Cross-referencing will help you locate words with tricky initial
letters.
aquaint Wrong spelling. See ACQUAINT.
Plural words are given alongside singular nouns, with crossreferencing
to relevant rules and patterns.
knife (singular) knives (plural). See PLURALS
(v).
There is also a general section on plurals and another on foreign
plurals.
If it’s the complication of adding an ending that is causing you
trouble, you will find some words listed with a useful crossreference.
dining or dinning? dine + ing = dining (as in dining room)
din + ing = dinning (noise dinning in ears)
See
ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (ii).
There are individual entries for confusing endings like -able/-ible;
-ance,-ant/-ence,-ent; -cal/-cle; -ise or -ize? and for confusing
beginnings like ante-/anti-; for-/fore-; hyper-/hypo-; inter-/intraand
many others.
vii
A
abandon abandoned, abandoning, abandonment
(not -bb-)
abattoir (not -bb-)
abbreviate abbreviated, abbreviating, abbreviation
(not -b-)
abbreviations See CONTRACTIONS.
-able/-ible Adjectives ending in -able or -ible can be
difficult to spell because both endings
sound identical. You’ll always need to be
on guard with these words and check
each word individually when you are in
doubt, but here are some useful
guidelines:
(i) Generally use -able when the
companion word ends in -ation:
abominable, abomination
irritable, irritation
(ii) Generally use -ible when the
companion word ends in -ion:
comprehensible, comprehension
digestible, digestion
(iii) Use -able after hard c and hard g:
practicable (c sounds like k)
navigable (hard g)
(iv) Use -ible after soft c and soft g:
forcible (c sounds like s)
legible (g sounds like j)
See also ADDING ENDINGS (ii); SOFT C AND
SOFT G.
1
abridgement/ Both spellings are correct. Use either but be
abridgment consistent within one piece of writing.
abscess This is a favourite word in spelling
quizzes.
(not absess or abcess)
absence absent (not absc-)
absolute absolutely (not absoloute, absoloutely)
absorb absorption. Notice how b changes to p
here.
abstract nouns See NOUNS.
accept or except? We ACCEPT your apology.
Everybody was there EXCEPT Stephen.
accessary If you want to preserve the traditional
or accessory? distinction in meaning between these two
words, use ACCESSARY to refer to
someone associated with a crime and
ACCESSORY to refer to something that is
added (a fashion accessory or car
accessories). However, the distinction has
now become blurred and it is perfectly
acceptable to use one spelling to cover
both meanings. Of the two, accessory is
the more widely used, but both are
correct.
accessible (not -able)
accidentally The adverb is formed by adding -ly to
accidental.
(not accidently)
accommodation This is a favourite word in spelling quizzes
and is frequently seen misspelt on painted
signs.
(not accomodation or accommadation)
accross Wrong spelling. See ACROSS.
accumulate (not -mm-)
ABRIDGEMENT/ABRIDGMENT
2
achieve achieved, achieving, achievement (not -ei-)
See also ADDING ENDINGS (ii.); EI/IE SPELLING
RULE.
acknowledgement/ Both spellings are correct but be
acknowledgment consistent within one piece of writing.
acquaint acquainted (not aq-)
acquaintance (not -ence)
acquiesce acquiesced, acquiescing (not aq-)
acquiescence (not -ance)
acquire acquired, acquiring, acquisition
(not aq-)
acreage Note that there are three syllables here.
(not acrage)
across (not accross)
adapter or adaptor? Traditional usage would distinguish
between these two words and reserve
-er for the person (an adapter of novels,
for instance) and -or for the piece of
electrical equipment. However, the
distinction has become very blurred and
the two spellings are considered by many
authorities to be interchangeable. Use
either for both meanings but be consistent
within a single piece of writing.
addendum (singular) addenda (plural)
See FOREIGN PLURALS.
adding endings Usually endings (suffixes) can be added to
base words without any complications.
You just add them and that is that!
e.g. iron + ing = ironing
steam + er = steamer
list + less = listless
However, there are four groups of words
which need especial care. Fortunately,
there are some straightforward rules
ADDING ENDINGS
3
TEAMFLY
which save your learning thousands of
words individually.
