Most Commonly Misspelled Words^297
committed: Let’s hope you are committed to learning the double-consonant
rule: Consonants at the end of a verb preceded by accented vowels are usually
doubled when you add -ed (or -ing or -er): nab—nabbed,nap—napped,
knit—knitted.
conscience: No one with a conscience would try to con science. Sci is often
pronounced “ch” after an n.
conscientious: Here is a word where both sci and ti are pronounced “ch” after
an n. Be a conscientious speller and remember that.
conscious: I hope that by now you are conscious of the fact that sci after n is
pronounced “ch” in English.
consensus: The consensus (majority opinion) is that the census is a good idea,
even though they are not spelled alike.
coolly: You will coolly spell this word correctly if you remember that it is the
adjective cool with the adverb suffi x -ly.
cupboard: Just because we don’t hear the p in this word when we pronounce it,
“kuhburd,” doesn’t mean it’s not there.
defi nite(ly): This word defi nitely sounds like it ends with tbut that is because
the e behind it remains silent no matter what.
descendant: This word may also be spelled descendent, but this spelling usually
indicates an adjective (e.g., a descendent vine), while a person in a family tree
is a descendant of his or her ancestors.
deterrence: Four common English words ending on an accented vowel r,
double the r before the suffi xes -ence and -ent:deterrence,abhorrence,
occurrence, and concurrence.
discipline: A little discipline in spelling habits will help you remember the silent
c in the middle and silent e at the end of this word.
drunkenness: Even sober writers sometimes forget one of the n’s in this word.
embarrass(ment): This word has an embarrassment of r’s and s’s—two of each.
equipment: This word is easier to spell than you think if you avoid sticking a t
between the p and the m: not equiptment!
exceed: Exceed all expectations and master spelling this word like proceed but
not like precede or supersede.
exhilarate: Just think of the exhilaration knowing that you are one of those good
writers who know this word contains an h.
existence: Putting an a rather than an e before the nce in this word can make
your existence miserable.
experience: Avoid the embarrassing experience of spelling this word with an a
before the fi nal nce, too.
fi ery: The fi nal e in fi r e jumped over the r to get away from the y. Wouldn’t you?
foreign: The i-before-e rule is foreign to the spelling of foreign.
fulfi ll: Full is not fully spelled in this word, but fi l l is.