Spelling is not a moral issue. It is not an intelligence issue. Good spelling is related to factors like visual sequential memory, and good spellers were born with the talent. Richard Branson and Charles Schwab can’t spell. Spelling bees are just one more way we kill kids’ confidence in schools.
Stop apologizing for spelling, and start using your strengths (i.e. thinking). You need some work-arounds if you are not a natural speller. These include using spellcheck (always), building and using a homophone chart, and enjoying collaborative writing. A friendly proof-reader/copy-editor is very useful for customer-facing documents. The internet also has many editing sites that provide copy-editing for big and small companies, at very affordable rates, and they give you results within hours.
Second-language English users have several other options. For ordinary correspondence, simply write “I am writing in my second (or third, fourth etc) language,” early on in an email. We are a global community, working to communicate across distances and differentness, and people understand if your writing is not perfect.
Translation sites like Bablefish do not produce good English. However these sites are very helpful if your spelling is weak in your second language. Write your letter in very short ‘active’ sentences in your first language: subject, verb, object. Then clip and paste the English text into your document, and you can use this as a basis for your writing.
Create a homophone chart. Here are some ideas to start with. Here is a funny version. Edit it to suit your own problem words, and change it as you master some words, or find others that give you problems. Change the simple definitions if they do not work for you. Avoid the grammar-police-types if they try to make your chart complicated: these are the people who like to explain things like ‘how affect can occasionally be a noun’. Don’t make your list too long – you don’t need words like wretch or leech, which you will never use in your business career.
accept – to take graciously. I accepted the gift.
except – not including. He ate it all, except for the spicy chillis.
affect – a verb. It affected me really badly.
effect – a noun. It had a very bad effect on me.
a lot – the opposite of a little.
allot – to allocate, e.g. an allotment, a lottery.
alot – there is no such word.
all together - everyone at once. The choir master managed to get the choir to sing all together.
altogether - completely, everything considered. Altogether, I’m just glad it’s over.
all right - everything correct. He got it all right.
alright – okay, adequate. I’m feeling alright today.
brake – a device to slow down a vehicle, or keep it still.
break – to damage so that it is broken.
course – a path of study, or of a stream, or walk.
coarse – rough, abrasive.
every day – each day. She worked out at the gym every day.
everyday – ordinary – an adjective. She wore her everyday clothes.
forth – onwards. The army went forth to battle.
fourth – numerical order. She was the fourth child.
hear -to perceive with your ears or auditory sense.
here – where we are, not over there.
it’s – a contraction of it is. It’s really hot today, isn’t it?
its – belonging to it. The cupboard has a scratch in its veneer.
loose – not tight. The dog’s collar is loose.
lose – the opposite of win. I hope my team doesn’t lose today.
manner – a way of doing something. He stalked out in an irate manner.
manor – a big house on a large piece of land. She behaved as if to the manor born!
personal – affecting a particular person.
personnel – the Human Resources Department.
principle – related to abstract values.
principal – the main or most important person, or issue e.g. he invested the principal and lived on the interest.
quite – relatively, it is quite cold today.
quiet – the opposite of noisy,
rain – water falling from the sky
reign – to rule (can be a verb or a noun)
rein – straps used to control a horse. We must rein in spending.
stationery – paper and envelopes.
stationary – standing still.
SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and strengths.
SWAT team – those scary guys in black who use special weapons and tactics.
there – not here.
their – it belongs to them.
they’re – a contraction of they are. They’re late again.
wear – to put on your body as clothes or accessories. I am wearing my favorite t-shirt.
where – referring to place. Where are you? I can’t remember where I put my keys.
yea – an old (archaic) form of yes, used when taking a vote. “The nays have it. There were only three yeas.
yay – an exclamation of enjoyment or pleasure.
