When it comes to spelling, some people find it difficult. The rules of grammar, such as “I before e except after c” and “double the consonants f, l, and s at the end of a one-syllable word that has just one vowel,” can be useful.
Yet some words are a nightmare, causing spelling bee competitors to break out in cold sweats. On top of that, you have British and American English, which contend against one another. There’s a “u” in “colour” or is there? We picked 21 of the most challenging words that have been Googled how to spell them. Make sure you add these to your dictionary.
Separate
Has two “a”s surrounding the “r”. Can easily be confused with “seperate”. According to writingexplained.org, using “seperate” is a no-no!
Accommodation
It’s the double “c” and the double “m” that one has to be careful about.
Embarrassment
Ah, some more tricky double letters. This time it’s the “r” and “s” that can throw you off.
Mediterranean
Here is a doozy of a word that challenges most people. Listen to how the word is pronounced, and you can understand why some people want to use an “a” instead of an “e” after the “r.” Then there is the “Earth” combo sandwiched between the “n”s.
Indict
The silent “c” is the problem with this word. Also, it can be tempting to squeeze in an “e” after the “t.”
Pneumonia
The “p” sits teasingly at the front of this word. Then there is the “neu,” which sounds like “new,” but it isn’t.
Colonel
Here is a word that some stumble over, thanks to the pronunciation of “kernel.” Smithsonian Magazine explains why it’s pronounced this way:
“’Colonel’ came to English from the mid-16th-century French word coronelle, meaning commander of a regiment, or column, of soldiers.”
Receipt
There’s that silent “p” again.
Maintenance
Here is a word in which the “e” after the “t” could be left out due to some people uttering it as “maintnance.” Another issue with the spelling is swapping out the “a” between the “n”s with an “e.”
Entrepreneur
Don’t fall for the trap of changing the “e”s after the “r”s with an “a.” Sure, it sounds that way when you say this word, but the spelling is different. Oh, then there is the “u” at the end, as tempting as it may be to just spell without this vital letter.
Supersede
It’s “sede,” not “seed,” even though some automatic spellcheckers may argue.
Conscience
Sure, it sounds like “conshuns,” but it’s not spelled that way.
Bureaucracy
With this word, the “reauc” is what challenges people. It can be easy to think it’s “rock”; after all, this part of the word is voiced that way.
Deteriorate
Don’t forget there is an “o”!
Unnecessary
Uh-oh! More double letters. It’s typically the “nn” that catches people out.
Harassment
It’s one “r” and double “s.” Not the other way around.
Fluorescent
Ah! A pesky silent ”c” and a silent “o.” Double trouble with this illuminating word.
Manoeuvre (Maneuver in US English)
A headache of a word. Not only does it have alternative spelling depending on if you’re British or American, but it’s also the “oeu” and the “re” that poses the biggest spelling problem.
Paraphernalia
Most people mistakenly spell this with “pha” instead of “pher.” Another word that can be confusing thanks to the way it’s pronounced.
Rambunctious
You may want to leave out the “n” when writing this word. Please don’t.
Worcestershire
What? It’s pronounced as “sha” yet spelled as “shire. And there isn’t an “h” after the “c.”
Got to Love Spelling
Why are some words harder to spell than others? There are several reasons.
Firstly, the way a word is pronounced and spelled can be different, as we have seen in some of the words on our list. Also, a word’s etymology changes in form, which can confuse it.
Another problem is the variation between British and American spelling. “U”s are dropped or inserted, and the letters “re” are swapped around to “er.”
Oh, if language was only as simple as maths or quantum physics, how easy life would be for us all.
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