# Have you ever competed in a Spelling Bee? How did you do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 31, 2019, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824 "2019-05-31T11:53:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/21 "2019-05-31T16:36:57Z")
Man, that was a long time ago. I remember I have been in spelling bees, I don’t know which year(s) though I know it was in elementary school, I know they were only small-scale affairs (the school district at _most_), and I know I did well. I’m pretty sure I won at least one, but I’m not sure I won all I participated in. I was always a good speller due to the fact I was reading all the time from an extremely young age. My ability to pronounce things correctly, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/22 "2019-05-31T22:11:21Z")
I was always an excellent speller (until recently, that is). I was the school champ for a few years in elementary/middle school. They didn’t have any wider competitions back then. Once, there was a mother/son spelling competition on tv. We got into the finals, until I messed up on the word “envoy”. Back then, it was pronounced “on-voy”. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/23 "2019-05-31T23:59:58Z")
I can’t remember if I won or came in second, but I know I did very well in the 6th grade Bee I participated in. I can’t believe you guys can remember so many details! ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/24 "2019-06-01T00:15:47Z")
I placed 2nd in my elementary school spelling bee in 5th grade, because I spelled too quickly and left out the “i” in “juicily.” I won the next year, on the word “equilateral.” Then I won the city/county bee, when it was down to two, and the other girl missed on “tapir.” Obviously, she assumed the word was “taper,” as opposed to the name of a smallish jungle animal. I spelled “rhombus” for the win. I missed going to the National Bee by screwing up the word “intermezzo.” It’s a musical term, and I had never heard of it in my life. So yeah, these words can haunt you/stick in your mind for years. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/25 "2019-06-01T06:15:31Z")
First place in the preliminary bee, where no one was watching, but failed on an easy word once I was up in front of everyone–literally my first word. I didn’t feel nervous, but I could not think straight when on the spot in front of everyone. I actually lost because I couldn’t remember the normal “double letter” rules in English. I still have my trophy for the first place preliminary finish, though. They apparently took it seriously. I do not have my “participant ribbon” though. I didn’t lose it on purpose, but it’s just the way things go. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/26 "2019-06-01T06:29:25Z")
3rd grade. Tied for first place. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/27 "2019-06-01T08:50:01Z")
It was elementary school, classroom spelling B, 25 kids max. The first word they asked me to spell was “relief”:rolleyes: They asked “How do you spell relief?”:eek::D:D R.O.L.A.I.D.S:p Never feed me a line like that and expect me not to go for the laugh. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/28 "2019-06-01T09:03:17Z")
Yes. Around 7th or 8th grade or so I actually went to state in the Spelling Bee and didn’t do too badly there. I remember making it a few rounds but getting out on the word potpourri. I believe I said only one r instead of two. It didn’t matter though because once they got to the harder rounds I would’ve been out anyway. I do remember competing against a kid who eventually (not that year but maybe the next year) won the national bee though. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824/29 "2019-06-01T09:21:06Z")
Came in second in my school’s 5th grade spelling bee. Lost on “grammar”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-competed-in-a-spelling-bee-how-did-you-do/834824.md?page=1)