Words work best for you, of course, when they are spelled correctly.

Using spell checkers

Research conducted for this textbook shows that spelling errors have changed dramatically in the past twenty-five years—and the reason is spell checkers. Although these programs have weeded out many once-common misspellings, spell checkers are not foolproof.

Adapting spell checkers to your needs

To make spell checkers work best for you, you need to learn to adapt them to your own needs.

Learning homonyms

English has many homonyms—words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. But a relatively small number of them, just eight groups, cause student writers frequent trouble (see Quick Help). If you tend to confuse any of these words, create a special memory device to help you remember the differences: “the weather will determine whether I wear a jacket.”

In addition, pay close attention to homonyms that may be spelled as one word or as two, depending on the meaning.

Of course, they did not wear everyday clothes every day of the year.

Though we were all ready to dance, our dates had already departed.

Sonya may be on time for the meeting, or maybe she’ll be late.

Other homonyms and frequently confused words can be found in the Glossary of Usage.

Considering spelling and pronunciation

Pronunciation often leads spellers astray. Not only do people who live in different regions pronounce words differently, but speakers also tend to blur letters or syllables. To link spelling and pronunciation, try to pronounce words mentally the way they look, including every letter and syllable (so that, for example, you hear the b at the end of crumb). Doing so will help you “see” words with unpronounced letters or syllables, such as those listed here. The frequently unpronounced letters or syllables are italicized and underlined.

In English words, a, i, and e often sound alike in syllables that are not stressed. Hearing the word definite, for instance, gives us few clues as to whether the vowels in the second and third syllables should be i’s or a’s. In this case, remembering the related word finite helps us know that the i’s are correct. If you are puzzled about how to spell a word with unstressed vowels, try to think of a related word, and then check your dictionary. You can also use memory cues, or mnemonic devices, to master words that tend to trip you up. Here are two memory cues one student made up:

Talking the Talk: Spell checkers and wrong-word errors