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Grammar and Style

So Many Rules! by Susan Thurman

These are just some of the rules of spelling, but you'll find lots of others. Many Internet sites are devoted to spelling rules. Just type in “English spelling rules” on a major search engine, and you'll get scores of hits.

Make sure that any site you visit pertains to spelling rules for American English rather than British English; as you'll discover, there's quite a difference. Also, depending on your background, you may find it helpful to look at Internet sites that deal with English as a foreign language.

The English Way

You probably know the meanings of some words are different in Britain than in the United States, such as the British usage of chips for what Americans call French fries and lorry for what Americans call a truck. But are you aware that the two languages have many variations in spelling as well? A few of the differences between American English and British English are these:

<tgroup cols="2" align="center"> <colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="1" align="left"/> <colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="50%" colsep="0" rowsep="1" align="left"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p>American English</p></td> <td><p>British English</p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>airplane</p></td> <td><p>aeroplane</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>center</p></td> <td><p>centre</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>check</p></td> <td><p>cheque</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>color</p></td> <td><p>colour</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>draft</p></td> <td><p>draught</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>jail</p></td> <td><p>gaol</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>plow</p></td> <td><p>plough</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>spelled</p></td> <td><p>spelt</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>theater</p></td> <td><p>theatre</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>tire</p></td> <td><p>tyre</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2><emphasis>Mind-Blowing Mnemonics</emphasis></h2> <p>Let's face it — sometimes spelling rules just don't sink in. The English language has too many rules, and almost all of them have so many exceptions that learning them may not seem worth your time or trouble.</p> <p>So how can you learn to spell properly? Many people create mnemonics (memory aids) to help them spell correctly. Listed here are some commonly misspelled words and suggested mnemonic forms to help you remember the right spelling.</p> <p>After looking at these mnemonics, try developing some of your own for words that you often misspell (of course, look up the words in the dictionary first to get the right spelling). For mnemonics for some commonly confused words, see Chapter 12.</p> <ul> <li><p><B>abundance:</emphasis> Is it -<emphasis>ance</emphasis> or -<emphasis>ence</emphasis>? Remember: “An abun<emphasis role="underline">dance</emphasis> of people can <emphasis role="underline">dance</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>ache:</emphasis> Remember the first letter of each word of this sentence: <emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>ches <emphasis role="underline">C</emphasis>an <emphasis role="underline">H</emphasis>urt <emphasis role="underline">E</B>verywhere.</p></li> <li><p><B>acquire:</emphasis> Most misspellings omit the <emphasis>c</emphasis>. Remember: “I want to <emphasis role="underline">AC</emphasis>quire <emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>ir <emphasis role="underline">C</B>onditioning.”</p></li> <li><p><B>across:</emphasis> One <emphasis>c</emphasis> or two? Remember: “Walk across <emphasis role="underline">a cross</B> walk.”</p></li> <li><p><B>address:</emphasis> One <emphasis>d</emphasis> or two? Remember: “I'll <emphasis role="underline">add</emphasis> you to my <emphasis role="underline">add</B>ress book.”</p></li> <li><p><B>aisle:</emphasis> Remember the first letter of each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>thletics <emphasis role="underline">I</emphasis>n <emphasis role="underline">S</emphasis>tadiums <emphasis role="underline">L</emphasis>ooks <emphasis role="underline">E</B>asy.”</p></li> <li><p><B>Arctic:</emphasis> Remember the first letter of each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis> <emphasis role="underline">R</emphasis>eally <emphasis role="underline">C</emphasis>old <emphasis role="underline">T</emphasis>ime <emphasis role="underline">I</emphasis>s <emphasis role="underline">C</B>oming.”</p></li> <li><p><B>believe:</emphasis> Remember: “Don't be<emphasis role="underline">li</emphasis>eve a <emphasis role="underline">lie</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>business:</emphasis> Remember: “I often take the <emphasis role="underline">bus in</emphasis> my <emphasis role="underline">busin</B>ess.”</p></li> <li><p><B>calendar:</emphasis> Remember: “J<emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>nu<emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>ry is the first month of the c<emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>lend<emphasis role="underline">A</B>r.”</p></li> <li><p><B>cemetery:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">E</emphasis>pitaphs are in a c<emphasis role="underline">E</emphasis>mEt<emphasis role="underline">E</B>ry.”</p></li> <li><p><B>defendant:</emphasis> Remember: “At a picnic, it's hard to <emphasis role="underline">defend</emphasis> an <emphasis role="underline">ant</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>dilemma:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">Emma</emphasis> faced a dil<emphasis role="underline">emma</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>doctor:</emphasis> Remember: “Get me to the doct<emphasis role="underline">OR</emphasis> <emphasis role="underline">OR</B> else!”