How to improve my spelling

How to improve my spelling

Author
Discussion

Ki3r

Original Poster:

7,806 posts

158 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
quotequote all
I've struggled with my spelling and grammar for as long as I can remember, I just can't seem to get the hang of it. Even words that you use a fair bit, it takes me a while to spell it correctly. If I can't spell one word, I'll often just find another to use instead.

I want to improve it for a number of reasons, I want a job that requires being able to write statements (Police) and spell check isn't always going to be around. It's also embarrassing when someone is reading something I've written with lots of spelling mistakes in.

I did OK at school, English Lit I got a C, and English language I got a D. A couple of years ago I retook English language as I was applying for the Army and the job I wanted required a C or above. I really struggled with it however.

If anyone has any advice I would love to hear it.

Thanks.

sc0tt

18,032 posts

200 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Can you speak any foreign languages?

EggsBenedict

1,770 posts

173 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Read more.

Quality newspapers (not the currant bun) for a start, and then books. It helps you get used to the shapes of the words and how they're used.

Justin Cyder

12,624 posts

148 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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EggsBenedict said:
Read more.
Definitely. It is the best way.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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EggsBenedict said:
Read more.
And...
Do crosswords.
Play Scrabble.
(No, really)

Fotic

719 posts

128 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Ki3r said:


I did OK at school, English Lit I got a C, and English language I got a D.
I wouldn't class that as OK but regardless, reading more really helps both.

Levin

2,019 posts

123 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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It could be a bit of a PITA, but you might want to disable spell check on your phone, so that you've got to get the words yourself, committing them to memory. It would definitely slow you down but at the same time might help. Beyond that the other real option is to read more and read regularly. One of the better newspapers would be a fantastic idea.

CasTiger7

64 posts

164 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Fotic said:
Ki3r said:


I did OK at school, English Lit I got a C, and English language I got a D.
I wouldn't class that as OK but regardless, reading more really helps both.
I achieved a C in both, but I feel my spelling and grammar was worthy of a higher grade. Just because I couldn't interpret what a poet meant by, "the wall was black", other than it being fking black, or I don't have the most vivid imagination I only came out of high school with C's in English.

On topic, read more, but have a dictionary, or google, to hand. This way if you don't understand the meaning of a word you can quickly find out. This helps enhance your vocabulary immensely I find.

Justin Cyder

12,624 posts

148 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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If you really want to increase your vocabulary, read some Will Self & Martin Amis. You will find yourself becoming verbosely, rhetorically voluble.

iphonedyou

9,234 posts

156 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Justin Cyder said:
If you really want to increase your vocabulary, read some Will Self & Martin Amis. You will find yourself becoming verbosely, rhetorically voluble.
Your penchant for prolixity will increase markedly, I guarantee it. Prolixity being my preferred synonym for verbosity these days.

eldar

21,614 posts

195 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Crossflow Kid said:
And...
Do crosswords.
Play Scrabble.
(No, really)
Good advice. The OP is reasonably literate and can construct a decent sentence as the post proves.

Practice and lots of usage.

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

166 months

bitchstewie

50,782 posts

209 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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How much of what you wrote in your original post was "fluid" and how much was relying on the spell checker as there's nothing there that would have me overly concerned tbh.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Ki3r said:
If I can't spell one word, I'll often just find another to use instead.
Just noticed this bit, and I think it's quite encouraging.
First, you're recoginising your errors, but better still you're able to use words with similar meaning.
Can't be that bad.

FredClogs

14,041 posts

160 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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You only really need a few dozen words to get by, if you get stuck just say "whatsits" or "thingamyjig" people will understand and like you more long words are for aholes.

hth

Ki3r

Original Poster:

7,806 posts

158 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
How much of what you wrote in your original post was "fluid" and how much was relying on the spell checker as there's nothing there that would have me overly concerned tbh.
I made a huge effort in that post, struggled with embrassing but got there without having to use spell check.

Brought and bought I always get confused with, I know they are different, but I can never remember which one means what.

Thanks for the replies smile. I'll have a look at the suggestions once I'm back from work tomorrow smile.

groucho

12,134 posts

245 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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I would have put a full stop after 'remember' in the first sentence though.

toohuge

3,430 posts

215 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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Ki3r said:
Brought and bought I always get confused with, I know they are different, but I can never remember which one means what.
Reading helps a lot as already suggested. It certainly helped my spelling a huge amount.

The way I remember the above is:

Brought - Starts with BR which reminds me of BRing - so I am planning on bringing strawberries to the picnic; toohuge brought strawberries to the picnic.

HTH

eldar

21,614 posts

195 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
quotequote all
Ki3r said:
I made a huge effort in that post, struggled with embrassing but got there without having to use spell check.

Brought and bought I always get confused with, I know they are different, but I can never remember which one means what.

Thanks for the replies smile. I'll have a look at the suggestions once I'm back from work tomorrow smile.
That is clear enough, so you certainly have the ability. Good lucksmile

singlecoil

33,313 posts

245 months

Wednesday 27th August 2014
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I can spell all the words that I use, and my grammar's as good as my neighbours'.