Commonly Misspelled Words by PSLE Students

Spelling Can be Challenging

Accurate spelling of words is a skill that is required throughout all the sections of the PSLE English Paper 1 & 2. Misspelling words can result a significant loss of marks or even the difference of 1 to 2 grades. In this post, we talk about the top 5 commonly misspelled words that your child should look out for.

1) Separate

"Separate" is one of the most commonly misspelt words in the PSLE English paper.

Even adults stop to think for a second with this one. In fact, this word ranks as one of the top misspelled words in Google searches. Misspelling of this word commonly occurs when one forgets that there are two ‘A’s in separate. One way to get it right is to remember that there is a letter ‘R’ which separates two letter ‘A’s in this word.

2) Receive

"Receive" is another word which is commonly misspelled.

This word is also on the Oxford Dictionary's top 10 most misspelled words. One of the reasons for this is said to be the confusion in the positioning of the vowels. One way to prevent misspelling this word would be to follow a simple rule – ‘I’ before ‘E’, except after ‘C’.

3) Necessary

The third most commonly misspelled word in the English PSLE is "necessary". This is a word that we all see and use frequently; however, it is also a word that throws many of us off when it comes to spelling it. The confusion arises as to whether to spell it with a double ‘C’ or double ‘S’. The easy way out of this is to just remember that it is a double ‘S’ word.

4) Embarrass

This word is commonly misspelt due to confusion over double consonants. A simple way to remember the correct spelling is to note that embarrass has two ‘r’s and two ‘s’s.

5) Definitely

This word is often misspelt because it is spelled differently from how it sounds. A helpful tip is to remember that definitely contains the word ‘finite’ — there is no ‘a’ in the spelling.

There are many other misspelled words that are not covered in this post. To minimize spelling mistakes, it is beneficial to pay attention to the spelling of words that are more "Complex".

This is an essential skill that develops gradually through consistent exposure and practice. Encourage your child to form the habit of checking for spelling errors, and over time, this process will become second nature.

For more structured support, consider enrolling your child in our English Language Programme, where students learn proven techniques and practical strategies to strengthen spelling accuracy and enhance overall writing proficiency.