Watch Out For These 10 Mistakes That Spell Check Won’t Catch!

Nowadays, we are fortunate to have “spell check” computer programs that automatically check the spelling of English words to see if they are correct. However, spell check isn’t perfect – if you’ve made a spelling mistake, but the misspelled word is also a different English word, the program won’t catch this error!

This is why it’s important for everyone – both native English speakers and English learners – to pay careful attention to spelling and learn the correct way to write each word. In today’s lesson, you’ll learn 10 mistakes that won’t be noticed by spell-check software.

Don’t write: I’m not sure weather or not I’ll go to the party.
Write: I’m not sure whether or not I’ll go to the party.

• weather refers to the conditions outside – if it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.
• whether is another word for “if”

Don’t write: Employees are not aloud to eat lunch at their desks.
Write: Employees are not allowed to eat lunch at their desks.

• If you read aloud, it means you read while speaking – using your voice
• allowed means permitted

Don’t write: I called her, butt she didn’t answer.
Write: I called her, but she didn’t answer.

• butt is an informal word for your buttocks or backside – the part of your body you sit on
• but expresses contrast in a sentence

Don’t write: Do you want a peace of pizza?
Write: Do you want a piece of pizza?

• peace refers to tranquility, calmness, the absence of conflict, violence, or war
• a piece is a part or section

Don’t write: I bought some meet at the supermarket.
Write: I bought some meat at the supermarket.

• meet is a verb meaning to encounter a person
• meat is a noun referring to food that comes from animal muscle

Don’t write: His communication skills are week.
Write: His communication skills are weak.

• week refers to a time period of 7 days
• weak is the opposite of strong

Don’t write: She died her hair black.
Write: She dyed her hair black.

• the verb die means someone is no longer alive; their life ends
• the verb dye means to change the color of hair or fabric

Don’t write: The breaks on my car need to be repaired.
Write: The brakes on my car need to be repaired.

• a break (noun) is a short interval of free time
• brakes are the part of a car that causes the car to stop

Don’t write: I wander how much that car costs.
Write: I wonder how much that car costs.

• to wander means to go around without a specific destination
• to wonder means to think about and want to know

Don’t write: I want to loose weight.
Write: I want to lose weight.

• loose is an adjective meaning the opposite of tight. If something is loose it means it is too big or not firmly fixed in place
• lose is a verb generally meaning to forget where something is, or to fail to win, but in this case, “lose weight” means to decrease your body weight.