The spelling of "pre knew" may initially appear confusing due to the combination of two different verb forms. However, the correct spelling is "preview", pronounced /ˈpriːvjuː/, with the prefix "pre-" meaning "beforehand" and the verb "view" meaning "to see". By breaking down the word into its phonetic transcription, one can clearly see the distinct sounds of each syllable and understand the correct spelling. It is important to pay attention to prefixes and root words when spelling complex words.