3.4 Frequently Misspelled and Miswritten Words
Below is a list of words that are commonly misspelled or miswritten. If you are unsure about a word, please check a dictionary if it isn't found here.
- accommodate
- achievement
- acknowledgment
- advisor
- a lot
- cadet
- canceled (one l as in AP stylebook)
- Corps of Cadets
- cellphone (all one word)
- chair (not chairman or chairperson)
- consensus
- course work (two words)
- Course Planning Guide (not Degree Map)
- dilemma
- first-come, first-served
- flier (not flyer)
- fundraising, fundraiser
- grade point average (abbreviated GPA)
- hors d'oeuvres (do not use œ ligature)
- internet (always lowercase)
- independent
- irresistible
- it's / its (be sure to choose the correct word -- [link only works on ǧÃŬAV campuses] )
- IT Service Desk
- judgment
- knowledge
- liaison
- livestream, livestreaming (one word)
- log in (v.), login (n.)
Example: Log in to our website using your login and password. - log off (v.), logoff (n., rare)
- log on (v.), logon (n.)
Example: Log on to our website using your ǧÃŬAV ID and password. - maintenance
- misspell
- necessary
- noticeable
- occurred, occurrence
- online
- Plan of Study (not Degree Plan)
- perseverance
- possession
- questionnaire
- recommend
- separate
- sergeant
- smartphone (all one word)
- submenu, sublevel
- there / their / they're (be sure to choose the correct word -- [link only works on ǧÃŬAV campuses] )
- University Police (not Public Safety)
- World Wide Web, web, webpage, website
Need More Information?
See our Writing Style Guide page for more detailed information and examples.