OK, we’ve complained about almost every nit in language and spelling but this one: there is no ‘e’ in lightning. “Does lightening occur in the sun?” Yes, it does. The sun lightens nearly everything, except for your skin, which it darkens. The only lightening in a storm is when it stops and the clouds part, and the sun comes out.
[QUOTE=Lizard]
Lose = to misplace something or to be defeated;
Loose = to untighten, or an adjective describing objects that are not securely fastened, etc.
One does not “loose” their car keys; an unsuccessful person is not a “looser.” If you use that word to describe such a person, that makes YOU a --what for it-- LOSER!
[/QUOTE]
This one drives me nuts, too.
One thing that fascinates me about “loose” as a verb is that its usage seems very specific. One might loosen their tie, but one looses one’s bowels.
Actually, lightening occurs when lightning strikes, as well.
It also occurs universally when lightening strikes. 
[QUOTE=fishbicycle]
OK, we’ve complained about almost every nit in language and spelling but this one: there is no ‘e’ in lightning.
[/QUOTE]
=^.^=; I’m guilty of that one. And I only figured it out last year…
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia]
I just chocked it up to someone attempting to use a word they’re clearly unfamiliar with
[/QUOTE]
I believe the word I’ve bolded should be changed to chalked.
Related to the breath/breathe confusion noted upthread: I just read a post in which someone said “I loath their attitude.” Well, I loathe the widespread ignorance of the fact that loath is an adjective (loath to attend the meeting), while the silent e is necessary if the verb is being written.
Homonyms drive me nuts more than other mis-spellings, I think because their the type of error most likely to be made by someone writing a story good enough for me to actually read. I was reading an (otherwise very good) fanfic the other day when a character ran up to someone and threw their arms around his waste. :eek: Sorta broke the mooed.
Oh, and choked / chocked too.
[QUOTE=Sternvogel]
I believe the word I’ve bolded should be changed to chalked.
[/QUOTE]
Heheh…I was chomping at the bit waiting to see if someone would catch that 