One essential aspect of good writing is accurate spelling. With computer spell checkers, spelling may seem simple, but these programs fail to catch every error. Spell checkers identify some errors, but writers still have to consider the flagged words and suggested replacements. Writers are still responsible for the errors that remain. Show
For example, if the spell checker highlights a word that is misspelled and gives you a list of alternative words, you may choose a word that you never intended even though it is spelled correctly. This can change the meaning of your sentence. It can also confuse readers, making them lose interest. Computer spell checkers are useful editing tools, but they can never replace human knowledge of spelling rules, homonyms, and commonly misspelled words. Common Spelling RulesThe best way to master new words is to understand the key spelling rules. Keep in mind, however, that some spelling rules carry exceptions. A spell checker may catch these exceptions, but knowing them yourself will prepare you to spell accurately on the first try. You may want to try memorizing each rule and its exception like you would memorize a rhyme or lyrics to a song. Write i before e except after c, or when pronounced ay like “neighbor” or “weigh.”
When words end in a consonant plus y, drop the y and add an i before adding another ending.
When words end in a vowel plus y, keep the y and add the ending.
Memorize the following exceptions to this rule: day, lay, say, pay = daily, laid, said, paid When adding an ending that begins with a vowel, such as -able, -ence, -ing, or -ity, drop the last e in a word.
When adding an ending that begins with a consonant, such as -less, -ment, or -ly, keep the last e in a word.
For many words ending in a consonant and an o, add -s when using the plural form.
Add -es to words that end in s, ch, sh, and x.
Exercise 1Identify and correct the nine misspelled words in the following paragraph. Sherman J. Alexie Jr. was born in October 1966. He is a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian and an American writer, poet, and filmmaker. Alexie was born with hydrocephalus, or water on the brain. This condition led doctors to predict that he would likly suffer long-term brain damage and possibly mental retardation. Although Alexie survived with no mental disabilitys, he did suffer other serious side effects from his condition that plagud him throughout his childhood. Amazingly, Alexie learned to read by the age of three, and by age five he had read novels such as John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Raised on an Indian reservation, Alexie often felt aleinated from his peers due to his avid love for reading and also from the long-term effects of his illness, which often kept him from socializeing with his peers on the reservation. The reading skills he displaid at such a young age foreshadowed what he would later become. Today Alexie is a prolific and successful writer with several story anthologeis to his credit, noteably The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and The Toughest Indian in the World. Most of his fiction is about contemporary Native Americans who are influenced by pop culture and pow wows and everything in between. His work is sometimes funny but always thoughtful and full of richness and depth. Alexie also writes poetry, novels, and screenplays. His latest collection of storys is called War Dances, which came out in 2009. Collaboration Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. TipEight Tips to Improve Spelling Skills
TipRemember to focus on spelling during the editing and revising step of the writing process. Start with the big ideas such as organizing your piece of writing and developing effective paragraphs, and then work your way down toward the smaller—but equally important—details like spelling and punctuation. To read more about the writing process and editing and revising, see Chapter 7 "The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?". HomonymsHomonymsA word that sounds like another word but has a different meaning. are words that sound like one another but have different meanings. Commonly Misused HomonymsPrinciple, Principal
Where, Wear, Ware
Lead, Led
Which, Witch
Peace, Piece
Passed, Past
Lessen, Lesson
Patience, Patients
Sees, Seas, Seize
Threw, Through
Exercise 2Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct homonym.
Commonly Misspelled WordsBelow is a list of commonly misspelled words. You probably use these words every day in either speaking or writing. Each word has a segment in bold type, which indicates the problem area of the word that is often spelled incorrectly. If you can, use this list as a guide before, during, and after you write. TipUse the following two tricks to help you master these troublesome words:
Table 3.1 Commonly Misspelled Words
Exercise 3Identify and correct the ten commonly misspelled words in the following paragraph. Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. It is located on the eastern shore of Long Island directly accross the East River from the island of Manhattan. Its beginings stretch back to the sixteenth century when it was founded by the Dutch who originally called it “Breuckelen.” Immedietely after the Dutch settled Brooklyn, it came under British rule. However, neither the Dutch nor the British were Brooklyn’s first inhabitants. When European settlers first arrived, Brooklyn was largely inhabited by the Lenapi, a collective name for several organized bands of Native American people who settled a large area of land that extended from upstate New York through the entire state of New Jersey. They are sometimes referred to as the Delaware Indians. Over time, the Lenapi succumbed to European diseases or conflicts between European settlers or other Native American enemies. Finalley they were pushed out of Brooklyn completely by the British. In 1776, Brooklyn was the site of the first importent battle of the American Revolution known as the Battle of Brooklyn. The colonists lost this battle, which was led by George Washington, but over the next two years they would win the war, kicking the British out of the colonies once and for all. By the end of the nineteenth century, Brooklyn grew to be a city in its own right. The completion of the Brooklyn Bridge was an ocasion for celebration; transportation and commerce between Brooklyn and Manhattan now became much easier. Eventually, in 1898, Brooklyn lost its seperate identity as an independent city and became one of five boroughs of New York City. However, in some people’s opinien, the intagration into New York City should have never happened; they though Brooklyn should have remained an independent city. Collaboration Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Writing at WorkIn today’s job market, writing e-mails has become a means by which many people find employment. E-mails to prospective employers require thoughtful word choice, accurate spelling, and perfect punctuation. Employers’ inboxes are inundated with countless e-mails daily. If even the subject line of an e-mail contains a spelling error, it will likely be overlooked and someone else’s e-mail will take priority. The best thing to do after you proofread an e-mail to an employer and run the spell checker is to have an additional set of eyes go over it with you; one of your teachers may be able to read the e-mail and give you suggestions for improvement. Most colleges and universities have writing centers, which may also be able to assist you. Key Takeaways
Writing ApplicationWhat is your definition of a successful person? Is it based on a person’s profession or is it based on his or her character? Perhaps success means a combination of both. In one paragraph, describe in detail what you think makes a person successful. When you are finished, proofread your work for spelling errors. Exchange papers with a partner and read each other’s work. See if you catch any spelling errors that your partner missed. How many types of spelling errors are there in Microsoft Word?Answer: 1 the red line indicates a misspelled word. 2 the green line indicates a grammatical error. 3 the blue line indicates a contextual spelling error.
What are the 20 most misspelled words?20 most commonly misspelt words in English. Separate.. Definitely.. Manoeuvre.. Embarrass.. Occurrence.. Consensus.. Unnecessary.. Acceptable.. What are the 50 most misspelled words?Top 50 misspellings. assesment > assessment.. akward > awkward.. endevour > endeavour.. belive > believe.. wierd > weird.. achive > achieve.. greatful > grateful.. biogrophay > biography.. How can you identify if there is an error in your grammar and spelling?From the Review tab, click the Spelling & Grammar command. The Spelling and Grammar pane will appear on the right. For each error in your document, Word will try to offer one or more suggestions. You can select a suggestion and click Change to correct the error.
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