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

Fill in the blanks:

I turn so _______ that my dance instructor says I'll never make it as a professional ballerina. But I don't feel _______ about it, because I'm an excellent knitter.

(A) bad, badly

(A) bad, badly

(B) badly, bad

(B) badly, bad

(C) bad, bad

(C) bad, bad

(D) badly, badly

(D) badly, badly

Choose the grammatically incorrect sentence.

(A) When we were touring San Francisco, I was disappointed to see that the Golden Gate Bridge was actually rusty red, not glittering gold.

(A) When we were touring San Francisco, I was disappointed to see that the Golden Gate Bridge was actually rusty red, not glittering gold.

(B) I tried to explain to the Canadian fisherman that he should go into the water at Miami Beach since it was actually warm.

(B) I tried to explain to the Canadian fisherman that he should go into the water at Miami Beach since it was actually warm.

(C) The country was slipping into another Depression, so I decided to boost the economy with a major shopping spree at Target.

(C) The country was slipping into another Depression, so I decided to boost the economy with a major shopping spree at Target.

(D) I hate flying, but I will make an exception if I ever get the opportunity to travel to Antarctica because it's my dream vacation spot.

(D) I hate flying, but I will make an exception if I ever get the opportunity to travel to Antarctica because it's my dream vacation spot.

Which of the following sentences contains a grammatical error?

I. Violent video games—e.g., the Grand Theft Auto series—are a perpetual source of controversy.

II. After Atari's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial video game flopped with consumers, 700,000 unsold cartridges were buried in a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

III. The CIA is a faction in both the Battlefield and Call of Duty: Black Ops game franchises.

(A) I

(A) I

(B) II

(B) II

(C) III

(C) III

(D) Error? What error? These all look good to me.

(D) Error? What error? These all look good to me.

In which of the following options should the word principle be inserted into the blank?

(A) Janine is a ____________ ballerina with the Sarna Ballet Company.

(A) Janine is a ____________ ballerina with the Sarna Ballet Company.

(B) Skateboarding is guided by the ____________ of momentum.

(B) Skateboarding is guided by the ____________ of momentum.

(C) Phil has no idea how he's going to pay the ____________ on his auto loan.

(C) Phil has no idea how he's going to pay the ____________ on his auto loan.

(D) After she hotwired his car, our daughter's ____________ called us in for a conference.

(D) After she hotwired his car, our daughter's ____________ called us in for a conference.

Your history teacher enjoys papers that are factually accurate, but he also tends to award extra style points for papers that are easy to read. Which of the following sentences should you avoid at all costs in order to get the extra boost?

(A) 1929 was the year the stock market crashed, sending the United States into a downward economic spiral.

(A) 1929 was the year the stock market crashed, sending the United States into a downward economic spiral.

(B) Six hundred and twenty thousand men died during the Civil War, with over 51,000 of those casualties coming from the Battle of Gettysburg alone.

(B) Six hundred and twenty thousand men died during the Civil War, with over 51,000 of those casualties coming from the Battle of Gettysburg alone.

(C) In the colonial period, teenagers were busy learning how to farm, not moaning about getting up at 7:00 a.m.

(C) In the colonial period, teenagers were busy learning how to farm, not moaning about getting up at 7:00 a.m.

(D) Fifty-six delegates signed the Declaration of Independence, even though it was considered treason at the time.

(D) Fifty-six delegates signed the Declaration of Independence, even though it was considered treason at the time.

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