Spelling is hazardous (and I’m not talking about magical spells).  Even people who are good spellers can run across problems if they ever become unwary.  Knowing where your failings lurk might help, but sometimes contrary words can still slip in.

The rules of spelling always have exceptions, and the tricky words don’t help.  Does I come before E and why the (bleep!) does C have any say in it?  Pleez reed this thru tonite and tell me if it’s rite.  Did he want to have dessert in the desert or is that the other way around?

Never fear, spell check is here … but it also has its limitations.  For one thing, it has absolutely no clue that canon law doesn’t mean he who has the biggest gun gets to make the rules.  Modern technology does help with some of the spelling issues, but double-checking any word you question is a good practice.

For instance, compound words give me fits.  I just did a double check if that example is supposed to be hyphenated (depends on if it’s used as a verb or a noun).  And if I ever wanted to become a ghostwriter I’d need to remember I’m neither ghost-writing nor ghost writing.

There’s always the dreaded homophones, which sound just alike but mean different things:  If you reek to the core, the corps may wreak havoc on you.  Then you might want to rein in their reign when the rain falls.

Tangled fingers can get you in a mess.  In the curse of your writhing you discover how many woods can chance into a dorm you lever meat.  All it rakes is dripping, aiding or witching only a netter or tow.  Sometimes I wander if it’s a Freudian snip.

Proofreading is essential.  And my apologies to all you prefects out there.  Yes, I know you really do exist….