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 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

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

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.
(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.
(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.

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

How would you correct this sentence?


When we past the crate of puppies outside Petco, I knew my cat's days as an only child were over.


(A) Change past to passed
(B) Change cat's to cats'
(C) Change child to pet
(D) What are you talking about? There's nothing wrong with this sentence!

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