Work writing

Commonly misspelled words at work.

A polished message does not need fancy language, but it does benefit from getting the familiar hard words right. Keep this short list nearby for emails, reports, proposals, and presentation slides.

Ten words worth checking twice

accommodate

Double c, double m. Think: the word has room for both pairs.

colleague

The ending is -league, not -legue.

definitely

It comes from definite, not from final.

independent

The adjective usually ends in -ent.

maintenance

Maintain changes to maintenance; the middle is -ten-.

necessary

One c, then double s.

privilege

There is no d in privilege.

relevant

Relevant ends in -ant.

separate

The second vowel is a: sep-a-rate.

successful

Double c, double s, and one l at the end.

A quick proofreading routine

Before you send an important message, read the subject line, names, numbers, and any words with doubled letters one extra time. Spellcheck catches a lot, but it may not notice a real word used in the wrong context or a close-looking misspelling inside a name.

For a broader study list, visit the TypoFind top 100 commonly misspelled words. If double letters are your weak spot, start with this double-letter spelling guide.

Try today's spelling challenge