by Heather Foster

Created on: April 26, 2008   Last Updated: March 31, 2010

One of my biggest pet peeves about writing is when I read something someone wrote and find misspelled and misused words. I marvel at how people avoid using a dictionary and thesaurus to find words that mean what the writer is trying to say, rather than just a big word that sounds impressive, but is totally wrong.

I guess my tolerance, or lack of it, comes from being dyslexic and having to constantly fight the urge to turn words inside out because I'm in a hurry, or because it's fun to play with them. Thankfully I have a dictionary and a thesaurus by my desk, as well as the ones I have built in, both to my head and my computer. Setting the word processing software to auto correct is a great help as well. That way when I get in a hurry and type something wrong the computer catches it for me. There is also a neat little program I downloaded that I can type any word into and get the correct spelling and definition instantly.

However, I also have learned to proofread everything to be sure I used the correct words, in the correct context. With so many words in the English language, and the American version, that sound interchangeable and so many people use the wrong word just because it sounds right. Two, to, and too all sound alike but mix them up and you have your readers either scratching their heads or laughing hysterically. After all, too many to s coming in twos turn into two too many.

When my children were small, in grade school, they had teachers that would send notes home periodically, either reporting something to me or requesting something of me and I was appalled. Some of those notes were so poorly written that I graded them with a red pen and sent them back the next day. I could not fathom how these people were to teach language skills to my children when they couldn't formulate a simple sentence!

The local newspaper gave me several good examples of bad proofreading. One was a real estate advertisement: For sale; three bedroom brick fireplace'. Sounded like a hot place to live. Another touted: Three bedrooms on five acres.' Is that one big house or just a misprint? Then there was the restaurant sign stating: Hiring drivers cream pies.' I'll let your imagination run wild on that one.

Yes, it was mean of me to grade their notations, but it got the point across that they weren't dealing with someone that was too busy to notice the errors. They even commented on my grading in conferences and admitted I'd caught them. Head does not replace heed, nor does dead replace deed. But we have people who are functionally illiterate running companies, newspapers, and schools!

Words are some of my favorite toys and hearing or seeing them mishandled can make me cringe in horror or double over laughing myself to tears. I've even gone so far as to correct complete strangers in word usage. Sounds weird? Well, maybe I am a little weird. Just don't mess up my toys, OK?

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