August 5th, 2012
Epic Sail – part 22
I remember learning how to spell desert/dessert when reading Hardy Boys books in grade 1 & 2. #40 was Mystery of the Desert Giant. Unfortunately, the giant was not an actual giant — not even two regular-sized guys in a costume. It was some lights on the desert’s rocky ground at night, that signaled when it was okay for planes to land. Or something like that. My memory is fuzzy. Anyway, my mom noticed me writing the name of the book and used the chestnut “there’s two S’s in dessert, because you want two desserts, not two deserts.” I still think about that when I get dessert. Any pieces of advice like that you guys remember?
August 5th, 2012 at 1:37 am
I before E except after C(but only half the time).
August 5th, 2012 at 2:08 am
Let me just say that “fondoom” made me giggle more than is strictly proper.
As to spelling mnemonics, “It is necessary for a shirt to have one ‘c’ollar and two ‘s’leeves” was what the Oxford English Dictionary’s website told me ages ago to remember how many “c”s and “s”s there were in “necessary”. I’m fond of it to this day.
The spelling of des(s)ert is always a controversial topic because of “just deserts” (which is unrelated to either dessert or desert and comes from the same root as “deserve”). I don’t think I’ve ever heard a mnemonic that incorporates that, unfortunately.
August 5th, 2012 at 4:37 am
My doctor said “Only clean your ears with your elbows”
August 5th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
I remember learning a lot of funny variant pronunciation of words to remember their spellings.. ‘fry-ends. busy-ness.’ stuff like that.
August 10th, 2012 at 8:55 am
Quetzalrofl – That is a great user name!
Starbeam – It’s too bad it doesn’t have a mnemonic for that, because it just deserves one!
N – I’ve heard of drawing with your elbow (rather than your wrist), but not ear cleaning!
ColdFusion – I self taught myself that end ends friend, and their is the opposite. I kept getting them mixed up.
May 31st, 2014 at 10:35 pm
I like how Doug has the stuff leaking out of his nonexistent stomach.
For the cardinal directions: “Never Eat Soggy Worms” remember to have it go the “right” way.