The 25 most commonly misspelled words
Autocorrect, we thank you
Achieve
Achieve
Most grade schoolers learn the "I before E, except after C," but a found that "cie" words actually outnumber "cei" ones in the English language. Either way, the first part of the rule applies to this tricky verb.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Apparently
Apparently
Since speakers sometimes with three As, the written version often gets misspelled the same way.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Appreciate
Appreciate
Remember the two Ps and your former English teacher will appreciate you spelling this word correctly.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Believe
Believe
Another "I before E" word, believe also gets subjected to the all-too-common switcheroo.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Bizarre
Bizarre
The single Z and two Rs may look bizarre to you, but this adjective copies the original French spelling exactly.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Calendar
Calendar
If it makes you feel any better, the etymology traces back to the Middle English word calender, but the spelling evolved into something a bit trickier by swapping in an A at the end.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Canceled
Canceled
One L or two Ls? The answer . While Brits favor the latter, most and advocate for the former. Lexicographer Noah Webster helped implement this simplified spelling all the way back in 1898.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Committee
Committee
If this word is your nemesis, remember that it essentially has two of everything: Ms, Ts and Es.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Conscious
Conscious
Subconsciously you want to spell this psych term without an S, but don't forget to slip it in there!
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Convenience
Convenience
By the time you figure out how to spell it right (E, then N and I, with an -ence at the end), it's not very convenient to use at all.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Curiosity
Curiosity
It's an easy mistake. When includes a U, it feels like the noun should get one as well.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Definitely
Definitely
If it was pronounced def-in-IGHT-ly, definitely might be easier to spell. Until then, you'll just have to type it out three times until that squiggly red line goes away.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Disappointed
Disappointed
Stemming from the Middle English word disapointen — to dispossess — this word gained an extra P somewhere along the way. An extra S was never part of the equation.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Embarrassing
Embarrassing
Maybe embarrassing is spelled this way (two Rs, two Ss) because it's kinda embarrassing when you get it wrong.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Gist
Gist
The soft G sounds like a J, but don't let the pronunciation fool you. The noun actually comes from the Anglo-French legal "[cest] action gist," or "[this] action lies."
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Immediately
Immediately
Don't drop that E! Most people remember the double Ms, but a set of Es also hides out in here as well.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Irresistible
Irresistible
Can't decide whether it's -able or -ible? offers the following : "When a word ends in -ible, it's less likely that the part before the ending will be a recognizable English word." Of course, there are plenty of exceptions: illegible, navigable and flexible, to name a few.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Maintenance
Maintenance
If these 11 letters always trip you up, you might live in Texas or Missouri. Those two states google its spelling more than any other word, according to .
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Necessary
Necessary
That extra C? So not necessary. This adjective stems from Latin word necessarius, which gets the same basic setup minus the tail end of it.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Noticeable
Noticeable
Hopefully you , because that missing E isn't always noticeable.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Possession
Possession
Literally 40% of this word is just the letter S. (There's four of them, if you're counting.)
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Separate
Separate
Thank goodness for autocorrect, because otherwise nobody would ever remember whether it's P-A-R or P-E-R. Besides, many people skip the middle syllable altogether when saying it out loud.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Tomorrow
Tomorrow
Even if you remember the double Rs, there's still the temptation to go with two Ms. Don't fall for it!
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Unfortunately
Unfortunately
Some -ly words skip the E, but unfortunately for unsure spellers this isn't one of them.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Weird
Weird
It's fitting that the word weird looks a little weird. An exception to the rule, I does not come before E, just like other tricksters like foreign, caffeine and leisure.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Achieve
Achieve
Most grade schoolers learn the "I before E, except after C," but a found that "cie" words actually outnumber "cei" ones in the English language. Either way, the first part of the rule applies to this tricky verb.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Apparently
Apparently
Since speakers sometimes with three As, the written version often gets misspelled the same way.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Appreciate
Appreciate
Remember the two Ps and your former English teacher will appreciate you spelling this word correctly.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Believe
Believe
Another "I before E" word, believe also gets subjected to the all-too-common switcheroo.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Bizarre
Bizarre
The single Z and two Rs may look bizarre to you, but this adjective copies the original French spelling exactly.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Calendar
Calendar
If it makes you feel any better, the etymology traces back to the Middle English word calender, but the spelling evolved into something a bit trickier by swapping in an A at the end.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Canceled
Canceled
One L or two Ls? The answer . While Brits favor the latter, most and advocate for the former. Lexicographer Noah Webster helped implement this simplified spelling all the way back in 1898.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Committee
Committee
If this word is your nemesis, remember that it essentially has two of everything: Ms, Ts and Es.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Conscious
Conscious
Subconsciously you want to spell this psych term without an S, but don't forget to slip it in there!
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Convenience
Convenience
By the time you figure out how to spell it right (E, then N and I, with an -ence at the end), it's not very convenient to use at all.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Curiosity
Curiosity
It's an easy mistake. When includes a U, it feels like the noun should get one as well.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Definitely
Definitely
If it was pronounced def-in-IGHT-ly, definitely might be easier to spell. Until then, you'll just have to type it out three times until that squiggly red line goes away.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Disappointed
Disappointed
Stemming from the Middle English word disapointen — to dispossess — this word gained an extra P somewhere along the way. An extra S was never part of the equation.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Embarrassing
Embarrassing
Maybe embarrassing is spelled this way (two Rs, two Ss) because it's kinda embarrassing when you get it wrong.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Gist
Gist
The soft G sounds like a J, but don't let the pronunciation fool you. The noun actually comes from the Anglo-French legal "[cest] action gist," or "[this] action lies."
