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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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.

Which of the following options are grammatically correct?

I. My sister wanted Mom to lengthen her curfew because the boy she liked called himself a "creature of the night."

II. Is it true that your father just accepted a new job at Disney? More importantly, can he get us discounts on admission?

III. Her Uncle Paddy is one serious dude that you simply do not want to argue with. We hear he has a gun collection back home in Texas.

(A) I
(B) II
(C) I and II
(D) III

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

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.

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.

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