One day, about 3 years ago, I decided I was fed up with always spelling the word "definitely" wrong. I always wrote it as "definately" which is the way it sounds to me when I say it. So after writing it incorrectly hundreds, perhaps thousands of times, I finally slapped myself across the face and said, "Dang it girl, can you just memorize the right way to spell this word so you can stop looking like an idiot already?" And that is what I did. I looked at the word, written the correct way, and realized that there are two "i's" and that the base of the word is the shorter word "finite." And from that day forward I have always spelled it correctly.
Today, I am making a similar stand. I've known for several years now that I spell the words "becoming" and "occasionally" wrong every time I write them. If you must know, I just misspelled them as I was writing them now and had to go back and correct them. The little red line told me that "becomming" and "occassionally" were WRONG WRONG WRONG. Apparently, my main problem with these words is the irresistible desire to double more consonants than allowed. So I am now committing them to memory and hoping that this conscious effort will result in a change of habit. These aren't the only words I routinely misspell, but they are by far the most common. And today I have realized that enough is enough.
So tell me, if you dare to admit it, what word(s) do you routinely misspell. I'm dying to know. Please don't tell me I am the only one with this kind of problem. I don't think my delicate psyche (rats, there is ANOTHER one) can handle it.
9 comments:
For some reason a word I always misspell is their. I had to do the same thing as you and finally say to myself it is the-ir and now most times I get it right.
I also have a hard time with occasionally - I had to stop and think about it while I was typing!
There is one word I never try to spell because I can't remember if there are two R's or two F's. The word is terriffic (but I know I am spelling it wrong here, and don't know how to fix it). shari
I used to have a mental block with "separate." I always wanted to spell it "seperate." I did the same thing you did and made myself learn how to spell it!
Mine is experiment. As a science teacher, I would write this word so many times in front of students. Who knows how many times I got it wrong. I like spelling it expirement.
giraffe....or is it girrafe....or maybe girraffe...I don't know!
I also used to spell "definitely" wrong (same as you) until last year when my YOUNGER brother corrected me ... sheesh.
I have always struggled with spelling and in the day and age of spell check I get worried when I have to write for my students or clients so I just use small words or abbreviate!
Don't feel bad, Becky! I have a ton! "Occasionally" is one of mine too. And I used to have trouble with "recommend." I always wanted to give it two c's. I had to teach myself that it is re-commend. My worst word is "weird." My brain refuses to remember how to spell it. It's so bad I usually just write "strange" or "bizarre" instead, and skip the word entirely! You remember that the next time I write about how "strange" something was. You'll know I wanted to say "weird" but couldn't decide how to spell it!
committed...separate...desperate...usually i can tell after i write or type them, but not always (i think committed up there is still wrong...) and dueces - or is it deuces?
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