• 3-minute read
• 6th January 2021

Spelling Tips: Misspell or Mispell?

If you make a spelling mistake, did you ‘misspell’ or ‘mispell’ the word? Only one of these spellings is correct. Let’s take a look at what this word means and how to spell it correctly so you can make sure your writing is error free.

What Does Misspell Mean?

‘Misspell’ is a verb that means ‘spell a word incorrectly’:

It is important not misspell words.

It’s embarrassing when you misspell someone’s name.

He often misspells words in his writing.

The word ‘misspell’ is made up of the prefix ‘mis-’ and the base word ‘spell’. The prefix ‘mis-’ means ‘badly’ or ‘wrongly’, so together they mean ‘spell badly’.

We also see this prefix in words like ‘misbehave’, ‘mistake’, ‘misread’, and ‘mishear’, all of which also relate to getting something wrong or doing something badly.

The Error: Mispell

As shown in the examples above, the correct spelling of this word is ‘misspell’. However, many people misspell it as ‘mispell’:

It is easy to mispell a word if you have only heard it spoken. ✗

It is easy to misspell a word if you have only heard it spoken. ✓

This may be because the ‘s’ sounds at the end of ‘mis-’ and the start of ‘spell’ often overlap when we say this word out loud, making it easy to miss the second ‘s’.

However, as long as you remember that this word is a combination of ‘mis-’ and ‘-spell’, each with its own ‘s’, it should be easy to avoid errors.

Misspelled or Misspelt?

The double ‘s’ in ‘misspell’ also applies to related words, such as ‘misspelling’. But should the past tense of this word be ‘misspelled’ or ‘misspelt’?

The answer to this may depend on where you’re from. In Australian English, for instance, either word is fine (although ‘misspelt’ is more common as an adjective):

I misspelled several words in this essay. ✓

I misspelt several words in this essay. ✓

There are several misspelled words in this essay. ✓

There are several misspelt words in this essay. ✓

This is because Australian English, like UK English, accepts both ‘spelled’ and ‘spelt’ as past tense forms of ‘spell’. In American English, though, the standard spelling is always ‘misspelled’.

Summary: Misspell or Mispell?

To ‘misspell’ a word is to spell it incorrectly. Some people make the mistake of spelling this word with a single ‘s’ instead, but ‘mispell’ is always an error!

You can avoid this mistake by breaking ‘misspell’ down into a prefix (i.e. mis-) and the main term (i.e. -spell). This makes it easy to see why you need the double ‘s’. The same applies for related words, including ‘misspelling’, ‘misspelled’, and ‘misspelt’.

And for more help with your spelling, or any other aspect of your writing, why not submit a free trial document to our expert proofreaders?