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 super excited to turn in your first article for the school newspaper. However, you start to doubt your abilities when the advising teacher starts off your meeting by saying that one sentence throws off the tone of the entire article.

The sentence is, "By lunchtime, students are very hungry, and all the cafeteria has to offer them is oily chicken nuggets paired with pounds of coleslaw." How do you respond to the criticism?

(A) I see what you mean. Using "very" is colloquial and unprofessional. It will never happen again!
(B) You're so right. I should be more creative with my adjectives and replace "very hungry" with "ravenous."
(C) Using the word "very" is totally fine, and it correctly emphasizes how hungry students are.
(D) I'm confused. My grammar checks out, so do you have an issue with my facts? Clearly you've never had one of those "chicken nuggets."

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!

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

Fill in the blanks:


I told my overbearing eye doctor that he did not have to _________ statistics to convince me of the importance of caring for my ___________.


(A) site, sight
(B) sight, site
(C) cite, sight
(D) cite, site

How would you correct this sentence?


Putting his huge backyard to good use, my friend Roberto rescued 2 3-legged dogs from an animal shelter in Pasadena to keep them from being put down.


(A) Omit the comma after "use"
(B) Change "2" to "two"
(C) Change "3" to "three"
(D) Either B or C

Here are your results. Want to give it another go?
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