(i) The 1-1-1 rule
This rule applies to:
words of ONE syllable
ending with ONE consonant
preceded by ONE vowel
e.g. drop, flat, sun, win.
When you add an ending beginning
with a consonant to a l-l-l word, there
is no change to the base word:
drop + let = droplet
flat + ly = flatly
win + some = winsome
When you add an ending beginning
with a vowel to a l-l-l word, you
double the final letter of the base
word:
drop + ed = dropped
flat + est = flattest
win + ing = winning
sun + *y = sunny
*y counts as a vowel when it
sounds like i or e.
See VOWELS.
Treat qu as one letter:
quit + ing = quitting
quip + ed = quipped
Don’t double final w and x. They
would look very odd and so we have
correctly:
tax + ing = taxing
paw + ed = pawed
(ii) The magic -e rule
This rule applies to all words ending
ADDING ENDINGS
4
with a silent -e.
e.g. hope, care, achieve, sincere,
separate.
When you add an ending beginning
with a consonant, keep the -e:
hope + ful = hopeful
care + less = careless
sincere + ly = sincerely
separate + ly = separately
achieve + ment = achievement
When you add an ending beginning
with a vowel, drop the -e:
hope + ing = hoping
care + er = carer
sincere + ity = sincerity
separate + ion = separation
achieve + ed = achieved
Do, however, keep the -e in words
like singeing (different from singing)
and dyeing (different from dying) and
whenever you need to keep the
identity of the base word clear (e.g.
shoeing, canoeing).
Do remember to keep the -e with
soft c and soft g words. It’s the e that
keeps them soft (courageous,
traceable). (See SOFT C AND SOFT G.)
Don’t keep the -e with these eight
exceptions to the rule: truly, duly,
ninth, argument, wholly, awful,
whilst, wisdom.
(iii) -y rule
This rule applies to all words ending
in -y. Look at the letter before the -y
in the base word.
It doesn’t matter at all what kind of
ending you are adding. When you add
an ending to a word ending in a
ADDING ENDINGS
5
vowel + y, keep the y:
portray + ed = portrayed
employ + ment = employment
When you add an ending to a word
ending in a consonant + y, change
the y to i:
try +al = trial
empty + er = emptier
pity + less = pitiless
lazy + ness = laziness
Do keep the y when adding -ing. Two
i’s together would look very odd,
despite our two words ski-ing and
taxi-ing.
try + ing = trying
empty + ing = emptying
Don’t apply the rule in these fourteen
cases: daily, gaily, gaiety, laid, paid,
said, slain, babyhood, shyly, shyness,
dryness, slyness, wryly, wryness.
(iv) The 2-1-1 rule
This rule applies to:
words of TWO syllables
ending with ONE consonant
preceded by ONE vowel.
With this rule, it all depends on
which syllable of the word is stressed.
The 2-1-1 words below are stressed
on the first syllable, and both vowel
and consonant endings are added
without any complications:
gossip gossiping
target targeted
limit limitless
eager eagerness
But note that kidnap, outfit, worship,
always double their final letter:
ADDING ENDINGS
6
kidnapped, outfitter, worshipping
Take care with 2-1-1 words which are
stressed on the second syllable. There
is no change when you add a
consonant ending:
forget + ful = forgetful
equip + ment = equipment
Double the final consonant of the base
word when you add a vowel ending:
forget + ing = forgetting
equip + ed = equipped
forbid + en = forbidden
begin + er = beginner
This rule is really valuable but you
must be aware of some exceptions:
" 2-1-1 words ending in -l seem to have
a rule all of their own. Whether the
stress is on the first or the second
syllable, there is no change when a
consonant ending is added:
quarrel + some = quarrelsome
instal + ment = instalment
Double the -l when adding a vowel
ending:
quarrel + ing = quarrelling
instal + ed = installed
excel + ent = excellent
" Notice how the change of stress in
these words affects the spelling:
confer conferred conferring conference
defer deferred deferring deference
infer inferred inferring inference
prefer preferred preferring preference
refer referred referring reference
transfer transferred transferring transference
See also -ABLE/-IBLE; -ANCE,-ANT/-ENCE,-ENT;
-CAL/-CLE; -FUL;-LY.
letters.
aquaint Wrong spelling. See ACQUAINT.
