English spelling can be very difficult, even for native speakers. Many English words cannot be spelt phonetically (phonetically means the way they sound). For example, phonetically the word enough should be spelt ‘enuff‘!
Listed below are some of the most commonly misspelled words in English. If there are some words here that you have problems with, have a look at our tips for learning and remembering new vocabulary to help you. And remember, the only way to really improve is practice!
IMPORTANT NOTE: there are differences in spelling between US and UK English. This page (and this site) refers to British (UK English) spelling.
Commonly misspelled words in English
| accelerate | equipment | noticeable |
| acceptable | especially | occasion |
| accidentally | exceed | occasionally |
| accommodate | excellent | official |
| accomplish | exhilarate | parallel |
| accumulate | experience | parliament |
| acquire | explanation | particular |
| acquit | foreign | perseverance |
| amateur | grateful | personnel |
| apparent | guarantee | possession |
| argument | harass | precede |
| atheist | height | preferable |
| beginning | horrific | privilege |
| believe | hypocrisy | proceed |
| business | ignorance | pronunciation |
| calendar | imitate | publicly |
| camouflage | immediate | receipt |
| candidate | inadvertent | receive |
| category | incidentally | recommend |
| changeable | incredible | reference |
| collectible | independent | referred |
| column | indispensable | relevant |
| commemorate | ingenious | remembrance |
| committed | inoculate | renowned |
| congratulations | irresistible | restaurant |
| conscience | knowledge | rhyme |
| conscientious | labelled | rhythm |
| conscious | leisure | ridiculous |
| consensus | library | schedule |
| deceive | loose | scissors |
| defendant | maintenance | separate |
| defiant | millennium | separately |
| definite | miniature | success |
| desperate | mischievous | tomorrow |
| disappear | misspell | twelfth |
| disappoint | necessary | vicious |
| embarrassment | neighbour | weird |