Mnemonics for English Grammar and Spelling Notes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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PDF Notes: Mnemonics for English Grammar and Spelling Notes for SSC Exams
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In the SSC English section, one wrong letter can cost a mark, and many words look alike. Mnemonics help you remember the spelling and the meaning at the same time. These mnemonics for English grammar and spelling for SSC give tricks for the parts of speech, the conjunctions, the commonly misspelt words and the confusing word pairs.
Grammar Tricks
| Topic | Trick |
|---|---|
| Eight parts of speech | Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb, Preposition, Conjunction, Interjection: say the first letters N-P-A-V-A-P-C-I and make your own sentence |
| Coordinating conjunctions | FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So |
| Articles | There are only three: a, an and the |
| Spelling rule | "i before e, except after c" as in believe and receive; exceptions are weird, seize, science and neighbour |
Spelling Tricks
| Word | Trick |
|---|---|
| Necessary | One Collar and two Sleeves: one c and two s |
| Separate | There is a RAT in sepaRATe |
| Rhythm | Rhythm Helps Your Two Hips Move |
| Believe | Never believe a LIE: beLIEve |
| Definitely | It has the word FINITE in it: deFINITEly |
| Accommodate | Two c and two m, with enough room for all |
| Dessert | Dessert has two s, because you want a second helping of sweets |
| Stationery | StationEry has E, like Envelope, for writing material |
| Grammar | Bad grammar MARS your writing: gramMAR |
Confusing Word Pairs
| Pair | Trick |
|---|---|
| Affect and effect | A is for Action (affect is usually a verb) and E is for End result (effect is usually a noun) |
| Principal and principle | The principal is your pal (the head of a school); a principle is a rule |
| Desert and dessert | Dessert has two s: you want more of it |
| Stationary and stationery | Stationary means still (a for stand); stationery is paper (e for envelope) |
| Complement and compliment | Complement completes (e); a compliment is a kind word (i for I like it) |
How to Use These Tricks
- Pick five words that you spell wrongly.
- Write the trick next to each word in a notebook.
- Test yourself with a friend every week.
- Look for the same words in the passages of practice papers.
Quick Tips
- Learn the words that you spell wrongly, and not the words you already know.
- Make a trick in your own language for the hard words.
- Read the word aloud while you spell it letter by letter.
- Revise your list of tricks once every week.
Quick Revision Points
- FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
- There are 8 parts of speech.
- Necessary has one c and two s.
- Affect is usually a verb and effect is usually a noun.
- Dessert has two s, and desert has one.
Practice Questions With Answers
- What does FANBOYS stand for?
Answer: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So (the coordinating conjunctions) - How many parts of speech are there in English?
Answer: 8 - Which is correct: separate or seperate?
Answer: Separate - How many c and s are there in the word necessary?
Answer: One c and two s - Is affect usually a verb or a noun?
Answer: A verb - Which word has two s: desert or dessert?
Answer: Dessert - Which word means the head of a school: principal or principle?
Answer: Principal - Which spelling is for writing material: stationary or stationery?
Answer: Stationery - Which is correct: definately or definitely?
Answer: Definitely - Which is correct: recieve or receive?
Answer: Receive
How to Practise This Chapter
Say each mnemonic aloud, write it once from memory and use it in a practice question the same day. Then test yourself with our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all mnemonics on the Mnemonics page, and also read the MindMaps and Formula Guide pages. For more practice, read the English notes and revise the vocabulary of the SSC exams. The previous page is Mnemonics for Science and Geography and the next page is Mnemonics for Biology and the Human Body.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the trick for the conjunctions?
FANBOYS stands for For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet and So.
How many parts of speech are there?
There are 8 parts of speech.
What is the trick for the spelling of separate?
There is a RAT in sepaRATe.
What is the trick for the spelling of necessary?
One Collar and two Sleeves: one c and two s.
What is the difference between affect and effect?
Affect is usually a verb (action), and effect is usually a noun (end result).
What is the difference between principal and principle?
A principal is the head of a school, and a principle is a rule.
What is the difference between stationary and stationery?
Stationary means still, and stationery means writing material.
What is the spelling rule for ie and ei?
Write i before e, except after c, but remember the exceptions such as weird and science.
How can I improve my spelling for SSC exams?
Keep a list of the words you spell wrongly, and use a trick for each.
Is this topic asked in SSC exams?
Yes. Spelling errors, confusing words and grammar are asked in the English section of every SSC paper.
How many tricks should I learn each day?
Learn three to five tricks a day, and revise the older ones.
How often should I revise the tricks?
After 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and then once a month.
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Mnemonics for Science and Geography Notes for SSC Exams
Next chapter
Mnemonics for Biology and Human Body Notes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.