10 Common Errors �Spell Check� Won�t Catch

[Eva]

This is a Yahoo article from last week that a coworker just reminded me about - we had recently had a discussion about the usage of 'affect' versus 'effect' in updating notes on one of our service call tickets. I thought this might be relevent, or at least a nice brush-up, for a group of people who do a good deal of typing/writing:

 

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/10- ... CA55AE989C

 

I know I'm pretty good with the 'their<>they're<>there' and such, but the one that always seems to get me is the its vs. it's. Most of these just burn my eyes to read...

 

I get that improper spelling, grammar, and punctuation don't always necessarily need to be used on the Internet in order to convey one's point, and I have no expectation that everyone should write perfectly all the time. But it can be distracting and may deter from RP if someone is constantly repeating the same types of mistakes. Anyway, I just thought I would share.

 

The more you know. :approve:

[Kylin]

I honestly didn't know about the "farther versus further" thing >.>;. I'm fine on all of the remaining things on that list though.

 

Though it's not listed on that, I do have issues with "who" versus "whom." Mostly just "whom."

[Kashemia]

I have some issues with its/it's too. And apparently too/to it would seem on my subject title, but I usually know that one <.<

 

Sometimes, it actually surprised me how many people seem to have problems with things like there/their/they're, it's not something I personally find difficult, though english is not my first language. But that might be exactly it, I probably try harder to be correct than many, because I know I make mistakes <.<

And we have things like that in danish too, things that no one can ever spell right.

[Eva]

'Who' vs. 'whom' gets me sometimes as well.

 

I think an easy way of remember the 'too' vs. 'to' for those who have trouble with it would be to try to replace the word with 'as well' and if it makes sense, it should have two O's. I can't think of many instances where this wouldn't work. After awhile this stuff kind of becomes automatic.

 

I know there are a lot of subtleties between American English and British English as well. No matter how many times I see it, the word 'organication' or 'organice' just looks wrong to me, and I remember a fellow down in Sacrarium a couple years back proclaiming that I was spelling it incorrectly as 'organized' and that all Americans were wrong, or somesuch. Nuances like that don't really bother me. There will always be cultural differences. It's the stuff like what was outlined in that link where it's Universally correct but often mistaken anyway that gets me.

 

Maybe I'm just getting old...

[Averis]

I've been trying to get better with these common errors myself. I usually find I make these common errors more often when trying to type fast to react to role-play or a conversation in chat. It's usually a matter of typing the words that I use the most often, such as it's instead of its. As such, it doesn't bother me when others do it.

 

Also, with too, it's not just for 'as well' it can also mean too much.

 

Let's not even get started on comma and semicolon usage. :frustrated:

[Eva]

Ah! You're right! Too much, too big, too awesome, too nitpicky. :approve:

 

Ummm... Maybe if it replaces with 'as well' or 'excessively' it gets two O's? I dunno...

 

Yeah, I can certainly see how it could be confusing, especially from a non-native speaker perspective!

[Kashemia]

Hehe, well, my mistakes with to/too are mainly when I write really fast too. I don't have problems remembering when it's one or the other, I just don't always notice that I've written it wrong ^^

 

It's interesting though, these common mistakes. We have them in Denmark too, people have a hard time with when to use "ligge" (when something is laying, like the book is laying on the table) or "lægge" (to put something down, like I put the book on the table). They sound almost identical in danish.

[Smiling River]

Effect/Affect is just dumb. I use effect all the time because I personally think they are nearly identical in meaning and should just morph into one word. That eliminates any headache one would get from thinking about using affect or effect. :frustrated: Sometimes sanity is not worth slight word corrections which barely anyone would notice anyway. Out of those people, how many care enough to be EFFECTED? Just not worth it.

[ArmachiA]

I mess up your and you're in roleplay sessions all the time. Typing fast, my fingers just type the first one that comes to my head.

 

Definitely I have a HUGE problem with, because I know how to spell it and I always spell it Definately. Thank God Chrome has auto spellcheck, but in MMO's you'll see me do that all the time.

 

I used to have a problem with accept and except. They mean two totally different things but hell if I couldn't get them, I'm better now though

[Eva]

Actually the little guide is wrong, about effect-affect. Affect could be a noun, if you're talking about psychology. Like how someone's affect might change after a different medication regimen.

 

And I think I mess up 'definitely' as well sometimes.

 

I used to be really horrible with another word, but I totally forget what it was. Whatever it is, I spell it correctly now, but every time I do, the thought goes through my head, "I can't believe I always used to misspell this." So the next time I write it, I'll edit this. Cuz that's when I'll remember. lol

 

I just wanted to be clear that I'm not a grammar nazi either. I'm more of a stickler in writing than in RP. And even if something burns my eyes, I just let it go normally unless someone is specifically asking for constructive criticism about a piece of writing or something.

