Steward Bank legal head humiliated by protesting journalists

Steward Bank legal head humiliated by protesting journalists

Saturday, 28 March 2015 / No Comments

Angry journalists yesterday humiliated Econet Wireless and walked out on the mobile phone operator’s business unit, Steward Bank legal head Mr Tawanda Nyambirai at a Press conference called to clarify Thursday’s raid of a business news agency’s offices. 

The placard-waving scribes, some of whom had their mouths tied to symbolise violation of Press freedom, demanded an apology from Mr Nyambirai for invading the newsroom of The Source on Thursday, before proceedings could start.

He refused to do so and all hell broke loose when he was about to go into his prepared speech as journalists broke into song and dance in protest.

“Don’t gag the media”, “Say no to corporate bullies”, and “Press Freedom is a Constitutional right” read the messages inscribed on the placards.

Earlier on, the journalists had refused to partake in a prayer that had been requested by a Steward Bank staffer contending that Econet officials, police and Deputy Sheriff officers had not opened with a prayer when they invaded The Source.

Chaos reigned supreme as journalists and Mr Nyambirai clashed openly, with some journalists flying placards in his face and telling him to “Stop It!” in line with a phrase coined by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe when she attacked corrupt elements in the country.

A provisional High Court order granted by Justice Joseph Musakwa last week empowered, Econet officials and lawyers, the Deputy Sheriff and security agents to invade The Source’s premises in central Harare, ransacking the online publication’s computers and extracting information from e-mails.

Econet risk officers, instead of the Deputy Sheriff, did most of the searches and in some cases opened e-mails that had nothing to do with their case in a move described by Government and media representatives as a threat to media freedom and freedom of expression as guaranteed under Section 61(1) and (2) of the Constitution.

Justice Musakwa ordered The Source, an affiliate of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, to “delete and expunge” two articles the online publication recently published about Econet and its banking unit Steward Bank. One of the articles titled “Debt-distressed Zimbabwe moves to reschedule domestic debt” claimed that Government had borrowed $30 million from Econet, disbursed through Steward Bank, in a deal brokered by Mr Nyambirai.

The article claimed that Mr Nyambirai pocketed a substantial facilitation fee for brokering the deal. The other contentious story alleged that Steward Bank was considering swapping residential stands worth $2,1 million to recover funds borrowed by a property mogul Mr Phillip Chiyangwa. The Source, through their lawyer Mr Chris Mhike, raised constitutional questions and sought to have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court. Judgment on the application had not yet been delivered.

Yesterday, journalists could be heard shouting: “Nhasi mari yako haishandi Nyambirai” (Your money is of no use today, Nyambirai), and, “How do you feel if your e-mail asking about the facilitation fee is opened.”

Mr Nyambirai tried to explain to the journalists that the documents used in the stories were stolen, but the journalists would have none of it and walked out.

He said: “The information was private and confidential and it related to the private business transactions of the clients of Steward Bank. The banker-client relationship is a relationship in utmost good faith. As much as you have freedom of expression we also have our freedom and privacy.”

One journalist replied: “With the behaviour you exhibited, you are the least qualified person to talk about freedom.”

Zimbabwe Union of Journalists secretary-general Foster Dongozi said Econet had become arrogant and considered itself so big that it could trample on everyone’s rights.  Mr Mhike said they would wait for their urgent application to have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court.

“I have just indicated to Steward Bank and Econet that we are very open to resolving this squabble in a more amicable fashion,” he said.

“We do respect the court processes that are ongoing at the High Court and hopefully soon at the Constitutional Court, but at the same time, as those developments unravel, there is always room for the parties to discuss and resolve the matter.”

MISA chairman Kumbirai Mafunda said freedom of expression and Press freedom were “the life blood of democracy” and should be respected.

Joyce Mujuru blasts Zanu and Mugabe over loss of vice President post

Joyce Mujuru blasts Zanu and Mugabe over loss of vice President post

Tuesday, 24 March 2015 / No Comments

Ousted Joice Mujuru says she feels used and abused by President Mugabe, his wife Grace and their supporters who have called her names and hounded her out of her position.

 Speaking to the Independent, Mujuru said she and her husband the late retired army commander General Solomon Mujuru backed Mugabe and other senior party members who arrived in Mozambique from 1975 onwards from prison to intensify the liberation war against Ian Smith's Rhodesian regime. "We (together with Solomon, her late husband who was a retired army commander) and others were used as their ladder to the top and now we have been discarded like scrubs (cleaning items)," Mujuru said.