</p></li> <li><p><B>environment:</emphasis> Remember: “Lots of <emphasis role="underline">IRON</emphasis> is in the env<emphasis role="underline">IRON</B>ment.”</p></li> <li><p><B>equivalent:</emphasis> Remember: “Is <emphasis role="underline">ALE</emphasis> the equiv<emphasis role="underline">ALE</B>nt of beer?”</p></li> <li><p><B>escape:</emphasis> Remember: “It's <emphasis role="underline">es</emphasis>sential to <emphasis role="underline">es</B>cape.”</p></li> <li><p><B>especially:</emphasis> Remember: “I <emphasis role="underline">ESP</emphasis>ecially enjoy <emphasis role="underline">ESP</B>.”</p></li> </ul> <div class="npsb"> <h2></h2> <p>Are you as exasperated with spelling as the famous playwright George Bernard Shaw was? Calling attention to various irregularities in spelling and pronunciation, Shaw once pointed out that <emphasis>ghoti</emphasis> was the correct way to spell <emphasis>fish</emphasis>. How could that be? In the word <emphasis>enough</emphasis>, he said, the letters <emphasis>gh</emphasis> make an <emphasis>f</emphasis> sound. In <emphasis>women</emphasis>, the <emphasis>o</emphasis> makes an <emphasis>i</emphasis> sound. In <emphasis>fiction</emphasis>, the <emphasis>ti</emphasis> makes an <emphasis>sh</emphasis> sound. Therefore <emphasis>ghoti</emphasis> is how <emphasis>fish</emphasis> really should be spelled.</p> </div> <ul> <li><p><B>exceed:</emphasis> Remember: “Don's exc<emphasis role="underline">EED</emphasis> the sp<emphasis role="underline">EED</B> limit.”</p></li> <li><p><B>expensive:</emphasis> Remember: “Those <emphasis role="underline">pens</emphasis> were ex<emphasis role="underline">pens</B>ive.”</p></li> <li><p><B>familiar:</emphasis> Remember: “That <emphasis role="underline">liar</emphasis> looks fami<emphasis role="underline">liar</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>February:</emphasis> “Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">BR</emphasis>r, it's cold in Fe<emphasis role="underline">br</B>uary.</p></li> <li><p><B>generally:</emphasis> Remember: “The gener<emphasis role="underline">al</emphasis> is your <emphasis role="underline">ally</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>grammar:</emphasis> Remember: “Bad gram<emphasis role="underline">MAR</emphasis> will <emphasis role="underline">MAR</B> your chances for a good job.”</p></li> <li><p><B>handkerchief:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">Hand</emphasis> the <emphasis role="underline">chief</emphasis> a <emphasis role="underline">hand</emphasis>ker<emphasis role="underline">chief</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>hindrance:</emphasis> Remember the first letter of each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">H</emphasis>al <emphasis role="underline">I</emphasis>s <emphasis role="underline">N</emphasis>ot <emphasis role="underline">D</emphasis>riving <emphasis role="underline">R</emphasis>ight <emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>nd <emphasis role="underline">N</emphasis>obody <emphasis role="underline">C</emphasis>an <emphasis role="underline">E</B>xplain.”</p></li> <li><p><B>hoarse:</emphasis> Remember: “When you're h<emphasis role="underline">oarse</emphasis>, you feel as if you have <emphasis role="underline">oars</B> in your throat.”</p></li> <li><p><B>indispensable:</emphasis> Remember: “That <emphasis role="underline">sable</emphasis> coat is indispens<emphasis role="underline">able</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>knowledge:</emphasis> Remember: “I <emphasis role="underline">know</emphasis> that <emphasis role="underline">ledge</B> is dangerous.”</p></li> <li><p><B>loneliness:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">ELI</emphasis> is known for his lon<emphasis role="underline">ELI</B>ness.”</p></li> <li><p><B>maintenance:</emphasis> Remember: “The <emphasis role="underline">main ten</emphasis> student workers got an <emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis> in <emphasis role="underline">maintena</B>nce.”</p></li> <li><p><B>maneuver:</emphasis> Remember the word is spelled with the first letter of each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">M</emphasis>ary <emphasis role="underline">A</emphasis>nd <emphasis role="underline">N</emphasis>ancy <emphasis role="underline">E</emphasis>at <emphasis role="underline">U</emphasis>gly <emphasis role="underline">V</emphasis>egetables — <emphasis role="underline">E</emphasis>ven <emphasis role="underline">R</B>adishes.”</p></li> <li><p><B>marriage:</emphasis> Remember: “You have to be a certain <emphasis role="underline">age</emphasis> for marri<emphasis role="underline">age</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>mortgage:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">Mort</emphasis> thought his <emphasis role="underline">mortgag</emphasis>e rate was a <emphasis role="underline">gag</B>.</p></li> </ul> <div class="npsb"> <h2></h2> <p>Haplography is the accidental omission of a letter or letter group that should be repeated in writing, as in <emphasis>mispell</emphasis> for <emphasis>misspell</emphasis>. Haplology is the spoken contraction of a word by omitting one or more letters or syllables (as in <emphasis>libary</emphasis> for <emphasis>library</emphasis>).</p> </div> <ul> <li><p><B>niece:</emphasis> Remember the first letter in each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">N</emphasis>iece <emphasis role="underline">I</emphasis>rma <emphasis role="underline">E</emphasis>xpects <emphasis role="underline">C</emphasis>ute <emphasis role="underline">E</B>arrings.”</p></li> <li><p><B>parallel:</emphasis> Remember: “Two para<emphasis role="underline">ll</emphasis>el lines are in the middle of <emphasis role="underline">parallel</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>peculiar:</emphasis> Remember: “That pecu<emphasis role="underline">liar</emphasis> fellow is a <emphasis role="underline">liar</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>rhythm:</emphasis> Remember: “Two syllables, two <emphasis>hs</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>roommate:</emphasis> Remember: “Two roommates, two <emphasis>ms</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>separate:</emphasis> Remember: “There's <emphasis role="underline">ARAT</emphasis> in sep<emphasis role="underline">arat</B>e.”