Plural words are given alongside singular nouns, with crossreferencing
to relevant rules and patterns.
knife (singular) knives (plural). See PLURALS
(v).
There is also a general section on plurals and another on foreign
plurals.
If it’s the complication of adding an ending that is causing you
trouble, you will find some words listed with a useful crossreference.
dining or dinning? dine + ing = dining (as in dining room)
din + ing = dinning (noise dinning in ears)
See
ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (ii).
There are individual entries for confusing endings like -able/-ible;
-ance,-ant/-ence,-ent; -cal/-cle; -ise or -ize? and for confusing
beginnings like ante-/anti-; for-/fore-; hyper-/hypo-; inter-/intraand
many others.
vii
A
abandon abandoned, abandoning, abandonment
(not -bb-)
abattoir (not -bb-)
abbreviate abbreviated, abbreviating, abbreviation
(not -b-)
abbreviations See CONTRACTIONS.
-able/-ible Adjectives ending in -able or -ible can be
difficult to spell because both endings
sound identical. You’ll always need to be
on guard with these words and check
each word individually when you are in
doubt, but here are some useful
guidelines:
(i) Generally use -able when the
companion word ends in -ation:
abominable, abomination
irritable, irritation
(ii) Generally use -ible when the
companion word ends in -ion:
comprehensible, comprehension
digestible, digestion
(iii) Use -able after hard c and hard g:
practicable (c sounds like k)
navigable (hard g)
(iv) Use -ible after soft c and soft g:
forcible (c sounds like s)
legible (g sounds like j)
See also ADDING ENDINGS (ii); SOFT C AND
SOFT G.
1
abridgement/ Both spellings are correct. Use either but be
abridgment consistent within one piece of writing.
abscess This is a favourite word in spelling
quizzes.
(not absess or abcess)
absence absent (not absc-)
absolute absolutely (not absoloute, absoloutely)
absorb absorption. Notice how b changes to p
here.
abstract nouns See NOUNS.
accept or except? We ACCEPT your apology.
Everybody was there EXCEPT Stephen.
accessary If you want to preserve the traditional
or accessory? distinction in meaning between these two
words, use ACCESSARY to refer to
someone associated with a crime and
ACCESSORY to refer to something that is
added (a fashion accessory or car
accessories). However, the distinction has
now become blurred and it is perfectly
acceptable to use one spelling to cover
both meanings. Of the two, accessory is
the more widely used, but both are
correct.
accessible (not -able)
accidentally The adverb is formed by adding -ly to
accidental.
(not accidently)
accommodation This is a favourite word in spelling quizzes
and is frequently seen misspelt on painted
signs.
(not accomodation or accommadation)
accross Wrong spelling. See ACROSS.
accumulate (not -mm-)
ABRIDGEMENT/ABRIDGMENT
2
achieve achieved, achieving, achievement (not -ei-)
See also ADDING ENDINGS (ii.); EI/IE SPELLING
RULE.
acknowledgement/ Both spellings are correct but be
acknowledgment consistent within one piece of writing.
acquaint acquainted (not aq-)
acquaintance (not -ence)
acquiesce acquiesced, acquiescing (not aq-)
acquiescence (not -ance)
acquire acquired, acquiring, acquisition
(not aq-)
acreage Note that there are three syllables here.
(not acrage)
across (not accross)
adapter or adaptor? Traditional usage would distinguish
between these two words and reserve
-er for the person (an adapter of novels,
for instance) and -or for the piece of
electrical equipment. However, the
distinction has become very blurred and
the two spellings are considered by many
authorities to be interchangeable. Use
either for both meanings but be consistent
within a single piece of writing.
addendum (singular) addenda (plural)
See FOREIGN PLURALS.
adding endings Usually endings (suffixes) can be added to
base words without any complications.
You just add them and that is that!
e.g. iron + ing = ironing
steam + er = steamer
list + less = listless
However, there are four groups of words
which need especial care. Fortunately,
there are some straightforward rules
ADDING ENDINGS
3
TEAMFLY
which save your learning thousands of
words individually.
