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.

play video who vs whom
Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

play emily brewster and one and the same text graphic
'One in the same' or 'One and the same'?

 

Is it all the same anyway?

play video ending a sentence with a preposition
Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.

play emily-brewster-with-the-words-effect-affect-on-screen
How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

 

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)

play serenity carr next to an illustration of a refrigerator with the letter d in it
Why is there a 'd' in 'fridge' but not in 'refrigerator'?

 

Thawing one of the mysteries of English