I'm a firm believer in spell check, but I admit that once or twice
I know I'm not the only person who has ignored the red lines because I've received manuscripts from clients that have words with the telltale red lines that alert me to a misspelled word.
However, some writers turn off spell check because the red lines drive them crazy. If you can't bear the red lines, you can still spell check your Word document by going to the Review tab and clicking on the first icon that says Spelling & Grammar underneath a capitalized ABC.
As soon as the spell checker finds a misspelled word, you'll see a box that looks like this:
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| Source: http://www.electricteacher.com/wspell.htm |
As you can see, you also get suggestions for possible correct spellings. If the suggestions all seem incorrect to you, or if you're convinced that your spelling is correct (and it might be), then it's time to ask the dictionary for help.
I lurve spell check because even Your Queen of Grammar makes misteaks.
I also have some good news for you. Employers have started to take an interest in Your Queen. As a results, I'm out gallivanting around (as Willy Dunne Wooters says) more than usual.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
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| Thanks, fishducky! |
I use a mac and don't have Windows or Word but I still get the little red lines, which appear if I spell the word color instead of colour. So I have to write like a Brit otherwise my computer tells me off.
ReplyDeleteIf American English is your preference, perhaps your mac can make the switch, if you ask very nicely.
DeleteI must be suffering from Post Grammatical Something also. I couldn't do without spell check, but grammar check is often ditzy and will lead blind followers down the wrong path.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Grammar check comes up with crazy suggestions.
DeleteMay all that gallivanting pay off!
ReplyDeleteGallivanting is fun, so it's never a waste.
DeleteSpell-check doesn't usually bother me because I sometimes do make mistakes (hard to believe, I know). But it always does drive me crazy when it takes issue with my use of "thru" -- as in when I'm listing stay durations on my customer invoices, like "Friday 6/30 thru Wednesday 7/5." Spell-check always wants to change my thru to thrum. I never took the time to look it up but I've always wondered, what the hell is a thrum? :)
ReplyDeleteI do have a question regarding period placement. I've been taught that the period placement should always be within the quotation mark and not outside it. But I often see it that way. Which is correct?
1. It was pursued "in the name of peace." or
2. It was pursued "in the name of peace".
Michele at Angels Bark
A thrum is "a continuous rhythmic humming sound." Ask "what the hell" and ye shall receive. And as you can see, the period goes inside the quotation marks. I believe the British put the period outside the quotation marks, as do many Americans who don't know better.
DeleteThank you for that clarification. At least I've been doing it right most of the time. I see the mistaken version on Wikipedia frequently and sometimes when I'm cutting and pasting for posts I'll correct and sometimes I won't. I'll keep an eye out from here on out...
DeleteThanks for telling me the definition of thrum... :)
thrumthrumthrumthrum
DeleteI use spell check all the time. Sometimes I ignore it, especially when it wants to create names. For the most part it does a pretty good job.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about your job search!
Thanks, Martha. I enjoy inventing words. Spell check does not approve of my creations.
DeleteSpell check is definitely helpful but here's MY unique problem. My grammar app (Grammarly) doesn't recognize Canadian English, so I have to choose either British or American, which is bullshit, because Canadian is a combination of both. Regardless which one I choose, it constantly alerts me to errors. GRRRR! And I absolutely REFUSE to NOT write in Canadian English, since I AM Canadian, dammit! Sorry, pet peeve...Time to find a better app. LOL
ReplyDeleteThat is great news about your job search. May you find the perfect position!
Well, that's blatant prejudice against my beloved Canadian friends. Other than that, do you like Grammarly? I've read some reviews of it that say it doesn't always catch obvious errors.
DeleteI'm not overly impressed with it. It does miss some stuff and also, in addition to the "Canadian" issue, it sometimes misinterprets and shows false errors. I'll be testing out the Hemingway Editor shortly. It's a lot cheaper than Grammarly.
DeleteGood news!! I hope the perfect job pops up soon. :)
ReplyDeleteI always assume spell check probably knows more than I do--LOL!
Spell check is pretty wise, but we're on our own with homonyms.