</p></li> <li><p><B>sincerely:</emphasis> Remember: “Can I since<emphasis role="underline">rely</B> RELY on you?”</p></li> <li><p><B>skiing:</emphasis> “Sk<emphasis role="underline">II</B>ng has two ski poles in the middle.”</p></li> <li><p><B>subtle:</emphasis> Remember the first letter of each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">S</emphasis>ome <emphasis role="underline">U</emphasis>gly <emphasis role="underline">B</emphasis>oys <emphasis role="underline">T</emphasis>hrew <emphasis role="underline">L</emphasis>ogs <emphasis role="underline">E</B>verywhere.”</p></li> <li><p><B>surprise:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">U R</emphasis> surprised when you receive a s<emphasis role="underline">UR</B>prise.”(Sound it out!)</p></li> <li><p><B>villain:</emphasis> Remember: “A <emphasis role="underline">VILLA</emphasis>in is in this <emphasis role="underline">VILLA</B>.”</p></li> <li><p><B>Wednesday:</emphasis> Remember: “Try to <emphasis role="underline">wed</emphasis> on <emphasis role="underline">Wed</B>nesday.”</p></li> <li><p><B>weird:</emphasis> Remember the first letter in each word of this sentence: “<emphasis role="underline">W</emphasis>eird <emphasis role="underline">E</emphasis>ddie <emphasis role="underline">I</emphasis>s <emphasis role="underline">R</emphasis>eally <emphasis role="underline">D</B>aring.”</p></li> <li><p><B>wholly:</emphasis> Remember: “<emphasis role="underline">HOLLY</emphasis> is in w<emphasis role="underline">HOLLY</B>.”</p></li> </ul>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/whats-in-a-word/making-more-forming-plurals-of-nouns.htm" title="Making More: Forming Plurals of Nouns">Making More: Forming Plurals of Nouns</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/whats-in-a-word/unlocking-the-secrets-of-root-words-prefixes-and-suffixes.htm" title="Unlocking the Secrets of Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes">Unlocking the Secrets of Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/whats-in-a-word/so-many-rules.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> So Many Rules! - Grammar and Style </a></li> <li><a href="http://puzzles.about.com/library/weekly/aa030528.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Word Squares: Forerunners to Crossword Puzzles </a></li> <li><a href="http://freebies.about.com/cs/onlinegames/l/blws020.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Native Americans Word Search </a></li> <li><a href="http://freebies.about.com/cs/onlinegames/l/blws038.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Back to School Word Search </a></li> <li><a href="http://grammar.about.com/od/grammarfaq/f/PronouncingFebruary.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> What Is the Correct 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in a Word?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/cracking-the-code-of-punctuation/">Cracking the Code of Punctuation</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/more-fun-with-punctuation/">More Fun with Punctuation</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/punctuation-pairs/">Punctuation Pairs</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/wrapping-it-all-up/">Wrapping It All Up</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/parts-of-speech-the-big-eight/">Parts of Speech: the Big Eight</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/more-pieces-of-the-puzzle/">More Pieces of the Puzzle</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/lets-have-a-few-words/">Let's Have a Few Words</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/pertinent-points-about-pesky-pronouns/">Pertinent Points about Pesky Pronouns</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/figuring-out-some-finicky-forms/">Figuring Out Some Finicky Forms</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/keeping-it-coherent/">Keeping It Coherent</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/shaping-strong-sentences/">Shaping Strong Sentences</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/in-plain-english-please/">In Plain English, Please</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/putting-pen-to-paper/">Putting Pen to Paper</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/the-final-dress-rehearsal/">The Final Dress Rehearsal</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/maximizing-your-means-of-expression/">Maximizing Your Means of Expression</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/getting-personal/">Getting Personal</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/literary-terms-you-need-to-know/">Literary Terms You Need to Know</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/latin-alive-and-kicking/">Latin: Alive and Kicking!</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/foreign-languages-in-everyday-american-english/">Foreign Languages in Everyday American English</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/appendix-a-999-of-the-most-commonly-misspelled-words/">999 of the Most Commonly Misspelled Words</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/appendix-b-root-words-prefixes-and-suffixes/">Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/appendix-c-suggested-substitutes-for-wordy-phrases/">Suggested Substitutes for Wordy Phrases</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/appendix-d-checkpoint-answers/">Checkpoint Answers</a></li> </ul></div></div> <script type="text/javascript">zCi();validateForms();</script> <div id="abf" style="padding-right:0"><ol class="crumbtrail"><li class="home"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/grammar/">Grammar and Style</a></li><li><a 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