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As I child I was nearly diagnosed as dyslexic- my spelling is still bizarre in places but fortunately I can hide behind my spell checker when on Helium. I have spent some time wondering about this and have finally decided that it was because I was moved from school to school and had the misfortune of attending a 'modern' one that used phonetic spelling. This would be OK if the school could somehow perusuade the entire world to do the same (it is English as it is pronounced, with a few oddities added in). Unfortunately I left the school and attended another that thought it wrong ever to correct a child.

The point is that there are many adults that are not illiterate, but less literate than they could be and the best way to help them is to work out which particular progressive fad they have been exposed to.

Grammar is probably more of a problem than spelling to most adults. Computers can correct spelling but they cannot make a sentence mean what you want it to mean.

If you have the time and energy I would advise you to download the (free) podcasts from Grammar Girl on iTunes. The software and the podcasts can be downloaded even if you do not have an iPod. She (very nearly) manages to make the subject interesting which is an impressive feat.

As a bonus, her voice is rather sexy.

Learn more about this author, Richard Ford.
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