Learning How to Spell for Adults

The ability to spell well one is that many people, even adults, fail to develop. It can be embarrassing and discourage adults from entering situations where they will have to spell, often to the detriment of their professional life. Luckily, there are many available tools to improve your spelling ability, and many of them can be accessed freely in the comfort of your own home.

Learn the rules of spelling and the roots of words to learn how to correctly spell many words. Consider the words "benevolent," "benefactor" and "beneficial." All three start with "bene-," a Latin root that means "good" or "well." By memorizing this and other roots, the difficulty of spelling the words that contain them can be effectively halved. Some basic rules that make spelling easier include always putting "i" before "e" except after "c" and pluralizing words that end in "y" by adding "-ies." Note that for every rule of spelling, there are exceptions.

Enroll in any kind of spelling program. There are many available, from local classes to computer software. There is no perfect program, so try out several to find what works the best for you. Many of these programs are available for free online, on websites such as splashesfromtheriver.com and spellingzone.com. If you prefer a classroom environment, check your local community college's course catalog to see if they offer a spelling course.

Read as often as possible to become more familiar with the proper spelling of words. Reading will also have the benefit of expanding your vocabulary. Reading novels, newspapers, magazines or even brochures will improve your spelling abilities over time. Writing is also a useful way to increase your spelling ability. Write anything that comes to mind in a word processor with a spell-check function to review your work when it is completed, and make a note of common mistakes. Study the misspelled words to avoid making the same mistakes again.