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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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 sentence should you cut out of the latest article you wrote for the school newspaper?

(A) The fashion trends going around are "very concerning," according to Mr. Peterson.
(B) Most skirts that girls wear are very short—nowhere near two inches above the knee.
(C) Boys wear some very unique muscle shirts with the sides ripped down to their hips.
(D) Principal Smith is considering a very harsh set of rules to discourage student trendsetters.

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

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.

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.

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