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 3 commonly misspelled words that your child should look out for.
1) Separate
This is one of the MOST misspelled word in the PSLE English Paper is separate. 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.
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 can be built up over time through exposure and practice. Develop the habit of checking for spelling errors in your child, and it will grow to become second nature.
You can also enroll in our English Language Program to pick up techniques and tricks to boost your child's writing ability.