Frequently misspelled words
 

What words have you noticed frequently misspelled on these boards? Do you have any hints for our "poor speller friends" to help them remember how to spell these words?

I'll start it off with "mabey". I just realized I have seen this misspelling very frequently. It has been committed by several people. (I could name names, but I'll be gentle. ;) )

For those of you who have problems with this word, it may help to realize that maybe is actually the concatenation of two words: may and be. Think: "It may be that...".

OK. It's your turn now...

<edit>
I just realized this might be too "meaty" for the chit-chat forum. Brandon, feel free to move it if you wish.
</edit>

This is probably where it should go.

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I am a frequent offender of this one:
teh = the

And some others:
ur = you're / you are / your
Huston = Houston

teh = the
liek = like
u = you

If I mess up it's usually my fingers got off, or one hand got ahead of the other, and hit one key first.

I see "misspelled" misspelled alot of the time!

sceince = science
cheif = chief
Wensday = Wednesday
Febuary = February

Yeah. :)

- Katie

Yeah, those "ei-ie" words can be tricky, eh? Especially in words like "concieved". :p

STIRLING.

Shush :p It went through four people before anyone noticed the mistake! And if Schuff hadn't pointed it out in front of everyone, no one would have noticed the difference! ;)

- Katie

capible => capable
 

I just noticed this one in a couple of posts this morning.

From Dictionary.com: "capable: Having capacity or ability..."

If you think capacity before you write capable, you shouldn't have a problem with knowing which vowel to use.



By the way, this is an example of the type of post I was hoping to attract with this thread -- not just a list of misspelled words.

The good spellers out there in CD land may have a hard time empathizing with bad spellers, but it would be great if we could practice the virtue of gracious professionalism, and try to give a boost to those who struggle with spelling.

And for the bad spellers: You may have struggled with some words, and finally learned a trick to remember some of your bugaboo words. Please share them!

<edit>
Oops. I really didn't mean to give them a boot. :o I meant give them a boost. :D
</edit>

WHY DO (:p) I have the feeling this is being directed towards me?

I think you mean "Why do I have..."

err...*runs away* :D

Here's one:

You're is a contraction. It is short for "you are." (ie "You're strange")
Your is a possesive, like "my," "his," or "her." (ie "Your habits are strange")

If it sounds correct to say "you are," use "you're". If not, use "your". Ditto on "it's" versus "its".

Umm... Guilty conscience?

Be careful with it's and its. "It's" means "it is", and "its" is posessive.

Heh ... "there" "their" and "they're".

There = a place ... "The robot is over there!"
Their = posessive ... "Did we take their battery?"
They're = contraction; they are ... "Look at what they're doing."

:)

- Katie

My point exactly. Sentences such as "put the drill bit back in it's case" are starting to bug me as they just don't make any sense Who would ever say "put the drill bit back in it is case?"


Anyway, here's another:

Effect is a noun, as in "What effect would a 2in drill bit have on your lexan frame?"
Affect is a verb, as in "How would a 2in drill bit affect your lexan support structure?"

And one more:
"Me" is a direct object. "I" is a subject. Despite what elementary school teachers preach, "I" is not always the correct choice. For example, "can you take my friend and I to robotics tonight?" doesn't make any sense. After all, would you ask, "can you take I to robotics tonight?" I would certainly hope not. This is one of my biggest pet-peeves as it is a taught mistake by our <sarcasm>wonderful</sarcasm> education system... but I digress.

Generally true, however affect can be used as a noun, and effect as a verb -- though not as commonly. Unless you know what you're doing, stay away from those usages.

I cringed when I saw this on a list-serve:

aaaaaahhhhhhh......

corectly = correctly