Spelling Demons
Don't be frustrated! You CAN master your spelling demons. No matter our age, we all have at least a few pesky words that confound us. Don't give up!
You can increase your spelling skills when you:
- identify a handful of words that most often give you trouble
- memorize the correct spelling for each word, and/or
- figure out a trick to help you remember to spell them correctly
Common Spelling Demons
Sometimes the biggest "demons" in your own writing are NOT the words
that weird, obscure and very long. Rather, they are more
frequently-used words that are easily confused with other words.
Here's our list of devilish words. We've included a brief definition of
these words. You'll also see some tricks to help you remember some of
them in bold.
Printable version of our list of Spelling Demons
| accept | to receive |
| except | other than; Everyone came except Tex. |
| affect | to have an influence on |
| effect | result; effects of contaminated beef... |
| allusion | an indirect reference |
| illusion | misleading belief or perception; Her good health was only an illusion. She was actually very ill. |
| altogether | entirely; completely |
| all together | all at the same time; All of us are together in the car. |
| ascent | a movement upward; The scent of the skunk sent me running up the hill |
| assent | agreement |
| counsel | advice
given to someone else, or to advise Wise counsel sells |
| council | a group of people selected to advise others |
| descent | a movement downward; descent - decline |
| dissent | disagreement |
| desert | to
abandon, or an arid place; Sahara desert has just one s |
| dessert | after-dinner course |
| elicit | to bring out |
| illicit | illegal; Both illicit and illegal begin with il |
| gorilla | a large primate; Do you like gorillas or apes best? |
| guerilla | a type of soldier |
| loose | not tight; The noose was loose. |
| lose | to come to be without something; lose your keys |
| quiet | making no sound |
| quite | completely; That's quite a nice kite. |
| straight | without a bend |
| strait | narrow passage of water; I can't wait to ride through the straits. |
| weather | the state of the atmosphere, including temperature, wind, moisture, etc. |
| whether | introduces the first choice; Whether he goes or stays, he must decide soon. |
| which | one of a group |
| witch | a sorcerer; The witch outwitted the fox. |
Check This Out!
A friend recently send me this cute and helpful blog post about some of these same words, and similarly confusing ones, too. Enjoy!
https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/talking-aloud-talking-allowed-watch-write-make-sure-right/
Important Note
Many spelling demons are actually homonyms, such as capital/capitol and principle/principal. Learn more about confusing homonyms on this helpful page.
More Spelling Helps
You may also be interested in these lists of difficult words:
We have an assortments of spelling lessons and lots, lots more tips. Find links to all of them here.
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AnyWord Spelling Worksheets & Activities
The AnyWord Spelling Worksheets series provide lots of FUN spelling practice with pages you can use over & over! Word play, games & writing prompts are included. -
Spelling Bee List for Advanced Students
This tough spelling bee list is ideal for your 7th & 8th grade students. It's great for practice sessions or competitions. Links to more tough word lists are also included.
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Visit my YouTube Channel for fun spelling practice videos!
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AnyWord Spelling Practice Series Worksheets, Games and Prompts that work with almost ANY spelling words!
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Gigantic Spelling Bee Word Lists with definitions, sentences and languages
Spelling Bee Toolboxes for Grades 3/5 and 6/8 All the resources you need for a successful bee!
Monumental Spelling Bee Word Lists for grades 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8 with definitions, sentences and languages
Mammoth Spelling Bee Word Lists for grades 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8 with sentences, definitions, and languages
Young Spellers Spelling Bee Word List for Grades 1 & 2 only
100 Difficult Spelling Bee Words with Definitions, Sentences and Pronunciations, Volumes 1 and 2
600 Spelling Bee Words & Sentences for Gr 3/5 & 6/8 Extra words & sentences at two levels