Spelling and Mechanics Introduction

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Spelling and mechanics errors: the easiest way to make you a laughingstock (other than slipping on a literal banana peel).

There are fewer things more cringe-worthy than a misspelled tattoo or more hilarious than when people spell "morons" like "morans" or "no offense" like "no a fence." We love to be smug about that kind of stuff.

Spelling and mechanics fails are the stuff of endless Buzzfeed lists and Tumblr blogs. Life is so much more enjoyable when autocorrect becomes auto-incorrect, isn't it?

It's fun to smirk over. It's horrible to do…especially because you just know that your essay on The Dairy of Anne Frank (um, did she really like milk that much?) or your mistake-ridden college admissions essay is not going to be taken seriously.

So let's get serious.

Correct spelling is insanely important in a paragraph or essay. It helps you get your ideas across clearly. Tools like spellcheck are great but not foolproof, so it's important to develop some stellar spelling awareness. When you encounter a new word, take note of how it's spelled and how it's used, and add it to your writing stash.

A mastery of mechanics is also crucial for composing good papers. When we say mechanics, we don't mean the good people that get your car back on the road after you run over a monstrous, sedan-eating pothole. We mean capitalization, abbreviations, and numbers. Knowing these writing standards helps you become a more effective communicator and polishes your writing skills.

It also helps you to not be this guy.

Quiz Yourself on Spelling and Mechanics

1/5

Identify the error in capitalization in the following sentence.


I always thought I wanted to major in cinema studies, but for some reason the H2O Department of Chemistry is really striking my fancy nowadays.


(A) cinema
(B) studies
(C) Department of Chemistry
(D) No error

Which of these sentences uses literally incorrectly?

I. I have literally no patience for people who don't wipe around the sink after they wash their hands.

II. Don't they realize that those water droplets contain literally millions of germs?

III. It literally makes me want to scream when I have to use the sink after a sloppy hand washer.

(A) I
(B) II
(C) III
(D) None of them.

Which of the following choices contains a spelling mistake?

1. Norway is home to several customs that seem strange to visitors. For example, most meals—including sandwiches—are eaten with a knife and fork.

2. February 5th is Pretzel Appreciation Day. As part of the celebration, the locals dress in colorful, salted costumes.

3. It's a Winger family tradition to hit the shopping mall on Black Friday. They get there at 3:00 a.m. so they can beat the other costumers to the best deals.

(A) I
(B) II
(C) III
(D) Nice try, Shmoop. No spelling mistakes here!

Which sentence is grammatically incorrect?

(A) The town voted for Mayor Draper because he promised to support the fight to save every last tree in the town.
(B) Dr. Spleeni, chairman of the surgery board, knew that the hospital was going to lose a lot of money because of his little mistake in that appendectomy.
(C) San Francisco 49er's President Gideon Yu has an issue with clammy hands that only gets worse as the game progresses.
(D) Mr. Payne, chief director of the school's play, decided who was going to play the lead role, and he was open to any and all bribes involving baked goods.

Fill in the blank:


My mama should be so proud of me! After I knocked over their nest, I rescued __________ baby bumblebee!


(A) each
(B) every
(C) Both A and B
(D) None of the above

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