Family members wishing to tease their spelling-challenged brethren can always bank on finding a magnet or other trinket with the tongue-in-cheek phrase, "Bad spellers untie!"
And while it's all in good fun, spelling (and grammar) can nevertheless be serious business. In fact, they still matter in business today — even in social media, where everyone presents themselves using words.
Good spelling and grammar boost your credibility, ensure your resume or proposal don't head straight to the slush pile, and they help you communicate more clearly. LinkedIn reports that research has shown many customers would hesitate to make a purchase from a website with obvious spelling and grammar errors. In fact, grammar errors are a good indication of harmful emails with viruses.
Spell checkers can catch the big errors, at least if we can get reasonably close to the spelling. But they can't know what you want to say, especially if they involve words that sound alike, but are spelled differently.
Best advice: Spend a little time brushing up on grammar and spelling if you are unsure of certain words.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
