Word List for Spelling with Memory Cues

A, B, C, D

aloud and allowed

A loud noise comes out when we read aloud loudly.

We say "OW!" if we sit on a tack. So tacks are not allowed where we sit.

be and bee

The insect, bee, usually travels in groups. You see two or more bees together.
Use two e's in the word for the insect.
Use one e in the other spelling of be.

behavior and behaviour

Behaviour has a u in the United Kingdom.
Behavior does not have a u in America. Don't think of USA because this makes the memory cue ambigious (unclear).

believe

I believe that it is wrong to lie. Believe has lie in it.

blue and blew

Blew (past tense of blow) has w. The wind blows. Blew, blow, and wind have w. The color, blue, doesn't have a w.

color and colour

Color does not have a u in America.
Colour in the UK. United Kingdom has a u in the word, colour. Avoid refering to America as the USA because UK and USA have u's in them.

complement and compliment

Complement (meaning to complete) begins like the word, complete.
Compliment (meaning to say something nice) has an i in it and nice has an i in it.

do and does

Does has the word, do, in it. Spell the word, do, then add es.

desert and dessert

A desert is a dry sandy region.
A dessert something you eat after a meal. Dessert has the double s. We often want a double helping of dessert.
Extra desserts can cause extra pounds. Desserts is stressed spelled backward!

E, F, G, H

favorite and favourite

Favorite does not have a u in America.
Favourite has a u in the UK.

for and four

Think of this sentence, "O U find 4 letters in four" (the word for the number 4). The middle letters are O U.
The other for has 3 letters.

friend

Friend has the word, end, at the end.
Associate this with the idea that a great friend is a friend to the end.

girl

Remember the song, "The Lollipop Tree." This sentence can help you remember to put i before r.
"Gee,  I  Raised  Lollipops!" = G I R L

gray and grey

The color, gray, has an a in America.
The color, grey, has an e in England.

hear and here

Hear with your ear. This spelling of hear has ear in it.
Here (a place which is close to me) is in the word,
there (a place which is not close to me.)
See there, their, and they're on this list.

I, J, K, L

knew and new

Knew (past tense of know) has k like know.
New (not old) does not have k.

knot and not

See not on this list.

know and no

See no on this list.

M, N, O, P

made and maid

Ma is mad that we made a mess!
A maid will aid you in cleaning up the mess.

meat and meet

Meat has the word, eat, in it. We eat meat.
Meet is in the word, meeting. We use our feet to walk to a meeting where we meet.

no and know

No is short like: "Just give me a short answer. Just say yes or no."
Know is long like a long answer that gives a lot of knowledge. Know is in the word, knowledge.

not and knot

Not (like "is not") doesn't have the letter k.
A knot tied in a string looks like a K.

pen and pin

Pen - You write with a pen which begins like the word, pencil.
Pen - You enclose an animal in a pen. Think of the letter, e, for enclosure. The letter e looks like an enclosure.
Pin - You pin something with a pin which has an i. The letter, i, is shaped like the pointed part of the kind of pin you put on clothes.

principle and principal

A principle is a rule. Rule and principle end in le.
The principal at your school can be your pal. Pal is in this spelling of the word. Of course, if you choose to misbehave, you might not like the kind of educational help which your pal gives you.

Q, R, S, T

right and write

Right (correct) has g in it. Think of gee I got it right.
Right (direction): gee is also a word to tell horses, mules, and oxen to turn right. (Haw means left.)
Write (to mark with letters, words, or numbers) does not have g in it.

saw and was

Saw is in the word, see-saw.
Was is in the word, wasp.

sea and see

Sea and water have a in them.
We see with our eyes. See and eyes have two e's.

sight and site

Glasses help sight (eyesight). They don't help a web site.

stationary and stationery

Something that is stationary stays in one place. Stationary, stays, and place have a's.
We write a letter on stationery. Stationery and letter have e's in them.

strategy

Ate is in the word, strategy. The two words aren't related but this does help us put the a and the e in the right places.

there, their, they're

There (a place which is not close to me) has here in it.
Their has the word, heir, in it. An Heir inherits things which become their possessions.
They're is a contraction for the two words, they are. Think about what you are saying. Do you mean, they are?

to, too, two

To rhymes with do.
Too: think of the Letter O asking, "Can I do it too (also)?" Use another o for too (also).
Two is very different from to and too. Two is for a number. Numbers are very different from letters. So two is the most different of these words.

together

Think of this as separate words: to get her.

U, V, W,

was and saw

See saw on this list.

Wednesday

Think of this as separate words and syllables: Wed nes day.

wear, where, were, we're

Wear has ear in it. You can wear something over your ears to keep them warm.
Here, there, where, and were end with ere. See here and there on this list.)
Think of the sentences: "You were where? We were here and there."
We're is a contraction for the two words, we are. Think about what you are saying. Do you mean, we are?

X, Y, Z

your and you're

Your has our in it. Think of your and our books, house, or whatever.
You're is a contraction for the two words, you are. Think about what you are saying. Do you mean, you are?