play video schwa
Usage Notes

The Schwa

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.


The schwa is one significant reason that English is difficult to spell. A single sound that can be spelled many different ways leads to occasional confusion for almost all of us. And even the very best spellers sometimes have to admit, I fought the schwa and the schwa won.

Up next

play video schwa
The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

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On Contractions of Multiple Words

 

You all would not have guessed some of these

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Is It 'Hanger' or 'Hangar'?

 

How to remember which is which

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How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

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Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

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'One in the same' or 'One and the same'?

 

Is it all the same anyway?