 "But I don't feel hurt by the persistent attacks directed at me by both President Mugabe and his wife because the person they are describing is not me. Actually, I feel embarrassed on their behalf because that is not the way I was brought up."

 Mujuru said she is, however, pained by the way Mugabe and others are treating her after her sacrifices to liberate the country and service in the government. "I crossed into Mozambique in 1973 to join the war and people like President Mugabe, Edgar Tekere and Oppah Muchinguri later came in 1975 to find us at the front. Everyone knows this, including VaMugabe. The General (Mujuru) asked me to help people like Muchinguri because she did not want to be with us in the camps," she said.

 Despite that Mugabe ganged up with his wife and supporters to attack and abuse her at the height of Zanu PF's vicious succession battle, Mujuru says she bears no grudge against them and those who ascended at her expense.

 Mujuru was replaced as vice-president by Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. Her allies were ruthlessly purged from party structures and government. The witch-hunts continue unabated. "I have no hard feelings about what they (Mugabe and others) did to be at the top. God made it so … God is the reason why even in pain I smile, in confusion I understand, in betrayal I trust and in fear I continue to fight," Mujuru said.

 Mujuru's allies, former Zanu PF heavyweights Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo, however, say Mugabe, Mnangagwa and others rose through blatant subversion of the party constitution and related processes. They are challenging the legality of the Zanu PF congress and its resolutions in court.

Asked what her future political plans are and if she would contest in the next presidential elections in 2018 since many in Zanu PF say she has a huge social base and following, Mujuru said: "Only God knows. I am not losing any sleep over that. Even President Mugabe always says that leaders come from the people."

Mujuru says despite all the attacks, she remains loyal to Zanu PF as she served the party since she was a teenager and was ready to defend herself before its relevant structures or in any court of law so long as due process is followed.

 Commenting her relations with Grace and Muchinguri, the main architects of her dramatic downfall, Mujuru said: "I have nothing in common with her (Grace)," adding, "Muchinguri knows the role I played in her life to be where she is." Asked what was happening on her alleged corruption investigations, Mujuru said only her accusers and indicters should be able to answer that. 

"They (Mugabe and Zanu PF) should have an answer to that question. Why would they be scared of an ordinary, simple widow like me to whom they can say whatever they want when they want to?" she said.

Zimbabwean economy worsen as foreign investment declines

Zimbabwean economy worsen as foreign investment declines

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Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Zimbabwe continues to decline as the economic crisis worsens.

Figures show that FDI declined from $400 million in 2013 to $372,6 million last year. According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) statistics released this week, the depressed FDI has worsened the country’s liquidity situation.

“Net foreign direct investment decreased to $300,6 million in 2014, from $373,1 million in 2013. Receivables decreased from $400 million to $372,6 million, while payments increased from $27 million to $72 million,” the central bank said in a 2014 inflation report.

The decline in FDI comes at a time other countries such as Mozambique and Zambia are experiencing strong economic growth due to increased FDI inflows.

A recent report by the International Monetary Fund noted that on a cumulative basis and compared to other countries in the region, Zimbabwe’s FDI inflows amounted to $1,7 billion over the period 1980 to 2013, whereas, Zambia and Mozambique received $7,7 billion and $15,8 billion, respectively.

Experts blame policies such as the seizure of white farms to resettle blacks and, latterly the drive to localise ownership of all major firms, for Zimbabwe’s poor performance in the FDI stakes.

President Robert Mugabe’s government, however, blames western sanctions, imposed on him and his inner circle over allegations of electoral fraud and rights abuses, for the country’s economic woes.

The RBZ noted that similarly, net portfolio investment flows declined to $96,3 million in 2014, from $114,2 million in 2013.

“Receivables decreased from $283,3 million to $270,7 million, while payments increased from $169,1 million to $174,4 million in the same period. The low FDI and other external inflows conspired to dampen economic activity, with knock-on effects on incomes, aggregate demand and declining prices,” said the RBZ.

Central bank governor John Mangudya recently said the government was committed to sound policies to boost FDI inflows, which peaked at nearly 20 percent of the gross domestic product in the 1990s.

“We are anxious to ensure that Zimbabwe benefits from the quantum leap in economic development in line with the rest of the region and also to benefit from the increased foreign direct investments that is coming into Africa which increased by almost seven percent to $52 billion in 2013,” Mangudya said.

“This trend is increasing and Zimbabwe should also benefit. It should not be left behind. Zimbabwe is committed to join Africa in the Africa rising campaign by pursuing credible economic policies for the eradication of poverty and the increase of the welfare of the population,” he added.

