Tips to help you handle hard-to-get words

Take time out to play spelling-based games like scrabble or literati (on the Internet)

Try the Look-Say-Cover-Write method. Here you first look at the word, then say it out loud with its spelling, next cover the word and write it on your own. Such repetitions make a big difference with words you simply cannot get right Say the word as it is written (like 'knight' or 'wrist'), pronouncing the silent letters as well.

Find a word that rhymes with it and see if both have similar spelling structure Practise the word by writing with a finger of your other hand on your writing hand Find words within the word (there's a 'hen' in 'when') Break the word into smaller parts (Wed + nes + day = Wednesday) Break the word up into sounds (th-a-nk) Have good reading/ writing posture - sit upright with your eyes about 12 to 18 inches away from the reading matter Ensure that a dictionary is always around for homework or practice Think about the meaning of the word.

Try detecting any clue to spelling patterns Keep in mind a few thumb rules (exceptions notwithstanding) such as: 'i generally appears before e, except after c' Most question words start with 'wh' Add 's' for plurals, except those that end in s, x, z, ch and sh - which is where you add 'es' Nouns ending in 'y' change to 'ies' when put in the plural form Use 'ce' for nouns and 'se' for verbs (you advise, with good advice) When adding 'ing' or 'ed', double the last consonant after a short vowel sound (like 'lap' becomes 'lapping' or 'lapped')