Do Spelling Errors Drive You Mad?

I know I’m not perfect with my spelling, though I try hard to be so. We all make mistakes sometimes, don’t we? But some mistakes for some people happen over and over again, indicating not poor proofreading, but ignorance of the correct spelling of certain words.
I used to have problems remembering when there was supposed to be an apostrophe in its/it’s. I have it sorted out now though, so it’s no longer a problem for me. Because I used to have a problem myself, I try to be kind to those who make mistakes, but there’s one error I see far too often, and I hate it!
What’s the error that drives me mad? It’s the incorrect use of the word “loose” when the writer obviously should have used “lose”. When people say they have to loose weight, I imagine them cutting off offending fatty parts of their body and setting the fat loose, to roam around the place.

by carolyncordon

Thats me too.

Yes. While I admit that I am not perfect, seeing spelling errors drives me nuts! The worst for me is then / than and his / he's. Whenever I see these used incorrectly it drives me mad!

by lizzi

Yes when I make them on official documents.

by Gia

Well yes, I have to say I too make them when not concentrating.
They do make me look twice, and get on my nerves.
Drive me mad?

At times, it can.

by jonaja

Bring the golf stick, on this occasion?

lol

I came from an era of every-day 'Spelling Lists' to learn, from Grade I.
We were taught correct Grammar, as well.

So any mistakes really gives me the screamin' 'heebie-jeebies'!

by donjo

I'm from the same era donjo. What peeves me the most is articles going to press where they supposedly have been checked before printing. Maybe they don't proof read anymore

Oh! Helga, they certainly do NOT 'proof read' anymore, being reliant on yank 'spell check'! What a load of cobblers! Cheers!

Yes, particularly when I see a caption on the television or in a newspaper.

by sjcmm

Yes, very much. My pet hate is there / they're / their. And also the use, or not as the case may be, of apostrophes. The use of spell-check these days has created a generation of people that have absolutely no idea how to spell or create sentences.

by poppy

Oh! Poppy, or ANY sense whatsoever of correct Grammar!

IMHO, it was a sad say when Latin & Greek Roots, prefixes, suffixes, parsing & analysis, dictation were stopped being taught.
How else does one learn where 'our words' & 'sentencing' come from???

I thought the Fed. Gov't. was going to EXPAND the English curriculum, to have these taught again, so people can learn how to 'write proper'! Lol!

Grammar errors drive me crazy
People that say "I could of" instead of "I could have".
People that put a "k" on the end of the word anything

by fran.

Yes Fran, I don't like those either. It makes the writer seem uneducated when they make these errors.

Oh yes. Your and you're. It should be so easy to understand ... but apparently not. My nine year old granddaughter is super bright and writes amazing stories but the spelling - OH DEAR.

by lynne

Nowadays in schools the trend is to teach kids to read by phonics (the sounds, sounding out each syllable) which is a myth in itself as English is not a phonetic language.

I teach Year 2 and I spend most spelling lesson saying "This is the rule, but these words don't follow the rule."

They drive me stark raving mad !!! Feel like putting the incorrect speller over my knee !!! Your and you're are pet hates, as are their, there and they're. If English is your first language, there is no excuse. Makes me cringe. Sometimes incorrect spelling is due to poor pronunciation as in the word 'anythink'. Learn to speak and spell

by Lluxi

Yes especially when I see the word "centre" spelt like "center" that drives me insane. I even saw it in a study manual spelt like "center".

by lin.b

Yes, but in the USA, they spell many words differently to Australia and the UK. Centre/center is one example. Favourite/ favorite is another. You have to be aware of these differences when you are not from the USA, but are writing for that market. Here on Hubpages, I would assume either spelling is acceptable, depending on the nationality of the writer.

Yes. A lot of the time it is bad editing or none at all! But one of the funniest I saw years ago was in the Central Market. Walking past the fish stall was a sign on which was written; "crebs on special." Speaks for itself really :)

by helya

Hmm, I wonder what 'crebs' taste like? Haha!

Was the sign written by a New Zealander?

not really, just disappointed that schools nowadays do not seem to care if the children know how to spell.
Perhaps the teachers themselves cannot spell, if this is so they would not be able to pick up the pupils spelling mistakes. .

by flaga

I think the main problem teachers have is an overloaded curriculum, and too many students in the class. Add in parents who don't help or teach their children manners, and you have problems too big for just one teacher to solve. I heartily believe teachers do the best they can, under the circumstances.

The assumption by others that you lack an education is what drives me mad. Often spelling errors are driven by spell checkers, cultural differences or a simple mistake made by a tired or over worked person.

by kstew

Yes, there are many reasons indeed. Lack of caring about getting it right because you're in a hurry is a reason. But there are people who don't realise they're actually spelling a word incorrectly. There are a few that either infuriate me or make me smile inwardly, depending on the mood I'm in. A particular one is those who will defiantly do something, when I suspect they actually mean they will definitely do it, as in "I will defiantly buy milk today."
Get's a giggle from me, most of the time ...

Yes, they really do.
Especially as an editor on Hub Garden as mistakes get underlined. Indeed now on most programmes, this happens so I cannot understand why there are still so many errors.
American spellings also drive me mad!

by Finy

AS long as I understand the writer is actually American, I don't mind American spelling. When it's an English or Australian person, that's a different matter entirely!

Yes they do, but then I was brought up in Scotland in the days when a Scottish education was much prized. I have to say it has served me well in life in my chosen career. I was always the "go to" person for correct spelling. Even now I'm retired I am the unofficial "proofreader" for many of my friends who are compiling family history books and wish to ensure their spelling, grammar and syntax is correct.

by norma

That sounds like you would have access to many different stories of friends and their families. When you understand how words work, you have access to understanding the whole world!

You certainly do Carolyn.

Oh yes - my pet hate is there and their and a few other words but they are my main ones. Like some on here, I too, had word lists to learn, something that should be introduced into schools - we also had to write down the meaning of the words on the word list - all helping with spelling and reading.

by Liz

I can remember doing 'comprehension tests' when I was at Primary School way back in the early to mid seventies. Was that better than modern schooling? I don't know, but I'm satisfied that my now 23 year old son had a good education.It got him through university, and into a paid job ...