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

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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.

What correction would you make to the following passage?


Every afternoon, Paige works on her fantasy novel at the Starbucks on Lincoln Avenue. So far, she's finished fifty pages. Sometimes, she lets the baristas read it. They all agree that the best part is the sword fight between the gnome and the fire dwarf that starts Chap. 2. They also all agree that she should probably order more than one small water if she's going to take up a whole table for five hours every day.


(A) abbreviate Avenue to Ave.
(B) change fifty to 50
(C) change Chap. 2 to Chapter 2
(D) abbreviate hours to hrs.

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 of these sentences uses than incorrectly?

I. It was hotter than Hades when we went to the state fair.

II. I really didn't want to go than, but my mom wanted to see the junior rodeo.

III. And I have to admit: those 6-year-old goat ropers were cuter than a basket full of kittens.

(A) I
(B) II
(C) I and II
(D) II and III

Fill in the blank:


Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin went ________________ than anyone had ever gone before.


(A) further
(B) farther
(C) more high
(D) Both A and B

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