English spellings

English is famous, even notorious, for its varied spellings. This is a selection of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside regular ones for contrast. For example, *disāsterous is a common misspelling of disāstrous, with the e echoing that of disāster (the asterisk indicates an incorrect spelling, the accents stress and pronunciation: see English phonemes; where there is more than one accent, the first is stressed).

Particular attention is given to homophones, words with the same pronunciation. English is rich in homophones; it also has many homonyms, words with the same spelling and pronunciation, and homographs, words with the same spelling but different pronunciation. All three can be found here. In this alphabetical list, the most common word is placed first in the entry.

Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide. ôver and dûe, for example, combine to form overdûe, without a space in the middle. Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: alongsîde one word.

The equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar words are included after 'cf.' (from Latin conferre, 'compare').

An asterisk is placed before incorrect respellings, thus: *thuss. Words in italics are used to suggest meanings, in the case of similar words. The word person (or persons after more than one) implies either a personal or family name. Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones, for example a bank clerk might be named Clàrk or Clàrke, but most probably not 'Clerk' (which is pronounced identically in BrE). It may, of course, also be a commercial or place name, as this is a matter regarding individuals: the fact that one is more likely to meet a person, most probably male, called Maurice Mórris than one called Mórris Maurice, both words and hence both names being pronounced the same in BrE (Maurìce in AmE), is about as relevant as the fact that one is unlikely to meet a person called either.

A

 letter = èh? what? (names of letters are usually written as capitals in text)

a article *ə: schwa. It can be a strong form â, like the name of the letter Â, but this can sound pompous, especially in private; it can however be used for emphasis, as a synonym for ône, as for example of a tennis player trailing 4-6 2-0: At lêast hê lêads ín â sét.

àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust more a´s may be added, ≈ àh response

àardvark

Ãaron - also Ãron or Áron and now some say Áaron = Árran Isle

àh response ≈ àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust (in the latter cases more a´s may be added)

abándoned - not -nned

Abbàs

ábdomen

abdóminal

Aberdêen

Aberýstwýth

aberrâtion

abét

abhŏr

abhórrent

âble capable = Âbel person

abòut *əbòut

ábscess

ábsèil cf. sâil

ábsence

abstâin

absténtion

ábstinence

abýsmal -zməl

abýss

ácadême

acádemy

académic

accélerate ax-, cf. excél, éxcellent

áccent áx-

accéntuate -x-

accépt receive cf. excépt exception

áccess *áxéss, cf. áxis, áxês

áccident áx-

accidéntally áx-

áccolade

accómmodate - two c’s and two m’s

accòmpany

accòmplíce person

accòmplísh achieve

Accrà

accrûe cf. acróss

acërbic

âche *âke

achìêve

ácmê

acquiésce *aquìéss, cf. quiéscent *kwìéssent, quîet *kwîət

acquîre *aquîre

acquít

âcreage *âkerage

acróss cf. accrûe

áctual *ákchəl

ácûmen cf. áccurate

ácupuncture

ádage

adàgio -jô

ádd more = ád advertisement

Áddis Ábaba

ádditive

addíctive

addréss BrE = a dréss; AmE áddress

adhêre (d and h pronounced separately)

adhêsive (d and h pronounced separately)

ád hóc

ádjective cf. ejécted

adjöurn

adjúst *ajúst

ád nåusêám

adôbê

adrénalín can be -íne

advānce

ádvent

advénture

ádversary -vəsrỳ or advërsary

ádvërt

ádvertise never -îze

advërtísement BrE; AmE ádvertîsement

advîce noun -ss

advîse verb pronounced but never spelt -îze

advîser = advîsor (alternatives)

Aêgêan *Êjêən

ãerial air = Ãriel person

ãerie bird = ãiry light and = variant spellings of bird: ãerie = éyrie = éyry

ãeroplane BrE; AmE ãirplane

Aêschylus BrE; AmE Êschylus *Êeskiləss

aêsthétics AmE ê-

afféct alter cf. efféct result í-

áffect emotion

afféctive emotional cf. efféctive resultant

áffidâvit

affrònt cf. effròntery

Afghánistān - either stressed

aficionàdo

afrâid

África

Afrikàans -ànce

Afrikàner

āfter

āfterwards

again é, but AmE and some BrE, regular: agâin

against é, but AmE and some BrE, regular: agâinst

agâpe gaping

ágapê eros

âge cf. édge: Francophones beware

âgeing *âging, *âjing

âgeist

agô

ágriculture

âid help = âide assistant; Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals

Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals ãir breathe = Ãyr Scotland = ére before = é’er ever = héir estate

ãiry light = all four spellings of éyrie = éyry = ãerie = ãery bird, cf. êerie strange

alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ friend, állêy way

aîsle church = îsle island

Ajáccio *Azháxio

Àjax Amsterdam *Àyáx

Âjax person

Ál person cf. åll total

Alabáma - one m, cf. Montána, Louisiána

Álan = Àllen = Àllan

alás

Ålbany cf. Álbânia

Álbert

Albuquërquê *Albəkïrky

Åldwých

Álfred

álgaê *áljê or *álgy

álgorithm rhymes with rhýthm

Áli person = álley walk - except Muhámmad Àlì boxer

âlias *âlius

Álíce

alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ

Álistair = Álastair

âlias

álibî

âlien

alienâtion

alîgned *allîned, cf. állied

alîve

åll every = åwl tool, cf. Ál person

allót assign = a lót much

Alládin

allegâtions *allogations

allége cf. lédge, etc.

alléged *aléjd

allégedly *aléjidly

allelûia or allelûja or allelûya

åll-òut total before noun needs hyphen

allót assign = a lót much

álloy

állŷ friend cf. állêy, alîgn

edit

állêy path = Áli person

alòud audible = allòwed allow

alréady before = åll réady ready

alrîght = åll rîght: the former is an informal variant, probably by analogy with alréady

ålter change = åltar church

aménds make = eménds alters

ántì- (BrE) against = ántê- before (AmE says ántî-)

apâce fast = a pâce step

àrc circle = Àrk Noah

Argŷll Scotland = Argŷle Plymouth, hard g

ascént climb = assént agree

āunt uncle AmE = ánt insect

åural ear = ŏral voice

Àussie Australian = Óssy = Óssie = Ózzy, etc. persons

Àusten Jane = Àustin car, Texas

åutarchy sovereignty = åutarky self-sufficiency

awêigh anchors = awây go

áxle car = Áxel person

B

báchelor unmarried = Bátchelor person

bácks back = Báx person

bád evil = báde asked

bâil law, cricket = bâle hay, parachute

bâilie magistrate = Bâiley person

bâit hook = bâte fury, restrain

bâize cloth = bâys bay

Bàli island = BrE bàrley crop

båll game = båwl shout

bàlmy sea = BrE bàrmy daft

bánd music = bánned ban

bàrd poet, bacon = bàrred bar

bāsk sun = Bāsque people

báss fish = Báss person

bâste pour, sew = bâsed base

bāth water = Bāth city cf. bâthe swim, final e signifying voiced th

bê is = bêe insect

bêach sand = bêech tree

bêad string = Bêde person

béãr tolerate, animal = bãre naked, cf. bêer drink, hêar hearing

bêat win, hit, rhythm = bêet sugar

bêater beat BrE = bêta Greek

beau boyfriend = Bô Diddley

bêetle insect = Bêatle Beatles, cf. bêat rhythm

bêen was = bêan eat

bêer drink = bìêr coffin

bërk BrE insult = Bürke person

bérry fruit = bury ground

Bílly usually male = Bíllie usually female = bílly goat

bïrth born = bërth ship

bîte teeth = bŷte computer = bîght loop

blānch white = Blānche person

blãre noise = Blãir person

blóck prevent, wood, building = blóc grouping

blónd male person, male and female adjective = blónde female person

blûe colour = bleŵ blow

bôld brave = bôwled bowl

bôlt metal = Bôlt = Bôult persons

Bólton city, person = Bôulton person

boôze drink = boôs boo

bŏre boring, carried = bŏar animal = bŏor rude, cf. Boer *Bùer South Africa

bŏred boring = bŏard wooden, directors, cf. brŏad wide

bŏrn birth = bŏrne wind = bŏurn stream

bòw low, ship = bòugh tree, cf. bôw knot

bòwer tree = bàuer euchre

bôwing music = Bôeing person

bôwl all meanings, cf. bòwel intestine

búrrow earth AmE = bòrough town, BrE *búrrə

bŷ preposition = buŷ sell = bŷ- incidental = bŷe cricket = bî- two = bî bisexual