Chaos at high court as late Mujuru's second wife fights for share of the estate

Chaos at high court as late Mujuru's second wife fights for share of the estate

Saturday, 21 March 2015 / No Comments

Master of the High Court Mr Eldard Mutasa has given the late General Solomon Mujuru’s lawyers five days to submit a will the late veteran politician and national hero left in their possession. It emerged in a stormy edict meeting yesterday that Gen Mujuru left a will in which he named his lawyer, Mr Thekor Kewada of Scanlen and Holderness, as the executor of his estate.

Vice President Joice Mujuru’s lawyer Mr Addington Chinake yesterday told the meeting that his

client’s husband left a will. This was after children — the majority born out of wedlock — through their lawyers, had unanimously moved for the appointment of an independent executor of Gen Mujuru’s multi-billion-dollar estate. Gen Mujuru had four children with Dr Mujuru.

It also emerged during the meeting that Gen Mujuru was a polygamist, also married to Faith Mujuru nee Juta, meaning there are two surviving spouses. Ms Juta is mother to Tendai who is leading the fight to ensure that all Gen Mujuru’s children, including those he adopted, receive their share of the estate.

Ms Juta said she married Gen Mujuru on March 18, 1981 under the customary law and divorced him in 1993. The couple, she said, reconciled in 2008 at the instance of the Mujuru family. At the time of Gen Mujuru’s death, she said, she was staying at the family’s Ruwa Farm.

“We were staying as husband and wife until his death. It’s an open secret. I have witnesses to that, including Gen Mujuru’s eldest daughter Maidei here present,” she said. So far, 13 children were yesterday accepted to be Gen Mujuru’s on the basis of their birth certificates bearing the name of the national hero as the biological father.

All-in-all, the late General had around 20 children, with the other seven likely to be identified soon. Tendai told the meeting that the children were coming and would ensure that they were located. He hinted that all-in-all they could be more than 20.

“The deceased left a testamentary writing in that he approached Mr Thekor Kewada a senior partner at Scanlen and Holderness as the executor,” said Mr Chinake. The announcement drew the ire of the children who questioned why it took Dr Mujuru four years to notify the Master of the High Court of the existence of the document.

“Why are we here when there is such a document? The purpose of this meeting is to choose the executor and why wasting our time?” queried a lawyer representing one of the children, Tendai. Other children joined in and started accusing Mr Chinake of injustice and unfairness.

But the children continued with their barrage of attacks on the lawyer, who then threatened to leave the meeting.“May I be excused?” said Mr Chinake, leaving his chair to walk out of the meeting.He was stopped by the Master Mr Mutasa who insisted that he should not prematurely abandon the proceedings.

“But I cannot allow myself to be abused by these children. I have done my part in giving vital information needed in this matter.” After hearing submissions from all the parties, a resolution on the way forward was made. It is ordered that Mr Kewada submit to the office of the Master, a testamentary writing left by Gen Mujuru by Friday next week. The latest being at 4pm,” said Mr Mutasa.

“If he fails then the court will proceed to choose an independent executor of the estate.” Mr Mutasa said if the alleged will was found to be valid, it would be accepted. Once he receives the will, Mr Mutasa said the children would be shown the document and be given the platform to challenge it if they so wish.

The children requested the Master to treat the matter with urgency, arguing that most of the children were living in abject poverty following their father’s demise. Turning to assets, the children said their father had properties strewn around Harare, Bindura and Sadza.

Some of the major properties are houses in Borrowdale, Bindura, a shopping complex in Warren Park D, Trojan Mine, River Ranch Mine, Ruzambo Farm in Beatrice, Kulmic Investments and other various movable and immovable properties. The children hinted that after the death of their father, Dr Mujuru initiated the processes of transferring some of the properties. They asked the Master how he was going to deal with such conduct.

“That is the job of the executor to carry out investigations on everything that had been said in this meeting,” said Mr Mutasa. “If there is anything criminal, it will be dealt with accordingly. All that will come out during the executor’s investigations.”

On the paternity issue, Mr Chinake informed the meeting that it was a matter for the courts. Gen Mujuru died in an inferno at his Ruzambo Farm in Beatrice in 2011 and was declared a national hero. His estate is believed to run into billions of dollars.

He was ranked among the richest Zimbabweans with business interests cutting across almost all sectors of the economy.

