Spelling Errors: Essential Knowledge for the ParaPro Assessment
Identifying and correcting spelling errors is an important skill tested on the ParaPro Assessment. As a paraprofessional, you’ll need to help students with proper spelling and recognize common spelling mistakes in their writing.
Why Spelling Matters
Correct spelling is essential for effective written communication. Spelling errors can:
- Change the meaning of sentences
- Distract readers from the message
- Create a negative impression of the writer’s abilities
- Hinder students’ academic and professional success
Common Spelling Rules
1. The “i” before “e” Rule
Write “i” before “e” except after “c”, or when sounded like “ay” as in “neighbor” and “weigh”.
Examples:
- Correct: believe, chief, field, relief
- Exceptions after “c”: receive, ceiling, conceit
- Exceptions with “ay” sound: eight, freight, vein, weigh
- Other exceptions: either, foreign, height, leisure, seize, weird
2. Adding Suffixes
For words ending in silent “e”:
Drop the final “e” before suffixes beginning with a vowel, but keep the “e” before suffixes beginning with a consonant.
Examples:
- love + ing = loving (drop “e” before vowel)
- care + ful = careful (keep “e” before consonant)
For words ending in “y”:
Change “y” to “i” before all suffixes, except when the suffix begins with “i” or when the “y” is preceded by a vowel.
Examples:
- happy + ness = happiness (change “y” to “i”)
- cry + ing = crying (keep “y” before suffix beginning with “i”)
- play + ful = playful (keep “y” when preceded by vowel)
For words ending in a consonant preceded by a single vowel:
Double the final consonant before suffixes beginning with a vowel if the last syllable is stressed.
Examples:
- stop + ing = stopping (last syllable stressed)
- visit + ing = visiting (last syllable not stressed)
3. Forming Plurals
For most nouns:
Add “s” to form the plural.
For nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, or z:
Add “es” to form the plural.
Examples:
- bus → buses
- wish → wishes
- box → boxes
For nouns ending in y:
If “y” is preceded by a consonant, change “y” to “i” and add “es”. If “y” is preceded by a vowel, just add “s”.
Examples:
- city → cities (consonant before “y”)
- tray → trays (vowel before “y”)
Irregular plurals:
Some nouns have irregular plural forms that must be memorized.
Examples:
- child → children
- man → men
- foot → feet
- mouse → mice
Commonly Misspelled Words
The following words are frequently misspelled. Memorizing these will help you identify common spelling errors:
- accommodate
- achieve
- across
- beginning
- believe
- business
- calendar
- committee
- definitely
- environment
- foreign
- government
- grammar
- independent
- knowledge
- library
- license
- maintenance
- necessary
- occurrence
- parallel
- privilege
- pronunciation
- receive
- recommend
- rhythm
- separate
- successful
- tomorrow
- weird
Commonly Confused Word Pairs
Many spelling errors result from confusing words that sound similar but have different spellings and meanings:
| Word Pair | Definitions | Example Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| their/there/they’re |
their – possessive form of “they” there – in that place; indicating existence they’re – contraction of “they are” |
The students forgot their books. Please put the pencils over there. They’re going to the museum tomorrow. |
| your/you’re |
your – possessive form of “you” you’re – contraction of “you are” |
Is this your notebook? You’re going to be late for class. |
| its/it’s |
its – possessive form of “it” it’s – contraction of “it is” or “it has” |
The dog wagged its tail. It’s going to rain this afternoon. |
| to/too/two |
to – preposition indicating direction too – also; excessively two – the number 2 |
I’m going to the store. I want to go too. We need two more pencils. |
| affect/effect |
affect – to influence (usually a verb) effect – result (usually a noun) |
The weather will affect our plans. The effect of the medicine was immediate. |
Strategies for Identifying Spelling Errors
-
Look for common spelling patterns:
Many misspellings follow predictable patterns. Be familiar with common spelling rules and their exceptions.
-
Watch for homophones:
Words that sound the same but have different spellings (e.g., their/there/they’re) are common sources of errors.
-
Check vowel combinations:
English vowel combinations can be tricky (e.g., “receive” vs. “recieve”).
-
Look for double letters:
Pay attention to whether a word has double letters (e.g., “accommodate,” “committee”).
-
Consider word origins:
Knowledge of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes can help with spelling.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Identify the Misspelled Word
Identify the misspelled word in each of the following sentences:
1. The principle asked all teachers to submit there lesson plans by Friday.
2. The student’s arguement was very persuasive and convinced the class.
3. The science teacher preformed an experiment on chemical reactions.
Exercise 2: Choose the Correctly Spelled Word
Select the correctly spelled word in each set:
4.
5.
Key Points to Remember
- Knowledge of common spelling rules helps identify and correct spelling errors.
- Many English words follow patterns, but there are exceptions that need to be memorized.
- Frequently confused words (homophones) are common sources of spelling errors.
- Prefixes, suffixes, and word roots can provide clues to correct spelling.
- Regular practice with commonly misspelled words improves your ability to spot errors.