We’ve met people who are bright, articulate, and capable of conversing on any topic with grace and authority but who, if you asked them to write down what they so easily say out loud, would misspell half of the words they’re confidently speaking. Knowing how a word is spelled is an important aspect of vocabulary improvement – you won’t impress anyone with your verbal ability if you don’t know how to correctly spell the words you’re using. Conversely, someone whose written correspondence is polished and professional will lose their credibility if they can’t read their own presentations aloud without mispronouncing the words. Make sure that both spelling and pronunciation exercises are part of your daily vocabulary study by using these study tips:

Use flash cards to practice spelling. Have a friend or study partner read the word out loud while you write it down. Verify that you’ve spelled the word correctly, and if not, write out the correct spelling several times to lock it in your brain and your muscle memory.

Use flash cards to practice pronunciation. Make sure your flash cards have the word on one side and the proper pronunciation guide on the other, and read the word out loud to your partner, who can correct you if necessary.

Use practice tests. From the library, a local university, or on-line sources, find practice SAT, GRE, and TOEFL examinations, each of which has one or more sections in which you’re required to find errors in spelling and grammar, or to pick the correct spelling of a word from a list of options.

Use a friend’s help. If you can’t locate a practice test, or have specific words you want to practice, have a friend write out the words on your list, deliberately misspelling most of them in some way. Use this list to test yourself on the proper spelling of each word.

Use the words that you find difficult to spell or pronounce. Remember, the more times you practice a word, the easier it will be to remember it and use, spell, and pronounce it correctly in the future. Work these words into your daily conversation and correspondence, and you’ll soon have them completely mastered.