you will
usually keep the final e: lovelovely,
amuseamusement, hopehopeful
Climbing to the top of the mountain was too
challenging, so we gave up and wallowed in
discouragement.
We were so
close!

14. Doubling Final Consonants
• If you have a one-syllable word that ends in
vowel + consonant, double the consonant
when you add a suffix that begins with a
vowel or is a y: sadsaddened,
swimswimming, skinskinny
• If you have a multi-syllable word that ends in
vowel + consonant—with the accent falling
on the last syllable of the root word—double
the consonant: admitadmitted,
beginbeginner, forbidforbidding

15. Read this sample:
Chad steped in a puddle and sliped off
the sidewalk. He regreted his clumsiness
when he spoted the mud stain on his pants.
Chad stepped in a puddle and slipped off
the sidewalk. He regretted his clumsiness
when he spotted the mud stain on his pants.
Whoa!

16. IE/EI Words
Chad is concieted about the bulging viens in
his rippling muscles. He beleives that all of
the females are admiring his great physique.
• Often, i comes before e: belief, chief, review
• If the i and e follow c, they usually reverse:
ceiling, conceive, receive
• E also precedes i if the sound is a long a:
eight, neighbor, weigh
Chad is conceited about the bulging veins in
his rippling muscles. He believes that all of
the females are admiring his great physique.
Let me flex my
biceps!

17. Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”
Show me
what you
know!

18. Item 1
Carlos hopped that he caught all of the
misspellings in his essay, for he wanted to
receive an A on this paper.
A. hoped
B. mispellings
C. recieve
D. No change is necessary.
Carlos hopped that he caught all of the
A
misspellings in his essay, for he wanted to
B
receive an A on this paper.
C
A. hoped
B. mispellings
C. recieve
D. No change is necessary.
Carlos hoped that he caught all of the
A
misspellings in his essay, for he wanted to
B
receive an A on this paper.
C
A. hoped
B. mispellings
C. recieve
D. No change is necessary.

19. Item 2
The thieves planned to steal Mom’s expensive
jewellry but changed their minds when they
discovered Big Boy, our Rottweiler, guarding the
master bedroom.
A. theives
B. jewelry
C. guardding
D. No change is necessary.
The thieves planned to steal Mom’s expensive
A
jewellry but changed their minds when they
B
discovered Big Boy, our Rottweiler, guarding the
C
master bedroom.
A. theives
B. jewelry
C. guardding
D. No change is necessary.
The thieves planned to steal Mom’s expensive
A
jewelry but changed their minds when they
B
discovered Big Boy, our Rottweiler, guarding the
C
master bedroom.
A. theives
B. jewelry
C. guardding
D. No change is necessary.

20. Item 3
When we told Sheila that her boyfriend Ronnie
accompanied Kristine to a fancy restaurant last
night, Sheila told us to mind our own bussiness.
A. accompanyed
B. resterant
C. business
D. No change is necessary.
When we told Sheila that her boyfriend Ronnie
accompanied Kristine to a fancy restaurant last
A B
night, Sheila told us to mind our own bussiness.
C
A. accompanyed
B. resterant
C. business
D. No change is necessary.
When we told Sheila that her boyfriend Ronnie
accompanied Kristine to a fancy restaurant last
A B
night, Sheila told us to mind our own business.
C
A. accompanyed
B. resterant
C. business
D. No change is necessary.

21. Item 4
I don’t mind sharing a dessert with Matthew, but I
must insist on a sepparate fork.
A. separate
B. seperate
C. saperate
D. No change is necessary.
I don’t mind sharing a dessert with Matthew, but I
must insist on a sepparate fork.
A. separate
B. seperate
C. saperate
D. No change is necessary.
I don’t mind sharing a dessert with Matthew, but I
must insist on a sepparate fork.
A. separate
B. seperate
C. saperate
D. No change is necessary.

22. Item 5
Professor Williams recommends studing two
hours every night; we students wish we had the
time but must work to pay for the expensive
textbooks that he requires.
A. reccomends
B. studying
C. espensive
D. No change is necessary.
Professor Williams recommends studing two
A B
hours every night; we students wish we had the
time but must work to pay for the expensive
C
textbooks that he requires.
A. reccomends
B. studying
C. espensive
D. No change is necessary.
Professor Williams recommends studying two
A B
hours every night; we students wish we had the
time but must work to pay for the expensive
C
textbooks that he requires.
A. reccomends
B. studying
C. espensive
D. No change is necessary.

23. Item 6
All day long, our new puppy Jack sleeps on the
rug, but at night, he is possesed by energy and
bounces off the furniture.
A. posessed
B. possested
C. possessed
D. No change is necessary.
All day long, our new puppy Jack sleeps on the
rug, but at night, he is possesed by energy and
bounces off the furniture.
A. posessed
B. possested
C. possessed
D. No change is necessary.
All day long, our new puppy Jack sleeps on the
rug, but at night, he is possesed by energy and
bounces off the furniture.
A. posessed
B. possested
C. possessed
D. No change is necessary.

24. Item 7
Ramón wishs that the lovely Belinda would blow
kisses his way, but he is always disappointed.
A. wishes
B. kissess
C. dissappointed
D. No change is necessary.
Ramón wishs that the lovely Belinda would blow
A
kisses his way, but he is always disappointed.
B C
A. wishes
B. kissess
C. dissappointed
D. No change is necessary.
Ramón wishes that the lovely Belinda would blow
A
kisses his way, but he is always disappointed.
B C
A. wishes
B. kissess
C. dissappointed
D. No change is necessary.

25. Item 8
To please his wife, Robert swept off the roof, even
though he found this chore pointless and
unnecessary.
A. unecessary
B. unnecessery
C. unneccessary
D. No change is necessary.
To please his wife, Robert swept off the roof, even
though he found this chore pointless and
unnecessary.
A. unecessary
B. unnecessery
C. unneccessary
D. No change is necessary.
To please his wife, Robert swept off the roof, even
though he found this chore pointless and
unnecessary.
A. unecessary
B. unnecessery
C. unneccessary
D. No change is necessary.

26. Item 9
Patrick tried to make Babushka’s potatoe
pancakes, but we found them inedible; everyone
wished he had made simple French fries instead.
A. potato
B. ineddible
C. frys
D. No change is necessary.
Patrick tried to make Babushka’s potatoe
A
pancakes, but we found them inedible; everyone
B
wished he had made simple French fries instead.
C
A. potato
B. ineddible
C. frys
D. No change is necessary.
Patrick tried to make Babushka’s potato
A
pancakes, but we found them inedible; everyone
B
wished he had made simple French fries instead.
C
A. potato
B. ineddible
C. frys
D. No change is necessary.

27. Item 10
Look at Jonathan’s face turning red—that boy
embarasses easily!
A. embarrases
B. emmbarasses
C. embarrasses
D. No change is necessary.
Look at Jonathan’s face turning red—that boy
embarasses easily!
A. embarrases
B. emmbarasses
C. embarrasses
D. No change is necessary.
Look at Jonathan’s face turning red—that boy
embarasses easily!
A. embarrases
B. emmbarasses
C. embarrasses
D. No change is necessary.

28. The End.