(i) The 1-1-1 rule
This rule applies to:
words of ONE syllable
ending with ONE consonant
preceded by ONE vowel
e.g. drop, flat, sun, win.
When you add an ending beginning
with a consonant to a l-l-l word, there
is no change to the base word:
drop + let = droplet
flat + ly = flatly
win + some = winsome
When you add an ending beginning
with a vowel to a l-l-l word, you
double the final letter of the base
word:
drop + ed = dropped
flat + est = flattest
win + ing = winning
sun + *y = sunny
*y counts as a vowel when it
sounds like i or e.
See VOWELS.
Treat qu as one letter:
quit + ing = quitting
quip + ed = quipped
Don’t double final w and x. They
would look very odd and so we have
correctly:
tax + ing = taxing
paw + ed = pawed
(ii) The magic -e rule
This rule applies to all words ending
ADDING ENDINGS
4
with a silent -e.
e.g. hope, care, achieve, sincere,
separate.
When you add an ending beginning
with a consonant, keep the -e:
hope + ful = hopeful
care + less = careless
sincere + ly = sincerely
separate + ly = separately
achieve + ment = achievement
When you add an ending beginning
with a vowel, drop the -e:
hope + ing = hoping
care + er = carer
sincere + ity = sincerity
separate + ion = separation
achieve + ed = achieved
Do, however, keep the -e in words
like singeing (different from singing)
and dyeing (different from dying) and
whenever you need to keep the
identity of the base word clear (e.g.
shoeing, canoeing).
Do remember to keep the -e with
soft c and soft g words. It’s the e that
keeps them soft (courageous,
traceable). (See SOFT C AND SOFT G.)
Don’t keep the -e with these eight
exceptions to the rule: truly, duly,
ninth, argument, wholly, awful,
whilst, wisdom.
(iii) -y rule
This rule applies to all words ending
in -y. Look at the letter before the -y
in the base word.
It doesn’t matter at all what kind of
ending you are adding. When you add
an ending to a word ending in a
ADDING ENDINGS
5
vowel + y, keep the y:
portray + ed = portrayed
employ + ment = employment
When you add an ending to a word
ending in a consonant + y, change
the y to i:
try +al = trial
empty + er = emptier
pity + less = pitiless
lazy + ness = laziness
Do keep the y when adding -ing. Two
i’s together would look very odd,
despite our two words ski-ing and
taxi-ing.
try + ing = trying
empty + ing = emptying
Don’t apply the rule in these fourteen
cases: daily, gaily, gaiety, laid, paid,
said, slain, babyhood, shyly, shyness,
dryness, slyness, wryly, wryness.
(iv) The 2-1-1 rule
This rule applies to:
words of TWO syllables
ending with ONE consonant
preceded by ONE vowel.
With this rule, it all depends on
which syllable of the word is stressed.
The 2-1-1 words below are stressed
on the first syllable, and both vowel
and consonant endings are added
without any complications:
gossip gossiping
target targeted
limit limitless
eager eagerness
But note that kidnap, outfit, worship,
always double their final letter:
ADDING ENDINGS
6
kidnapped, outfitter, worshipping
Take care with 2-1-1 words which are
stressed on the second syllable. There
is no change when you add a
consonant ending:
forget + ful = forgetful
equip + ment = equipment
Double the final consonant of the base
word when you add a vowel ending:
forget + ing = forgetting
equip + ed = equipped
forbid + en = forbidden
begin + er = beginner
This rule is really valuable but you
must be aware of some exceptions:
" 2-1-1 words ending in -l seem to have
a rule all of their own. Whether the
stress is on the first or the second
syllable, there is no change when a
consonant ending is added:
quarrel + some = quarrelsome
instal + ment = instalment
Double the -l when adding a vowel
ending:
quarrel + ing = quarrelling
instal + ed = installed
excel + ent = excellent
" Notice how the change of stress in
these words affects the spelling:
confer conferred conferring conference
defer deferred deferring deference
infer inferred inferring inference
prefer preferred preferring preference
refer referred referring reference
transfer transferred transferring transference
See also -ABLE/-IBLE; -ANCE,-ANT/-ENCE,-ENT;
-CAL/-CLE; -FUL;-LY.
