Style Manual
General Usage Questions

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C13. Commonly Misspelled Words

accommodate (note: two c's; two m's; one d)

acknowledgment (note: no e after g)

adviser (can be -or or -er; the preferred form at Lafayette is adviser)

alumna, alumnae (feminine singular and plural)

alumnus, alumni (masculine singular and plural) Alumni is used as collective plural.

attorneys (note: not -ies)

benefited, benefiting (note: no double t before suffix)

broccoli (note: two c's; one l)

caffeine (note: exception to the i-before-e rule)

canceled, canceling (note: no double l before suffix with verb tenses—but noun form becomes cancellation)

Chesebrough Pond

controlled, controlling (note: does take double l before suffix)

dependent (note: -ent, not -ant)

embarrass (note: two r's; two s's)

excelled, excelling (note: does take double l before suffix)

graffiti (note: two f's; one t)

harass, harassment (note: one r)

hierarchy (note: follows i-before-e rule)

in-depth

judgment (note: no e after g)

knowledgeable (note: -e before -able)

lovable (note: no -e before -able)

manageable (note: -e before -able)

maneuver

occasion, occasionally (note: two c's; one s)

occurred, occurring (note: two c's; two r's)

okay

privilege (note: no d)

questionnaire (note: two n's)

receive (note: follows i-before-e rule)

relieve (note: follows i-before-e rule)

rhythm, rhythmic

seize, seizure (note: exception to i-before-e rule)

sergeant

subtle, subtly, subtlety

supersede (note: -sede, not -cede)

traveled, traveling (note: no double l before verb ending)

weird (note: exception to i-before-e rule)

wherever (note: no double e in compound)

WHITMER—As in Robert Whitmer 1885 Award (this is an alumni volunteer award given almost every year. It has been misspelled many times as "Whitmar.")

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