16 of the Most Commonly Misspelled Words in English

English is a complex language, and some errors are easy to overlook. Even skilled writers can miss commonly misspelled words, but these errors can disrupt your writing flow and reduce your credibility with readers. So, how can you improve your spelling and strengthen your writing?

In this post, we’ll look closely at 16 commonly misspelled words in English, explain why people often misspell them, and share tips to help you remember their correct spellings.

1. Accommodate

Correct spelling: accommodate

Common misspelling: acommodate, accomodate, acomodate

Why it’s commonly misspelled: The double C and double M trip people up. Many writers remember only one set of double letters, not both.

How to remember it: Think of accommodate as needing room to accommodate both a double C and a double M.

Example sentence: The hotel was happy to accommodate our last-minute booking.

2. Achieve

Correct spelling: achieve

Common misspelling: acheive

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Because the sound when pronounced is “ee,” a writer might mistakenly place the letter E first ahead of the I.

How to remember it: Achieve obeys the rhyming rule “I before E except after C.” 

Example sentence: I worked hard to achieve my dream job.

3. Conscience

Correct spelling: conscience

Common misspelling: consciense 

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Its pronunciation can sound similar to other words (like “conscious”), and the silent C can also catch writers out.

How to remember it: Use a mnemonic such as “conscience = con + science,” as in “the science of right and wrong.”

Example sentence: You can use these spelling tips in good conscience.

4. Disappear

Correct spelling: disappear

Common misspelling: dissapear

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Many English words have double consonants when the stress is placed on the first syllable, but disappear includes only one S.

How to remember it: Start with the opposite word – appear – and then add the prefix dis.

Example sentence: Soon, your concerns about spelling will disappear.

5. Embarrass

Correct spelling: embarrass

Common misspelling: embarass

Why it’s commonly misspelled: When there are two double letters, it is easy to get mixed up and leave one out – in this case, one R or S.

How to remember it: You won’t be embarrassed spelling this word if you recall that it has enough space for a double R and a double S.

Example sentence: I didn’t mean to embarrass you.

6. Familiar

Correct spelling: familiar

Common misspelling: familar

Why it’s commonly misspelled: When this word is spoken quickly, it does not sound as if there are two Is. And if a writer is working quickly, they might simply miss out a letter.

How to remember it: Use a mnemonic such as “that liar looks familiar” to make it easier to recall the spelling.

Example sentence: Keep practicing until the spelling is familiar.

7. Grammar

Correct spelling: grammar

Common misspelling: grammer

Why it’s commonly misspelled: The pronunciation of the word can lead to the wrong vowel choice being used.

How to remember it: It can be helpful to remind yourself that as a proofreader, you want to get “straight As” in grammar.

Example sentence: Using grammar correctly can be a challenge.

8. Humorous

Correct spelling: humorous

Common misspelling: humorus

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Writers frequently forget the second O, assuming that only the U is needed rather than the OU.

How to remember it: You can use the mnemonic “the humorous joke had me RO-lling on the floor.”

Example sentence: Some misspellings can be most humorous.

9. Immediately

Correct spelling: immediately

Common misspelling: immediatly

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Errors occur when letters are skipped or swapped, and people often overlook the second E.

How to remember it: Try over-annunciating every part of the word as you spell it: IM–ME–DI–ATE–LY.

Example sentence: We must leave immediately.

10. Medicine

Correct spelling: medicine

Common misspelling: medecine

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Common spelling mistakes for medicine include leaving out the first I, substituting the C with an S, or omitting the E at the end.

How to remember it: Think of the connection between the word and the workplace, as in “there is a medic involved in medicine!”

Example sentence: Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.

11. Knowledge

Correct spelling: knowledge

Common misspelling: knowlege

Why it’s commonly misspelled: This happens because of mispronunciation, silent letters, and a confusing spelling pattern.

How to remember it: Consider that when learning new knowledge, you’re on the edge of understanding something.

Example sentence: You should never stop seeking knowledge.

12. Lightning

Correct spelling: lightning

Common misspelling: lightening

Why it’s commonly misspelled: It is sometimes confused with the word “lightening,” which can sound similar. And because this is also a word, a spellcheck tool won’t flag it as an error. 

How to remember it: When trying to spell one word, pair it with the potential misspelling. If you think of a lightning bolt lightening the sky, you will remember which word is which.

Example sentence: The lightning lit up the night sky.

13. Necessary

Correct spelling: necessary

Common misspelling: neccessary

Why it’s commonly misspelled: People frequently confuse the number of Cs and Ss because the pronunciation doesn’t differentiate them.

How to remember it: Imagine putting on a coat! It’s necessary to button up one collar (one C) and two sleeves (two Ss) before you go out.

Example sentence: It is necessary to take regular breaks when proofreading.

14. Occasion

Correct spelling: occasion

Common misspelling: occassion

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Writers often get confused by different double-letter patterns in similar words, making it unclear whether to double the C or the S.

How to remember it: Consider that on occasion, you might travel over two seas (two Cs).

Example sentence: It is the right occasion to learn more about spelling.

15. Possession

Correct spelling: possession

Common misspelling: posession

Why it’s commonly misspelled: Many writers only recall one set of double letters, causing at least one S to be overlooked.

How to remember it: Remind yourself that for something to be a possession, you need two double Ss in succession.

Example sentence: The book came into my possession.

16. Receive

Correct spelling: receive

Common misspelling: recieve

Why it’s commonly misspelled: As with achieve, many people find this word confusing because of the emphasis on the “ee” sound.

How to remember it: “It’s I before E, except after C to receive.”

Example sentence: They say it is better to give than to receive.

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