Spelling

In these posts, we look at issues related to spelling and common spelling errors. Brush up on your proofreading and editing skills with Knowadays.

  • 10 Egg-Cellent Examples of Eggcorns

    10 Egg-Cellent Examples of Eggcorns

    10 Egg-Cellent Examples of Eggcorns

    Apr 08, 2023

    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling

    We’ve all done it – misheard a common phrase and made it our own. The phenomenon even has its own name: an eggcorn. “But that’s not even a real word!” we hear you cry. Well, that’s exactly the point!  Although we can’t give you any chocolate eggs for Easter, we can give you a whole […]

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  • British vs American English_ -Ise or -Ize?

    British vs. American English: -Ise or -Ize?

    British vs. American English: -Ise or -Ize?

    Feb 20, 2023

    • Common Errors
    • Dialects
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling

    The verb endings “-ise” and “-ize” often get confused. Usually, the correct ending depends on which English dialect your client is using. Here’s our guide on using these spellings in British and American English and what you need to consider when proofreading.  British vs. American Spelling For the most part, American English uses the spelling […]

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What Is Sensational Spelling?

  • Halloween or Hallowe’en?

    Oct 31, 2022

    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Punctuation
    • Spelling

    Boo! Grab your masks, pumpkins, and bowls of candy. It’s that time of the year again! Halloween is celebrated on October 31 in the US and other parts of the world. Though you’re probably familiar with the spelling “Halloween,” you might have come across an alternative spelling: “Hallowe’en.” In this post, we’ll talk about where […]

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  • Common Homophone Errors (and How to Avoid Them)

    Oct 17, 2022

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling

    It’s time for a flashback to elementary school. Remember the unit on homophones, way back when? Homophones are words with the same pronunciation but different meanings and spellings (e.g., “wait” and “weight”). Many people mistake one term for the other when writing homophones. In this post, we’ll look at some of the most common homophone […]

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  • 5 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Christmas Card

    Dec 18, 2021

    • Editing Tips
    • Grammar
    • Punctuation
    • Spelling

    It’s that time of year again! Christmas is just around the corner, and you’ve got a lot to do – wrapping presents, buying food, writing Christmas cards… the list goes on. It would be easy to let your proofreading standards slip! But to help you avoid this, we’ve come up with five tips on writing […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: Cacti or Cactuses? A Guide to Irregular Plurals

    Dec 11, 2021

    • Editing Tips
    • Grammar
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling

    As a proofreader (or an aspiring one), you should know not all plurals are formed by adding -s to the end of a singular noun. You’ve probably also learned some irregular plurals by heart. But are there rules you should follow here? And how do they work if so? In this post, we’ll look at […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: Noun and Verb Spelling Differences

    Nov 25, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Dialects
    • Grammar
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling

    Correcting spelling mistakes is key for any proofreader. But certain errors are easy to miss! This is especially true when it comes to noun and verb spelling differences, partly because they often vary by dialect. In this post, for example, we’ll be taking a look at three cases where the noun and verb forms of […]

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  • Proofreading Tips: Numbers in AP Style

    Oct 17, 2021

    • Business Editing
    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling
    • Style

    Created by journalists to help public-facing writing in 1953, The AP Stylebook is still one of the most commonly used American English style guides around. As a proofreader, you’ll often need to check the formatting of numbers when working with a client who writes in AP style. This post will take you through how to […]

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  • 5 Commonly Confused Words to Look Out for While Proofreading

    5 Commonly Confused Words to Look Out for While Proofreading

    Aug 28, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling
    • Vocabulary Tips

    If you’re a proofreader, you’ll most likely find it easy to spot common spelling mistakes and typos. But some words might still catch you out from time to time. In this post, then, we’re looking at five commonly confused words that proofreaders should keep an eye out for. Becoming A Proofreader Have you got an […]

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  • Editing Tips: What to Do with Variant Spellings

    Editing Tips: What to Do with Variant Spellings

    Jul 08, 2021

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Spelling
    • Vocabulary Tips

    If you want to pursue a career in proofreading, sooner or later you will encounter words that have variant spellings . In this post, then, we’re going to look at some common types of variant spellings and how to proofread them. Becoming A Proofreader If you would like to brush up on the basics of […]

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