Top 3 memory tricks for correct spelling

Spelling is an aspect of English that is often overlooked* or not prioritized* by students - and teachers, too. And to be fair, if you are writing a letter or report in English, you should definitely use the spell checker provided by your computer software.  However, as many of our IELTS and TOEFL students have discovered, spelling errors can have a big negative effect on how people judge your written English.
As children, most native speakers learn popular mnemonics to help spell difficult words correctly. Mnemonics are special devices, or tricks, people use to help them remember something. Here are the top 3 tips for making mnemonics that you can use to help improve your spelling.

1. Make it rhyme. By making a rhyming poem, spelling rules may be easier to memorize. Below is perhaps the most famous.
I before E except after C
Or when sounding like “ay”
In neighbor and weigh.

2. Give yourself a clue. Make a sentence that uses the correct spelling of the word you need to remember in an interesting way. For example, to remember the difference between “principle” and “principal” you can learn the sentences:
A principal at a school is your pal, and a principle you believe or follow is a rule.

3. Spell it out for yourself! This common type of mnemonic uses each letter of the word as the first letter in words to form a sentence. Look at this example,

Arithmetic: A Rat In The House May Eat The Ice Cream.
So, whether you are preparing for an English test in which spelling is important, or just want to give a good impression to others, you should start paying a little more attention to spelling. And if any particular words are proving troublesome to recall, try giving one of these memory tricks a go. 

*be overlooked:   見逃される、 見落とされる、 見落とされる
*be prioritized:　(…を)優先させる、 (…に)優先権を与えられる