IELTS & PTE lesson · Vocabulary

IELTS & PTE Spelling Vocabulary notesSpelling traps: right word, wrong letters

Five patterns behind costly slips, and three quick checks for every long word. This IELTS & PTE lesson is a deck of 9 visual cards from BandLadder's own study library, written and fact-checked by our team.
  • 9 cards
  • Free to read online
  • PDF with any plan
  • Updated 30 September 2026

Original BandLadder material

What's inside

It teaches a 3-step method: split it, name the pattern and read it back. Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, word cards with meanings and examples (accommodation, necessary, separate and environment), a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.

Reading it online is free: create a free BandLadder account and the whole lesson opens in our study reader, on the web and in the app. Downloading the PDF to keep needs a plan; the free reader has every card.

The first 3 of 9 cards

Preview

  1. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Spelling

    You heard it. You still lost it.

    one letter is enough

    In IELTS Listening a misspelt answer is wrong. In PTE Write from Dictation a misspelt word scores zero.

    Please fill in the questionaireneeds nn about your accomodationneeds mm and the local enviromentlost an n by Friday.

    You heard every word. Three still scored zero.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material1 / 9
  2. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Spelling

    Five patterns to watch

    name the pattern, then spell it

    PatternWatchCheck
    Doublescommitteecount the pairs
    Quiet lettersgovernmentsplit it up
    ‑ence/‑ancedifferenceadjective first
    ‑ible/‑ableacceptableaccept + ‑able
    Stem changepronunciationnot the verb

    different → difference · important → importance

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material2 / 9
  3. IELTS · PTEVocabulary · Spelling

    Six high-risk words

    split it and the trap shows

    • accommodationac·com·mo·da·tion
    • necessarynec·es·sary: one c, then ss
    • separatesep·a·rate: ‑par‑ in the middle
    • environmenten·vi·ron·ment: keep the n
    • maintenancemain·te·nance, not ‑tain‑
    • questionnaireques·tion·naire: nn
    © 2026 BandLadder · original material3 / 9
  4. Card 4 of 9 onwards

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9 cards

Contents

  1. 1You heard it. You still lost it.one letter is enoughIn the preview
  2. 2Five patterns to watchname the pattern, then spell itIn the preview
  3. 3Six high-risk wordssplit it and the trap showsIn the preview
  4. 4Three checks, every long wordin your head, in secondsFree account
  5. 5In IELTS notes completionthe answers you heard, spelt rightFree account
  6. 6In a PTE dictationevery word is scored on its ownFree account
  7. 7Fix the lettersone rule behind each fixFree account
  8. 8Your turnname the pattern firstFree account
  9. 9Save thisthe spelling checklistFree account

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FAQ

Is the Spelling traps: right word, wrong letters lesson free?+

Yes, to read online. Create a free BandLadder account and the full lesson opens in the study reader. No card details are needed.

Can I download the Spelling traps: right word, wrong letters PDF?+

The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.

Who wrote this lesson?+

The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.

Is it for IELTS or PTE?+

Both. The lesson is in the IELTS and the PTE study library, so it opens whichever exam you prepare for.

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

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