ISIS recruiting fighters from South Africa

ISIS recruiting fighters from South Africa

Monday, 2 March 2015 / No Comments

Durban – The self-proclaimed Islamic State is recruiting South Africans to join its cause. And some have already made the caliphate their home. Independent Media has obtained a step-by-step guide on how South Africans can travel via Turkey to the caliphate’s headquarters in Syria. The document is available online via a micro-blogging platform, but can only be accessed with a password. It includes details such as how to book flights, accommodation, what to pack for the journey, who to contact once you reach Turkey, how to contact “your agent”, and how to make your way to IS-controlled land. The organisation has captured large parts of Iraq and Syria. It also has operations in Libya, Egypt and other parts of the Middle East. It aims to create a society based on a fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law. The UN has declared IS a terrorist organisation after several beheadings of foreign prisoners and attacks on non-Muslims. Independent Media has previously reported on claims that some South Africans have joined IS. This week, we used social network platforms to track down two South Africans who claimed to have joined the group. One claimed to be from Port Elizabeth and the other from Joburg. Using the pseudonym Abu Hurarya Al-Afriki, 18, one of the men said he had been living in the caliphate for two months. A second man who identified himself as Abu Layth Al-Hindi, 25, joined the caliphate a month ago. Both have set up social media accounts to help South Africans wanting to join IS. Al-Hindi said life in the caliphate was tough at times. “But by the will of Allah, you can overcome anything,” he said. Al-Hindi said access to the caliphate was becoming more difficult. “Now we have a new rule called tazkiya. You have to give the state a guarantee that you know and completely trust the person you are bringing. If it is found that the person is not trustworthy or that the person is a spy, then both you and the person will be beheaded.” Al-Hindi said anyone planning on hijrah (migration) to IS would have to do so at their own expense. “However, once you get here everything is provided for you. You are given all basic necessities, you are placed into a job if you would like to work and you won’t have to deal with the nonsense that people put up with in South Africa. It is the life that every believer wishes to lead.” He claimed he was aware of 11 South Africans living in IS, but Independent Media has no way of verifying this. “We all get to know each other here. “The English speakers generally meet and discuss where they are from.” The name Al-Afriki means someone from Africa. “It is my duty to guide and assist people to the khilafah (caliphate). I have already been contacted by nearly 100 South Africans wanting to join us,” said Al-Afriki. “Guidance from Allah made me join the Islamic State. As a Muslim, you will lead a life full of honour. The attraction is simple. We just want to live under Islam. We don’t want to see evil, vice, gambling, nudity, prostitution, music, murder, deception, uncleanliness, streets reeking of faeces and a host of other evil and filth which exists in the Western world. “The khilafah does exactly what Allah has told us to do. It is not permitted for a Muslim to live amongst the disbelievers in their lands; it is only rightful for a Muslim to live in an Islamic state, governed by the laws of Allah. The disbelievers are governed by man-made laws. “Life here is like life in the time of the Messenger. We live the same way in which his companions lived. It is necessary for Muslims to have a leader, a caliphate and power for Muslims to establish Islam and its complete control over the world,” he said. Both the men said their job was to encourage and guide other South Africans to the caliphate. They said it was better than living in South Africa or in a Western country. “The attraction is simple. We live the life we want to lead under Islam and by the guidance of the holy Qur’an. Muslims who do not choose this life are misguided and they are not just non-believers, but they are sinners,” said Al-Hindi. “As a Muslim, you would lead a life full of honour; therefore I encourage my brothers and sisters to join me in the khilafah.” Al-Hindi said that although they are asked to surrender their passports upon arrival, they were also allowed to leave the state at any time they chose. “If you want to leave, you have to go to the border office and collect your passport. They will take you over safely,” he said. Al-Hindi said those who entered IS were provided with a home if they had come with their family or spouses. If a woman entered the caliphate on her own or with friends, she was placed in a special guesthouse with widows and other unmarried women. Once in the state, all expenses are taken care of, including medical care. Women are placed into jobs, as nurses, receptionists or in a special media department where they promote IS in articles to attract more people to the IS. “Women don’t even need to work because the monthly stipend is sufficient for them. But if they choose to work, they can do so,” Al-Hindi said. He said there were added benefits. “When you get married you get a special gift from the state. All newlyweds get a gift of $1 000 which is equivalent to R11 500. Which country in the world does this?” he said. He said children were well cared for. “They can go to school and learn. “They get a normal education just like one would get in a Western country, but obviously guided by the principles of Islam. Our women and children are not deprived like most people think,” he said. “You will live a life far better than those who live in the West. The time is now for you to join us, before it is too late – the doors are slowly closing. “And, to the Western world, I have one message for you: ‘Die in your rage.’”

