How to Know the Dangers of Using Spell Check
Think spell check will catch all your mistakes? Think again. While spell check is certainly useful, it is only a starting point for error-free text. Follow these steps to know the dangers of using spell check, and learn how to work around them for perfect prose every time.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Read your text out loud after writing a draft. This will help you catch any awkward phrases, grammar or spelling mistakes, and also help you organize your writing better. To avoid the dangers of spell check, you should rely on your own editing process first.
-
2
Edit the text while simultaneously reading it over to improve the flow and correct any mistakes.
-
-
3
Use the spell check feature of your word processing program or email after your initial edit. Step through each suggested spelling change to verify whether you should accept or ignore the change.
-
4
Set the document aside for a day or a few hours, if possible, so you can return to it later for a final edit.
-
5
Review the document again, looking for anything that spell check will not catch such as: grammar, flow, organization, conciseness, proper names, formatting, homonyms, completely wrong words.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Re-read your writing a couple times to pick up mistakes that spell check will not find. Set your writing aside for a few hours or for a day -- it's ideal to return to it later with fresh eyes for better editing.
Spell check will not help you with proper names including the name of people, brands, and cities.
Spell check will not pick up the improper use of homonyms. For example, if you write that you cannot “sea the signs,” the spell checker will not know that you meant to write “see.”
Make sure you check that you are not confusing which words to use. For example, you do not want to ask your customers to forgive you for the “incontinence” instead of the “inconvenience.”