DeleteI do use spell check, but...yes...there have been times when I've ignored it for specific reasons, such as names or slang.
ReplyDeleteThose are good reasons to ignore it.
DeleteI certainly hope you're never struck down with Post Grammatical Stress Disorder.
ReplyDeleteOi! I've had it for years and years. It never ends.
DeleteGood luck on the employment front.
ReplyDeleteSpell check drives me nuts. I'd rather put up with the possibility of misspelling a word than have that red squiggly line glaring at me.
You must be a pretty good speller because I don't notice misspelled words in your posts.
DeleteSpell check used to drive me insane but for a long time I didn't know you could turn it off, so I got used to it, and occasionally now I'm even glad it's on :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are getting some interest in the job department! Keep slogging!
I've been a slogger all my life.
DeleteYour, I mean you're welcome!!
ReplyDelete:-)
DeleteGood post! Spell-checkers can be annoying. Remember my old post about Gmail's spell-checker?
ReplyDeleteI know I read it when you wrote it because I commented, but reading it today, it was new to me all over again. :-) It's a very funny post. What's up, dammit?
DeleteI have "Office Word 2016" but I don't like it near as much as the "Microsoft Office Word 2007" in which I used to have full capability of, for it would underline a whole sentence if it wasn't grammatically written correctly, where as for "Office Word 2016," I haven't been able to find such a setting to set in order for it to do the same for me when I've typed out a sentence.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to JunebugWorld, Lon Anderson. You are Follower #278. Other 278s have come and gone. I hope you stick.
DeleteEven though I have my spell checker set for UK or Australian English at times it tells me a word is spelt wrong giving me the U S way of spelling the word and it can drive me nuts at times
ReplyDeleteThat's a silly spell checker. It doesn't know what country it's in.
DeleteThat Post Grammatical Stress is hilarious. I'm married to an English Instructor and have several friends that teach English. OK to 'borrow'? :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on getting employer interest. Toes crossed for you, fingers firmly planted on the keyboard.
Good tip on the Spelling and Grammar. Spell check and I run about 50 50.
Fishducky keeps me supplied with cartoons. Of course you can borrow it. Please don't try to walk with crossed toes. It could be dangerous.
DeleteFishducky did well:)
DeleteCross toes: Heh heh.
There are times when I correct a word (according to Webster's) and MS Word then insists it's incorrect. I find myself making a lot of margin notes to people to explain that Word is notorious for being incorrect. I don't edit in Google docs but I use it a lot for my day job, and it's forever trying to tell me things are spelled wrong (common words) that really aren't. But it uses the passive-agressive "did you mean this?" technique, and then when I say NO, it won't let me get rid of that red squiggle. Grr.
ReplyDeleteHey hey hey on the job search! Make sure you wear your tiara to the interviews so they treat you properly . . . or at least provide tea.
I hate a passive-aggressive spell checker. Thanks for reminding me about the tiara. I shall sparkle with gold and diamonds and good grammar.
DeleteWriting about sci-fi drives spell check crazy.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it does. All those species in the sci-fi world.
DeleteIt sounds like the job hunting is going well. That's good news!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I listen to spell check. Sometimes I don't.
I told my Self and my Self said, What good news.
DeleteI always have spell check on because I want to know when I misspell a word.
ReplyDeleteAs do I. The Queen looks quite foolish when she is wrong.
DeleteI'm gallivanting around with WDW. No worries, though, we won't gallivant together, not for more than one night or so. You okay with that? I'll send him back.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for you.
Love.
I'm fine with that because you'll get tired of him in a big hurry, chickie baby.
DeleteHey Janie,
ReplyDeleteAs long as your spellcheck is set on proper English as in English, English, then it's all good in your neighborhood, yuck, um, neighbourhood.
I'm delighted the gallivanting Queen has aroused interest from potential employers.
Misteaks, sure, why not.
Gary, with his knickers in a twist.
Untwist those knickers and make yourself comfortable.
DeleteI love spellcheck, Janie. I'm not the world's best typist, so I use it to catch many of my typos, in addition to my spelling errors. I'm glad that employers are taking an interest in you! Good luck!
ReplyDelete