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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You're writing up your report for your science fair project on fall leaves. Which of the following sentences should you probably correct?

(A) The leaves displayed 9 percent yellowing on the first day and forty percent on the 3rd day.
(B) While I had hypothesized that rainfall would have a strong effect on the rate of yellowing, the three inches of rain that fell did not seem to cause significant change.
(C) The coloring of leaves is directly proportional to temperature drops over time.
(D) All of these sentences look fine. No corrections are necessary.

Fill in the blank:


I'm so glad that I decided to go out with Max even though his 1984 El Camino's almost never running. He _________ me.


(A) compliments
(B) complements
(C) Neither A nor B
(D) Both A and B

Can you spot the style error in this sentence?

1832 was the year my ancestors laid claim to a homestead atop the mountains of northern Wyoming, building a cabin with a view of the Grand Tetons.

(A) 1832
(B) laid claim
(C) Grand Tetons
(D) What are you talking about? This sentence looks just fine!

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.

Fill in the blanks:


At the end of every summer, Mayor Murray _________ an award and several lovely _________ to the palest lifeguard at Lake Ironcheeks.


(A) presence, presents
(B) presence, presence
(C) presents, presents
(D) presents, presence

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