Green Bomber training to be re-introduced to all youths in Zimbabwe

Green Bomber training to be re-introduced to all youths in Zimbabwe

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President Mugabe has expressed concern over the youths of Zimbabwe whom he chastised for being involved in immoral behaviour and rampant abuse of drugs and other intoxicating substances. Speaking at his 91st birthday celebrations in Victoria Falls yesterday, Matabeleland North Province, President Mugabe said there was a need to have moral empowerment advocacy. "Our party and Government shall continue to monitor and evaluate all our policies. However, the youth should take advocacy and conscious action for behavioural change. They should shun all forms of immoral and life destroying behaviour and conduct," he said According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care about 10 percent of Zimbabweans are mentally ill and most of these are youths who following the abuse of drugs and other harmful substances get mentally unstable. On the issue of corruption the President said the youths had to shy away from the scourge. "Corruption should be avoided, in addition to having the ambition to do great things for the nation and their families hence we discourage in the strongest terms the increase of the use of drugs, alcohol and other intoxicating substances," said President Mugabe. This, he said, led to the abuse of other younger children by the drug using youths. "Without discipline surely our youths will be doomed, we want moral empowerment advocacy. We want that teaching which comes out of Christianity to be real to be practical," he added. The President said youths in the country should strive to be leaders of tomorrow by attaining an education. In light of this a psychomotor skills ministry was introduced recently in the country with the President saying there should be one Vocational Training Centre in each district that will see youths advancing their skills. He said Africa’s population has been described as a useful population and the scenario in our own country testifies to that as our own youth were victims of corruption going on in companies. "Young people have just like us, suffered from sanctions, the imposition of sanctions has disabled the capacity of their elders. Now their elders were placed in high positions, however, they could not earn maximally in their positions so they could not provide as fully as they might have desired," said President Mugabe. President Mugabe said the Government recognises the role played by the youth in development and nation building. He said Parliament had now ratified the African Youth Charter as well as reviewed the youth empowerment policy. He encouraged youths to study hard and acquire an education and also hands-on skills like agriculture, carpentry and building. The President also castigated the education system by saying it was too academic and lacked the other aspects that made students able to fend for themselves outside formal academic education. The shift would see the review of the education curriculum which will see the education sector churning out employers not employees. The President also announced that plans to make the National Youth Service mandatory were under way as it was one of the ways to improve moral uprightness among the young people. "The National Youth Service aims to inculcate discipline in young people, patriotism, selflessness and self-sacrifices so we want to enhance our National Youth Service dream. It is very important and we would want to get to a stage where every student will have gone through national service training at Ordinary Level and we want to build resources towards that gradually," said the President. The National Youth Service is a programme of the Zimbabwean Government for Zimbabweans of ages 10 to 30. Its stated purpose is to transform and empower youths for nation building through life skills training and leadership development. The service also serves to instill in young Zimbabweans a sense of national identity and patriotism.

ZIMRA persuades government to cut civil servants' salaries

ZIMRA persuades government to cut civil servants' salaries

Tuesday, 24 February 2015 / No Comments

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority commissioner general Mr Gershem Pasi has called for a cut in salaries for civil servants across the board and for Government to stop creating too many non-productive entities which are draining the already strained Treasury.

Recurrent expenditure is draining about 92 percent of Government revenue. The chief tax collector said Government, employers and labour should resuscitate the social contract in order to stop the country sinking "deeper into the hole". Mr Pasi said salaries were pegged at artificial levels when the country adopted the multi currency system in 2009 and the national cake cannot sustain such high payouts.

"We pegged our wages and salaries basing on that artificial level which was premised on the hyper-inflationary environment we had just come out of. My proposal is that we have never needed a social contract more than now. And that social contract should not be there to maintain the status quo. Dr Mangudya in his statement urged that there should not be any increase in salaries. What would happen if we went further; let's cut the salaries. Let's cut prices," said Mr Pasi.

Zimbabwe adopted the multi currency system following a run of hyperinflation which led to the collapse of industry which could not sustain operations as a result of the moribund local dollar. Mr Pasi said the country will continue to sink deeper into problems if corrective measures are not taken.

"Otherwise all we are doing will be just fire fighting but the truth is we are going deeper and deeper into the hole until we take drastic measures. Why not say cut by 20 percent across the board; cut wages, interest rates, everything because it will be a social contract. We will give ourselves room to start the growth process," said Mr Pasi.

