Here is a list of common spelling mistakes, along with some helpful rules, you may encounter on the IELTS exam.
Why is Spelling Important on Your IELTS Exam?
25% of your Writing score is based on vocabulary, which includes spelling accuracy.
Additionally, spelling is crucial for IELTS Listening. If you spell a word incorrectly, it will be marked wrong and you will not receive a point.
Have no fear! You can improve your spelling with practice. Study the common list of IELTS spelling errors below and learn the basic rules to avoid poor spelling.
If it makes you feel better, these are words even native speakers often spell incorrectly!
Silent Letters in Consonant Clusters
[nm] Government, Environment, Autumn, Column
[dg] Knowledge, Acknowledge
[sc] Science, Discipline, Fascinate, Conscious, Ascend, Descend
[xc] Excite, Exciting, Exception, Exceed, Excellent
Double Consonants
Across, Process, Recommend, Disappoint, Tomorrow, Professor, Necessary
Parallel, Apparent, Occasion, Occur, Occurred, Commit, Committed
Success, Access, Assess, Address, Possess, Accommodate, Accommodation, Embarrass
Schwa /ə/
The schwa sound /ə/ is a very common phonetic sound in English.
It can be a very difficult sound for non-native speakers to make!
It's an unstressed and weak vowel sound that appears in the middle of words.
It sounds like the vowel sound in the words "cut" and "America".
Separate, Definite, Temperature, Literature, General
Describe, Decline, Despite, Discrete, Display
Capable, Achievable, Understandable, Visible
Performance, Attendance, Ignorance, Independence, Sentence
Frequently Confused Pairs
Accept / Except (to receive; to not include or leave out)
Assess / Access (evaluate or calculate; ability or permission to approach)
Principal / Principle (main or highest in rank; rule of action or conduct)
Elicit / Illicit (to draw or bring out; illegal)
Its / It's (possessive pronoun for 'it"; contraction for 'it is')
Lose / Loose (verb: to misplace something; adjective: opposite of tight)
Their / There / They're (possessive pronoun; adverb or pronoun; contraction for 'they are')
Affect / Effect (to influence; a result or to accomplish)
Forth / Fourth (to go forward; 4th ordinal number)
Precede / Proceed (to go before; to go ahead)
Site / Sight (a place; something to see or observe)
Tips to Improve Your Spelling:
1. Learn spelling by heart with repetitive practice and writing.
2. Be an active learner. Make a list of your commonly misspelled words and practice regularly.
3. Find your own spelling mistakes in your writing and determine what your weaknesses are.
4. Practice, practice, practice.
XOXO,
Jenny Mae
Comments