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Immediately
Immediately
Don't drop that E! Most people remember the double Ms, but a set of Es also hides out in here as well.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Irresistible
Irresistible
Can't decide whether it's -able or -ible? offers the following : "When a word ends in -ible, it's less likely that the part before the ending will be a recognizable English word." Of course, there are plenty of exceptions: illegible, navigable and flexible, to name a few.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Maintenance
Maintenance
If these 11 letters always trip you up, you might live in Texas or Missouri. Those two states google its spelling more than any other word, according to .
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Necessary
Necessary
That extra C? So not necessary. This adjective stems from Latin word necessarius, which gets the same basic setup minus the tail end of it.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Noticeable
Noticeable
Hopefully you , because that missing E isn't always noticeable.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Possession
Possession
Literally 40% of this word is just the letter S. (There's four of them, if you're counting.)
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Separate
Separate
Thank goodness for autocorrect, because otherwise nobody would ever remember whether it's P-A-R or P-E-R. Besides, many people skip the middle syllable altogether when saying it out loud.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Tomorrow
Tomorrow
Even if you remember the double Rs, there's still the temptation to go with two Ms. Don't fall for it!
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Unfortunately
Unfortunately
Some -ly words skip the E, but unfortunately for unsure spellers this isn't one of them.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Weird
Weird
It's fitting that the word weird looks a little weird. An exception to the rule, I does not come before E, just like other tricksters like foreign, caffeine and leisure.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Achieve
Achieve
Most grade schoolers learn the "I before E, except after C," but a found that "cie" words actually outnumber "cei" ones in the English language. Either way, the first part of the rule applies to this tricky verb.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Apparently
Apparently
Since speakers sometimes with three As, the written version often gets misspelled the same way.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Appreciate
Appreciate
Remember the two Ps and your former English teacher will appreciate you spelling this word correctly.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Believe
Believe
Another "I before E" word, believe also gets subjected to the all-too-common switcheroo.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Bizarre
Bizarre
The single Z and two Rs may look bizarre to you, but this adjective copies the original French spelling exactly.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Calendar
Calendar
If it makes you feel any better, the etymology traces back to the Middle English word calender, but the spelling evolved into something a bit trickier by swapping in an A at the end.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Canceled
Canceled
One L or two Ls? The answer . While Brits favor the latter, most and advocate for the former. Lexicographer Noah Webster helped implement this simplified spelling all the way back in 1898.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Committee
Committee
If this word is your nemesis, remember that it essentially has two of everything: Ms, Ts and Es.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Conscious
Conscious
Subconsciously you want to spell this psych term without an S, but don't forget to slip it in there!
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Convenience
Convenience
By the time you figure out how to spell it right (E, then N and I, with an -ence at the end), it's not very convenient to use at all.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Curiosity
Curiosity
It's an easy mistake. When includes a U, it feels like the noun should get one as well.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Definitely
Definitely
If it was pronounced def-in-IGHT-ly, definitely might be easier to spell. Until then, you'll just have to type it out three times until that squiggly red line goes away.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Disappointed
Disappointed
Stemming from the Middle English word disapointen — to dispossess — this word gained an extra P somewhere along the way. An extra S was never part of the equation.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Embarrassing
Embarrassing
Maybe embarrassing is spelled this way (two Rs, two Ss) because it's kinda embarrassing when you get it wrong.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Gist
Gist
The soft G sounds like a J, but don't let the pronunciation fool you. The noun actually comes from the Anglo-French legal "[cest] action gist," or "[this] action lies."
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Immediately
Immediately
Don't drop that E! Most people remember the double Ms, but a set of Es also hides out in here as well.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Irresistible
Irresistible
Can't decide whether it's -able or -ible? offers the following : "When a word ends in -ible, it's less likely that the part before the ending will be a recognizable English word." Of course, there are plenty of exceptions: illegible, navigable and flexible, to name a few.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Maintenance
Maintenance
If these 11 letters always trip you up, you might live in Texas or Missouri. Those two states google its spelling more than any other word, according to .
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Necessary
Necessary
That extra C? So not necessary. This adjective stems from Latin word necessarius, which gets the same basic setup minus the tail end of it.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Noticeable
Noticeable
Hopefully you , because that missing E isn't always noticeable.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Possession
Possession
Literally 40% of this word is just the letter S. (There's four of them, if you're counting.)
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Separate
Separate
Thank goodness for autocorrect, because otherwise nobody would ever remember whether it's P-A-R or P-E-R. Besides, many people skip the middle syllable altogether when saying it out loud.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Tomorrow
Tomorrow
Even if you remember the double Rs, there's still the temptation to go with two Ms. Don't fall for it!
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Unfortunately
Unfortunately
Some -ly words skip the E, but unfortunately for unsure spellers this isn't one of them.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Weird
Weird
It's fitting that the word weird looks a little weird. An exception to the rule, I does not come before E, just like other tricksters like foreign, caffeine and leisure.
PHOTO: Betsy Farrell
Autocorrect, we thank you
Unfortunatly Unfortunately, there are a lot of wierd out there. But don't be intimadated intimidated! These sneaky tricksters — as identified by and the — won't embarass embarrass you any longer thanks to a few .