How to Improve Your Spelling

Spelling is an often-neglected but important skill that reflects on you as a person. Although you may be able to manage with spell checkers and proofreading most of the time, even an occasional spelling mistake can lead to lower wages and poor academic performance.

Many people feel that computer spellcheckers have made correct spelling obsolete. Although a computer can help correct minor mistakes, the program may not be able to correctly identify a misspelled word. Most spellcheckers will also fail to alert you when you use the wrong word, or a homonym. In order to be taken seriously in the workplace, you must spell correctly and recognize improper word use.

Social networking sites are another good reason to spell correctly. Often there are debates that begin, and to be taken seriously, you need to appear intelligent and informed.

Poor spelling usually means poor reading and writing skills. Many people are unaware of how closely the language arts are related. When you spell poorly, you often read slowly and stumble over the words. This is because you have poor phonics skills. Phonics is the study of the sounds letters and parts of words make. When you have good phonics skills, you can decode an unfamiliar word by finding familiar parts of it.

Likewise you can guess at the spelling of a new word, and recognise misspelled words that don't conform to known word patterns. When you improve your spelling skills, you also improve your vocabulary and word recognition. This will speed up your reading and improve your reading comprehension.

You should improve your spelling to improve your writing.

Poor spelling skills stunt your expression as a writer. You may have wonderful, eloquent, even poetic words in your head. However, if you struggle to spell the words you want to use, you may instead substitute words you can spell correctly. This cramps your writing style and changes the meaning of what you write.

Browse these articles for tips and tricks to help you become a better speller ...