 

While the 'your/you're' and 'they're/there/their' gets me, I usually just figure, "As least they didn't type 'ur'."

 

And a friend of mine has the best quote in their IM profile at work:

If you say 'plz' because it's shorter than 'please', I will say 'no' because it's shorter than 'yes'.

[Dreamer]

I always have a problem with "since" and "sense". For whatever reason, unless I'm checking myself, my mind always wants to put "sense" down automatically.

[Kashemia]

Back when I first started playing MMOs, people would always make fun of me for writing "Maybe it was something ells". Yes, I spelled else "ells" for a long time <.<

But that's many years ago

 

I'm always worried that I'll spell definitely wrong, so I look it up a lot, but I never do.. Spell it wrong... So I guess I should just trust more in myself

 

When I started playing on American servers in Aion, I was always a bit worried that people would notice my spelling errors a lot more and look down at me or something. On the EU servers, people are used to everybody having different nationalities, so even though most do their best with writing English, few have it as their first language, and I thought people would probably be more forgiving there, than on the US servers. I was positively surprised.

 

I only ran into one guy felt is was his mission to correct me when I spelled it gray instead of grey and other similar things, all of them I think a question of British vs. American spelling.

[Eva]

That reminds me! Is 'preform' vs. 'perform' a British-English thing? I've seen 'preform' written, and my Firefox isn't red-underlining it or anything, so I'm guessing maybe it's just an alternate spelling? It always makes me cringe though...

[Kashemia]

I think preform might just be an error? I know the word exist, but I don't think you can use it instead of perform... I think it's more a pre-form thing... Like forming something in advance?

 

 

The one thing that really gets to me is excape. When people say that, it always makes me cringe.

[ArmachiA]

Gray and Grey are both correct, eff the haters.

 

*Cross arms*

[Siben]

you are correct Armi.

 

I always type out loss and lose wrong, I either use the wrong word or just spell them plain wrong, like I'll type 'loose' when I mean loss ><

[Renaise]

Yeah preform exists but its a different word, I think its just an error some people make.

 

1.preform - form into a shape resembling the final, desired one

2.preform - form or shape beforehand or determine the shape of beforehand

[Monadi]

The difference between affect and effect has always made me nerd-ragey. And even I get it wrong sometimes. -hangs head in shame-

[Kashemia]

This is going to sound weird, but it's more of a pronunciation thing. I for some reason always pronounce V as W... My boyfriend used to ask if was because we pronounce it like that in danish, but I think it's the opposite. We don't really use the w, or the w sound in danish, so I just sort of replace ALL v's with w's (which in danish is called double-Vs).

Apparently, it makes it rather funny when I say "Willain" <.<

[Bear]

I'm Canadian, we say colour instead of color and spell check says it's wrong! BAH!

[Iroh]

This is going to sound weird, but it's more of a pronunciation thing. I for some reason always pronounce V as W... My boyfriend used to ask if was because we pronounce it like that in danish, but I think it's the opposite. We don't really use the w, or the w sound in danish, so I just sort of replace ALL v's with w's (which in danish is called double-Vs).

Apparently, it makes it rather funny when I say "Willain" <.<

 

She sounds like

, it's adorable. >.>

[Renaise]

I'm Canadian' date=' we say colour instead of color and spell check says it's wrong! BAH![/quote']

 

Your spell check is lying to you! Kill it with fire!

[ArmachiA]

This is going to sound weird, but it's more of a pronunciation thing. I for some reason always pronounce V as W... My boyfriend used to ask if was because we pronounce it like that in danish, but I think it's the opposite. We don't really use the w, or the w sound in danish, so I just sort of replace ALL v's with w's (which in danish is called double-Vs).

Apparently, it makes it rather funny when I say "Willain" <.<

 

She sounds like

, it's adorable. >.>

 

Nuclear Wessell!

[Monadi]

Apparently' date=' it makes it rather funny when I say "Willain" <.<[/quote']

She sounds like

, it's adorable. >.>

Sounds like we need to hear someone on Vent sometime, hehe.

[Iroh]

Apparently' date=' it makes it rather funny when I say "Willain" <.<[/quote']

She sounds like

, it's adorable. >.>

Sounds like we need to hear someone on Vent sometime, hehe.

 

Would that happen, you would all fall under her magical power...

 

Yes, I don't get jealous. I understand you see everyone will end up loving her. Strangers come right up and kiss her on the neck, it's true! Now that I've accepted I must share her with the world, life is a lot easier.

 

But oops, I believe this got majorly off topic. I tend to understand most spelling errors as I'm a horrible speller myself... but I can't stand the typical 'your' vs. 'you're.' Makes my eye twitch every time when people screw that up. And I screw it up too... and when I do, I make myself twitch. I know people make mistakes, it's just a personal thing I'll never be able to get over.

 

Besides, I can't fault anyone for typos. I'm the tampon king.