He said the country should review its costs structures particularly the wage bill.

Recurrent expenditures of about 92 percent continue to outweigh Government leaving only eight percent for capital development programmes. Mr Pasi wants a review of how the budget is crafted in order to adopt a system where "we start with what is available" as opposed to what is expected.

"We also need to review the way we do our budgeting. We should start with what's available both in terms of anticipated revenue, allowable borrowings and any grants that are assured and then we cut our cloth to fit that revenue plate,"

He suggested that the country adopts a framework which may not be changed at any situation for revenue distribution and called for discipline in relation to following budgetary allocations. To save revenue for capital development Government should avoid creating a multiplicity of non-productive entities which drain the fiscus.

"We continue to create not-so-useful entities. We also created too many independent funds. Why do we create funds which are managed outside the central treasury funds? And when we have created them they are not accountable to anybody," said Mr Pasi.

Mr Pasi said the new constitution is an expensive venture as it expanded cost drivers putting further strain on the already pressed Treasury. "We have some legacy issues one of which is that during the Government of National Unity we had a new Constitution. It is a very expensive Constitution. Today we are talking of creating fiscal space, you can't do much with the set up that we have. Look at the expansion that happened with the new Constitution of the legislature. Can we afford it? We created so many additional members in both houses but at the end of the day we must pay for it," said Mr Pasi. When the expansion was done, there was no consideration on the cost of such an expansion to the legislature, he said.

How to Use a Dictionary If You Cannot Spell the Word - Part 1

How to Use a Dictionary If You Cannot Spell the Word - Part 1

Tuesday, 27 January 2009 / No Comments

By David Donahoo

Learning to spell requires that you can know what letters make up the word so that you can spell it correctly. If you are reading a book and come across a word you do not know then you can actually see the word in front of you and are able to learn to spell it. If you do not know what the word means you are able to easily look it up in the dictionary because you can see the letters.

When you want to spell a word but are unable to work out how to spell it, you need assistance. Often you will be told to go to a dictionary to find out how to spell it. When I suggest students go and look up the dictionary, I watch what they are doing to see how well they are able to work out the word and spell it. Those who are able to determine how to spell the word use particular strategies to find the word. Sometimes they are aware of these strategies and other times they use them without being aware. So what are these strategies that can make it easier to use a dictionary to find out how to spell the word and its meaning? There are two parts to the strategy:


Determine where to start looking in the dictionary
How to scan the pages and words in the dictionary.

So let's look at these separately. The first part is: determine where to start looking. When you do this right you can find the word easily. If you do it incorrectly then you may not find the word. However, at times you may need to repeat this process a number of times depending on the word.

First let's determine how to spell a simple English word that does not have any of the English rules that make spelling difficult; rules like prefixes, suffixes, silent letters or plurals. For example the word "sleep". To determine the spelling before you look up the dictionary:


Say the word out loud as you think it is said.
Then say it out loud slowly sounding out the letters.
Listen to the letters sounds and write down the letters in the order you hear yourself saying them.
Once you have listed the letters in the sound order, use the second part of the strategy and look up the dictionary to determine it's correct spelling.

If you wanted to spell the word "receive", for example. When you sound it out, as it sounds, you get: "receve", with no "I". Since this word contains groups of letters that can make the English language difficult to spell, then there are other options you can take:

Understand the English spelling rules so that you can determine which are applicable for the word you want to spell. You can also look up the internet for the rules and search around to find the right one, or look up an English spelling rules book.
Often we use a word because we have seen it written somewhere. Try and see the word in your mind as you say the word and determine at least the first three letters.
Break the word down into its syllables. So you get the letters "re" and "ceve". So you can at least start to look for the words starting with the first syllables.
If you know a word that means the same thing which you know how to spell, you can look up a thesaurus for that word and see if it has the word you want to spell.
Ask someone else how they would spell it.

Once you have the way you think the word can be spelled. Then it is time to search through the dictionary to find out. Refer to my article How to Use a Dictionary If You Cannot Spell the Word - Part 2 on how to do the second part of the strategy; search the dictionary to find out how to spell a word,

David Donahoo Dip. Clinical Hypnotherapy, Master Practitioner NLP, AI, Speaker

The Eyes of Horus

Helping those stuck negative emotions & behaviours to gain freedom through empowering behaviours.

To find out more register for my monthly ezine and a free hypnotic download at: http://www.theeyesofhorus.com.au/downloadsqueezepage.html.

http://www.spellingbetter.com, which goes through all these rules in one place. You can also look

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