The ABCs of Being a Sucky Speller

I admit it; I've never been the best speller. During the stupid, mandatory spelling bees, I always got out on the simplest of words (like exercise and umbrella). Sadly, becoming an English major has not improved my spelling skills very much. I've learned to face the cold, hard facts; some people are just born to be terrible spellers. If this rings true for you, don't fret too much. There are a few nifty ways that you can get around your spelling curse.

1. Use spell check.

Spell check has to be the most useful tool known to mankind (at least in my opinion).  It can be found in most popular word processing applications. I suggest that you use this to your advantage. Spell check your document every 10 to 15 minutes so that you can catch a lot of errors without being overwhelmed.

2. Read your work out loud. 

Though I will vouch for spell check until the day I die, it iss likely that it won't catch everything. This is where reading aloud comes in. More often than not, if you hear the misspelling, you will be able to catch it and fix it. This is also helpful for resolving the related problems of misusing words or using the incorrect words. 

3. Make a spelling-savvy friend.

This isn't necessarily a must-do, but it can be quite useful. Having a friend who is good at spelling and is willing to be an extra pair of eyes on your assignments can help you avoid the embarrassment of misspelling words.

4. Go old-fashioned and use a dictionary.

Yes, I'm talking about those old, dusty books at the back of the library. If you can't handle that level of retro, a quick web search or dictionary app download will also do the job. Looking up words to ensure that you are spelling them correctly not only helps with the spelling aspect, but you can also be assured that you know what the word means and that you are using it correctly. Alternatively, most voice assistants (like siri, Alexa, and Cortana) can help with the spelling and definitions of words.

5. Don't get discouraged.

Keep working at your spelling. Use the tools mentioned above to help you. Some of the greatest writers were horrible spellers, so don't let this little stumbling block deprive the world of our next Yeates or Shakespeare.